‘Fun and affordable’ 2010 accommodation

Urban Hip Hotels has announced ‘fun and affordable’ 2010 accommodation for the young at heart.


The hotel group will manage over 9 000 rooms on South African university campuses for the duration of the World Cup in all three major cities – Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban – next year from June 6 to July 15.

A statement from the group said the accommodation was secure, affordable and “most of all, festive and vibey”. “Groups, clubs or singles will make the most of the furnished rooms and access to catering, entertainment and sporting facilities.”

Visitors will be able to ‘catch’ World Cup fever at the campus entertainment zones, set to stage all World Cup matches on wide-screen televisions. Other attractions include beer tents, live entertainment and food stalls.

For more information visit www.campus2010.co.za

KwaZulu Natal

Over the past decade, the tourism industry in South Africa has grown beyond the expectations of even the most optimistic trend analyst. In fact, for the past eleven successive years, overseas visitor-arrival numbers have continued to increase, growing at a compound rate of no less that 17.5% per annum.

There is no doubt, the KwaZulu-Natal province plays an integral role in this success story, making a significant contribution to these positive statistics. There is something about this warm and friendly province which continues to draw tourists from all around the globe. World class beaches, majestic mountain ranges and a rich cultural history, are just some of the diverse attractions which keep visitors coming back.

The St Lucia region offers a perfect example; representing an area of immense tourism potential, underpinned by a wealth of natural and cultural resources. These include a pristine coastline, classic African game parks, the southern most coral reefs in Africa and rich indigenous cultural traditions.

Fortunately, this unique tourism opportunity has been recognised and the governments of Mozambique, South Africa and Swaziland are launching tourism investment programmes with a scale and grandeur unparalleled in Africa. One of these developments is known as the Lubombo Spatial Development Initiative.

The Lubombo region straddles southern Mozambique, eastern Swaziland and northern KwaZulu-Natal and, for the first time, provides access to some of the most picturesque and unspoiled natural attractions which the continent has to offer. At the heart of this spectacular area, nestles the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, listed last year as a World Heritage Site. This region is currently enjoying the biggest and most prolonged tourism boom in its history.

Recognising the opportunities offered by this robust growth, several exclusive groundbreaking tourism investment projects have been developed. One of the sites chosen and packaged is the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Attractions, ranging from beach resorts to boutique hotels and game lodges, are being designed to help establish the Lubombo region as a tourism destination of international repute.

Until now, the region's inaccessibility has inhibited extensive development.
This hurdle has been overcome with new major and secondary roads currently being constructed as part of the Lubombo Initiative.

To date, some R630-million has been committed to a range of projects, including regional support networks (new roads and the upgrading of the major national access route); park infrastructure (game fences, internal road networks and tourism facilities) and the restocking of the park. Various regional programmes also include a major new malaria eradication drive.

These improvements are being implemented in different phases over the next three years. The resulting infrastructure will create a flow of job opportunities for people in the area, ensuring there is a long term future for the Lubombo region.

The Lubombo Spatial Development Initiative is an important programme for the prosperity of tourism in KwaZulu-Natal. It demonstrates the enormous potential of the province and the commitment shown, from both government and business, to effectively utilise and manage the natural assets that the country has to offer.

Victoria & Alfred Waterfront

The underlying appeal of the V&A Waterfront is its magnificent setting. Table Mountain and Table Bay provide the perfect natural surroundings for this exciting and vibrant V&A Waterfront which is always alive with the buzz of visitors. Within the Cape Town Waterfront there are a host of activities and the world famous Two Oceans Aquarium. If you are in Cape Town you can not miss out on visiting the V&A Waterfront. This is one of the most popular things to do in Cape Town.

Two Oceans Aquarium

The Two Oceans Aquarium is one the top things to do in Cape Town. The Cape Town aquarium offers everyone the chance to take a glimpse into our Oceans and gain some insight into how magnificent our Oceans really are. The Two Oceans Aquarium is great for kids and offers them a host of activities to entertain and educate them about the Ocean. But, the Cape Town Aquarium is for everyone. The Two Oceans Aquarium is a must visit attraction situated in the V&A Waterfront.

Table Mountain Cableway

The Table Mountain Cableway allows you to zip up the front face of Table Mountain and experience breathtaking views of Cape Town and the scenic peninsula. The Table Mountain Cable car rotates as you ascend the mountain. At the summit there many viewpoints, a restaurant, cocktail bar, souvenir shop and summit room. Cape Town weather can force the Table Mountain Cableway to close down temporarily, but when the Cape Town weather is fine, take this memorable trip up the Table Mountain Cableway. If the Cable Car is closed for the day there are many other things to do in Cape Town.

Robben Island

This is a must, when considering things to do in Cape Town. Robben Island, Cape Town is where Nelson Mandela and numerous other political prisoners spent many years imprisoned by the old South African government. The Robben Island Museum Tours Department now conducts tours to Robben Island, Cape Town's World Heritage Site. The tour includes the boat ride to Robben Island, a tour of the Robben Island Museum and prison, and a bus trip around the remainder of Robben Island.

