South Africa
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- paddywop
Hi there.
i've decided that i need a holiday and what i really want to do is go to south africa and cave dive with some sharks. I've never been out of europe before and i'll be going alone.
Does anyone have any information or advice / personal experiences relating to this that might help me. Bear in mind i know absolutely nothing so even the smallest thing is useful.
Help please
- -leah-0
1..2..3..
waiting for jazx to respond...
- ********0
Welcome to the murder capital of the world
- paddywop0
is that so?
- ********0
yeah, but i'm sure it's all cool.
*also waiting for Jaz to respond
- paddywop0
cant be more dangerous than Leeds Kuz
- -leah-0
my mom went on a safari there a few years ago, she got to ride an ostrich. i never thought i would see pictures of my mom riding an ostrich! lol
- ********0
this guy, chris fallows, studies and photographs the beauty that is....great white. he also has expeditions.
- ********0
- paddywop0
cheers chris, thats the type of thing.
- ********0
I lived in Southern Africa for give or take 4 years and then off and on holidays as well. Anything specific you want to know?
- ********0
i've never been...so i can't speak from experience as jaz has actually lived there....but i'm itchin' to go see the great whites. (or maybe i'm itchin' from something else ;)
- ********0
Ahhhh, my bad, the cave diving with sharks thing. You will want to do that in the Western Cape. ie, Cape Town to let's say PE (Port Elizabeth). King Beach as I remember it had some nice diving. Remember the Southern Hemisphere is hot now and we up here are cold. So, I'd advise going in our spring and their fall. Their fall is still quite warm, but their summer might knock you out a bit. It can be scorching at times. The safari thing is for tourists, if you want to do that sort of thing then fine. I'd advise against it.
- paddywop0
where do i start man? I know nothing of the place other than i can see sharks from a cage. I'm going alone so are there other people like me that i might befriend, are hotels and hostels easy to find and cheap, is the place generally safe and friendly, seriously man i need to know anything and everything that you can be bothered to tell me.
Bear in mind that my main reason is for the diving so i'll be stationed around cape town i imagine.
Cheers JazX
- ********0
I went there last year with my g/f to visit her mum who lives in Joburg.
Don't go to Joburg.
There's not a lot to do.Go to the Western Cape - it's lovely.
If you haven't got a car to hire - don't bother going. I would not dare to take public transport out there. In Joburg, it was simply to dangerous. Not sure about the Cape.
Read up on what to do how/and possible when you get mugged or car-jacked. Keep your wits about you.
- ********0
Be honest with you, this may sound silly, but as soon as you get to the city. head straight for them MOST touristy thing you can do 'The Victoria Waterfront'. You, obviously, will want a trained group/guy to take you out there, unless you just want to play with Great Whites, tee hee. ^_^
You'll find many packages and stands/kiosks for that sort of thing. There is also an aquarium situated there as well, as info on it.
- ********0
Although the South African Rand is somewhat weak in comparison to the US Dollar and UK Pound and such, I'd shop around for the best deal. You can be ripped off quick-like, even from smiling white men. Maybe try to stay at Camp's Bay. The inner city bowl area is a bit on the dodgy side at times, especially night. The cliff areas are close by and whale watching is also quite nice. Cape Point.
- paddywop0
JazX man, this is top drawer information.
Run down to me a couple more things.
1. is it the type of place other lone travelers might go. Although i'm going alone i don't intend on spending the duration alone.
2. Please tell me that Moth is exagerrating the (lack of) safety issues.
- ********0
first off, moth is exaggerating. JoBurg isn't CT and vice-versa, they are two different worlds and, racialy speaking, different as well. Crime is an issue, but only if you go looking for it. Things do happen, but tourists are generally protected pretty well. Just be as street smart as possible.
I'm pretty sure you can do shark diving all along the Western Cape, but since this is your first time, you need a landing base. So, do the CT thing. If I have the time I can tell you the exact I-stand to go to in the city bowl region. It's not far from the Bus Station in the center of town. Table Mountain is visible from that area. That coastal region is quite majestic IMO.
- paddywop0
Well, now i'm even more eager to go. But i didn't plan on going before the spring.
I am going to start planning though. If you think up anything else i might find useful to know please post it here or email it to me.
I only left my home town to stop being mugged so i don't want to go across the world for it.
Thanks a million JazX
- ********0
You will not get mugged. It's fine. Don't think negatively. You'll have a great time and only about 25 minutes outside Stellenbosch, the Vynelands where you can do some heavy duty wine tasting and tour wineyards. Nice food to boot, women are cuties.