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Africa Guides

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Asia Guides

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Caribbean Guides

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Central America

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Europe Guides

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Middle East Guides

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North America

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Pacific Guides

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South America

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Visitors find that South Africans are generally warm and welcoming people; that the landscape and scenery are spectacular; and that prices are quite reasonable, particularly when compared to those in the UK and Europe. Crime is a problem here, however, and personal safety can be at risk when travelling in many parts of the country.

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Car-jackings, muggings, rape and theft are unfortunately all too common, particularly in Johannesburg. In many cases, it is wise to travel with a tour group in urban areas – or at least a guide. That said, with proper precautions and vigilance there’s no reason why a visit to this beautiful and fascinating county can’t be a pleasant and memorable experience.

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Booking in advance is highly recommended. An advantage to visiting during the highly-popular months, though, is the wide array of festivals that you’ll find, such as Cape Town’s New Year Karnaval, and the Incwala ceremonies in Swaziland.

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Currency can be changed at banks, currency exchange offices and most hotels – as well as at many restaurants and larger shops. ATMs are found throughout the country and are equipped to process cash advances by credit card. MasterCard and Visa are more typically preferred by vendors, but most will also accept American Express and Diners Club cards.

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Other languages that are widely spoken include Sotho, Venda, Xhosa – in the Western and Eastern Cape regions – and Zulu, in KwaZulu-Natal. There is also a substantial Portuguese community in various areas, so it’s not unusual to find Portuguese being spoken in those places.

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Business needs: as South African society is multi-cultural, you will find that business etiquette may vary widely among different groups of people, and in urban versus smaller-community settings. Overall, however, business is conducted in much the same way that is the norm in Europe and the US. Although the country recognises 11 languages as official, English remains the primary language used for business purposes.

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