Penguin at Boulders Beach,

Boulders Beach, Simon’s Town is the location of the penguin sanctuary in Cape Town. The protected penguin reserve is a popular local attraction and is looked after by the Table Mountain National Park. The Boulders Beach Penguin sanctuary has a walkway which allows you to view the Cape Town penguins without disturbing them. There is also a fantastic little swimming beach just a bit down from the penguin sanctuary, which is very popular for families looking for things to do in Cape Town.

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens

The Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens are a huge natural asset to the Cape Town region. The gardens are a place of natural beauty and tranquillity. The well kept lawns are great for picnics after you have explored the magnificent trees, plants and rivers that are within the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. The Kirstenbosch Gardens have a great visitor centre, nursery, tea garden and restaurants. In summer the Kirstenbosch summer concerts are extremely popular things to do in Cape Town. Have a look at our Kirstenbosch Summer Concerts Guide for concert details.

Cape Point Nature Reserves

The Cape Point Nature Reserve is right at the tip of the Cape Peninsula. The reserve has incredible natural beauty and can be explored on foot or from the comfort of your vehicle. There are even a few Cape Town beaches situated within the Cape Point Nature Reserve. At the tip of the Cape Town nature reserve you are treated to towering cliffs on either side of you, as you look out over the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. There are many things to do within the Cape Point Nature Reserve and you can quite easily spend a couple of days exploring this reserve.

Cape Town Beaches

Cape Town Beaches
Cape Town beaches have soft, white sand, great surrounding scenery and mountainous backdrops. There are a number of Cape Town beaches which are very popular but there are loads of other great Cape Town beaches all over the peninsula. The Uncover the Cape, Cape Town beach guide currently has 22 great beaches in Cape Town, helping you to discover all the beaches in Cape Town. When looking for things to do in Cape Town finding a great beach to visit ranks right up there with the best things to do in Cape Town.

Stay Easy Hotel opens in Witbank

Southern Sun has announced the opening of the 135-room StayEasy Emalahleni in Witbank this month, aimed at business and leisure travellers.


Accommodation options include double or twin-bed configurations and all rooms contain flat-screen televisions with selected DStv channels, air-conditioning and tea- and coffee-making facilities.

Business facilities at the hotel include meeting rooms and wireless Internet hotspots and workstations. In addition the hotel is conveniently located with access from the N4 that connects Gauteng with Mpumalanga.

It is situated on the Ridge Casino premises, adjacent to the Highveld Mall, and guests can also visit the nearby dining, casino and entertainment complex.

Accommodation at the StayEasy Emalahleni is available from R695, including a continental breakfast.

Southern Sun has five StayEasy hotels in South Africa – Emnotweni in Nelspruit, Century City in Cape Town, Eastgate, Pretoria and Rustenburg. StayEasy Pietermaritzburg is under construction.

The Real Estate Market in South Africa

includes - unlike Namibia - farms and agricultural land. Due to the favourable exchange rate, property in South Africa is affordable. For example, a house in a good area of Cape Town, with a swimming pool and a big garden, costs hardly more than $US 250,000. Apartments are offered for less than $US100,000. In other areas, such as the province of KwaZulu-Natal., it is even cheaper. The Cape region is regarded as the safest place for an investment in property, as there is still a strong influx of buyers from the Johannesburg area, which keeps the prices up. The Garden Route is a growth area as well.

Real estate Agents
The property market in the whole country is firmly in the hands of a few estate agencies. Private sales are relatively rare. In South Africa the agent is paid by the seller, so you can readily turn to an agency (see the real estate info page), if you are interested in buying property. When it comes to signing a contract or an offer to purchase, the agent will look after the required legal proceedings.

Market Survey
To get an idea of the market situation, one has to have a critical look at the available properties in the preferred area. The big newspapers (e.g. Cape Argus) publish a big property section every weekend, where you can find almost all the places for sale, advertised with photos. Many houses are "on show" on Sundays, which means you can view them without a previous appointment.

The Big Hole in Kimberley

The Big Hole is situated in Kimberley, Northern Cape Province. It is the biggest man-made structure in South Africa. Kimberley was known for diamonds and that is the reason we have the Big Hole, it was the biggest mining activity in South Africa

This mining activity happended some 120 years ago and today the Big Hole is a Tourist attraction in Kimberley.

The Kimberley Mine site started on or about 16 July 1871 and by 14 August 1914 all mining activities ceased. By that time it had yielded 2 722 kilograms of diamonds extracted from 22,5 million tons of excavated earth. Today the Big Hole is surrounded by original old buildings from days gone by, relocated from their earlier sites to form a magnificent open air museum.

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Cape Town Accommodation

Cape Town has a wide variety of accommodations Establisments that suite every pocket. Accommodation range from different star gradings, and few days ago I came across this website which is about a group of guest house in one area that came together and they came up with the idea of being able to help people that might be travelling in groups and maybe not being able to be accommodated in one Establishment

For further information, you are welcome to check them them out on http://www.capetown-connections.com/

Soccer fever grips South Africa

For the next two weeks the eyes of the world will be on South Africa as it plays host to the ‘litmus test’ of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, says South African Tourism (SAT).


“South African Tourism welcomes players and fans to South Africa. We’re excited about the tournament, not only because it offers our industry a truly incredible opportunity to showcase our destination, but also because it gives us a chance to show off our infrastructure and to have our visitors witness the effort that we have put into preparing for this world-class event,” says South African Tourism COO and acting CEO, Didi Moyle.

Moyle said the championship would finally put an end to all speculation regarding South Africa’s capability and ability to host some of the greatest tournaments in sporting history. “We are beyond ready. People now need to come and celebrate with us, this magnificent feat of being able to host these sporting events,” she said.

The 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup takes place from June 14 to 28. Host cities are Bloemfontein, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Rustenburg.

Rustenburg The Platinum Area in South Africa

RUSTENBURG
Rustenburg is the third oldest town of the former Transvaal Province and offers numerous places of interest. Its jacaranda tree-lined streets are the hub of a thriving agricultural and mining industry. Rustenburg has a population of about 1 000 000 people.

The Royal Bafokeng Nation Of Rustenburg
The Royal Bafokeng comprise a population of about 310 000 people. The Royal Bafokeng are members of the Setswana-speaking indigenous community and rose to some prominence during the 1980s when they demanded compensation and royalties from mining companies who were mining platinum in the area.
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Attractions
Attractions include the Anglican Church (1871); the Dutch Reformed Church (1898 -1903); the statue of the Voortrekker girl; Paul Bodenstein Park; a tour of the Tabacco Research Institute at Kroondal; a visit President Kruger's farm Boekenhoutfontein; a circular game-viewing tour of the Rustenburg Nature Reserve; the Rustenburg Ramble which includes craft galleries, farm stalls and eating venues.

The Northern Cape History

The Northern Cape has been politically dominated by African National Congress since 1994. The Northern Cape has an Afrikaans speaking majority giving rise to many ethnic issues in the politics of the Northern Cape. One of the widely publized issues is the site of the controversial Orania settlement, whose leaders have called for a Volkstaat for the Afrikaner people in the Northern Cape province.

The Northern Cape is also the home of over 1,000 San who immigrated from Namibia following the independence of the country; they had served as trackers and scouts for the South African government during the war, and feared reprisals from their former foes. They were awarded a settlement in Platfontein in 1999 by the Mandela government.

Today the Northern Cape is the largest province in South Africa (Almost 3 times the size of Germany) and it is also the most sparsely populated South African province. The Northern Cape is well known for it's grapes from Upington, Iron from Sishen and diamonds from Kimberley.

South African Natural Heritage Sites

The natural World Heritage Sites in South Africa have been shaped by forces we barely understand. But we can admire their wondrous handiwork – a vast estuarine system, a rich legacy of plant life, a gallery of sculpture man cannot imitate, and a natural disaster of a magnitude hard to conceptualise.


Fynbos, part of South Africa's floral heritage

© South African Tourism

DID YOU KNOW?
....the force of impact of the Vredefort meteorite forced gold to the earh's surface?

South Africa's four natural heritage sites each foreground the planet's natural elements - water, air, earth and fire - in some way.

The iSimangaliso Wetland Park may feature a surprising range of habitats and eco-systems, but the overpowering theme here is water. Trailing up 280 km of KwaZulu-Natal coastline, it includes Africa's largest estuary at Lake St Lucia, a 60 km-long river mouth parallel to the coast yet separated by forested sand dunes. Drawn to this water world are hundreds of bird species and some interesting amphibians, while in the wild Indian Ocean waters off shore, the passing sea traffic includes whales and sharks.

Air or, more precisely wind, has been a force in the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park, shaping the spectacular mountain scenery. Carving breathtaking precipices and soaring peaks, the wind has left South Africa with a natural world heritage site not only for the eyes to marvel at, but to challenge the body with rock climbing, abseiling and hiking. In the winter, when snow dusts these wind-hewn monuments, the stunning visual effect is doubled.

In the Cape Floral Region, a South African natural heritage site that stretches from the Peninsula to the Eastern Cape, Mother Earth has given birth to a plant life so rich, it includes 3% of all the species to found in the world. A good share can only be seen in this corner of the globe.

In the formation of the fourth Natural World Heritage Site in South Africa, the Vredefort Dome that traverses the Free State and North West border, fire played a key role. This vast crater was shaped billions of years ago, when a meteorite the size of Table Mountains slammed into the earth. As it passed through the earth's atmosphere it heated up enormously, crashing to earth as a blazing fireball.