Am touring (organised tour) around South Africa in September, what are the 'best buys'.?

Question

Is it an expensive or cheap place for souveniers etc. and do you have any other tips.

Answer 1

I have travelled South Africa many times and you will be pleased to hear trouble free. South Africa has many beautiful places. If you have a special someone in your life then diamonds can be purchased in Cape Town, I got brought a ring and had it valued in UK and we got a bargain. If you like Baileys liquer and anyone else you know then you have to try Amarula its similar but made with brandy I believe, it's yummy and very well priced too. Take travellers cheques in Rand to save being stung with poor exchange rates locally, also a safer way of travelling with money. Cute kiddies clothes can be brought at the V & A Waterfront in Cape Town - you can spend as much or as little as you like. As you've seen by the guys that have answered you already SA has a crime problem so try not to stand out ie no flashy jewellery, big camera round you neck, mobile phone glued to your ear (don't expect you to when on holiday anyway!) or carry too much money. As you are on an organised tour your tour leader is not going to take you to the darker side of town. Please do not let this ruin what should be a trip of a lifetime. I sell SA holidays and I am pleased to say that all my clients recieve comprehensive do's and don't's on SA. Thankfully we have had trouble free visits for 5 years now. Perhaps you could log something positive about SA on this site upon your return.....as I am convinced you will find many to talk about.
Have a fab trip!

Answer 2

Souveniers from South Africa are usually beadwork, leatherwork, wooden carvings.

You will probably stop at a few tourist places and have the opportunity to buy there, sometimes they are expensive, but I think its safer to purchase things there than to venture out on your own looking for bargains.

You can also get postcards and other novelties (I used to supply a souvenier shop with notebooks covered in animal print fabric) but take your time and get stuff you really love or will use.

Recently I looked around a craft market in a major shopping center and found some great gifts that arent the traditional tourist items, bath plugs shaped like the "big 5" and stainless steel cake forks and teaspoons with wire and beading on the handles. Stuff you could really use. (might have been made in Hong Kong though!!)

Have a great trip, you will be safe as long as you dont wonder off on your own, there is safety in number!

Answer 3

Head down to the Cape and check out the souvenirs entering the final KM or so of the drive. It is a fabulous drive and will be a fine trip. South Africans are friendly and helpful people, even the poor who have much to complain to their countrymen about.

Greenmarket and the city center in Cape Town are great as well. It is art and good food, wine if you have the money. It doesn't take much to have a fine meal or two.

I would try the Garden Route up to Durban and further. There are a few die hard malcontents but the country is recovering from the social and economic hell introduced and sustained by the Boers. The S Africans are doing better than Zimbabwe since the ties to Europe are still strong, the europeans could not so easily cut and run.

Answer 4

It used to be a very cheap place.
However, in the last 7 years the prices have been going up all the time.
They put the Rand down so that it is cheap to the tourist.
The prices of Restaurants and some other things are cheap but most other things are now getting close to the prices in the UK.
Fiona : Go back to the mental hospital they are looking for you.
Look at this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lYYZfztK9g

Answer 5

Stay away from curio shops they're a rip off , asked the tour operater to stop at one of the many road side stalls which sell bead work,carvings ,reed mats,crocheted table cloths etc etc( and not at their usual scheduled stops).Clothing and shoes are also good value for money so my family from the uk says when they are here on a visit.Good wines are very well priced and are available not only from the wine estates but liquor stores as well

Answer 6

There is a big road side market in Swaziland near Mlilwane Game Reserve that has really good carvings and other souvenirs. A lot of the organized tours stop there.

Answer 7

A large semi automatic handgun. As a tourist you are an easy target

Answer 8

it's really cheap for tourists, and although it may sound 'wrong', in the markets, ALWAYS haggle. the locals put the prices up, with the intention of lowering them. there's some amazing crafts in the markets, especially the jewelry and paintings.
keep your wits about you, as you would in any other place. i didn't notice it was a dangerous place when i was there, and have seen more crime here in england than i did in 4months there.
and don't forget a camera!!
have a great time, i wish i was going again!

Answer 9

It is an expensive toilet with one if not the highest violent crime rates in the World. I suggest you Google "crime south africa" and pick up on the crime sites so you can read the gory detail for yourself.
20,000 murders per year
A woman raped every 3 minutes.
Babies raped as a cure for AIDS
Young boys sodomised
Children murdered and cut up for body parts and sold to Witchdoctors.
Attacks on Tourists at all major sirtes and beaches
Attacks on tourists in Hotels
Attacks on Shopping Malls and wild firefights ensuing
Numerous car jackings
Tour Groups attacked by armed gangsters and robbed at Restaurants in Cape Town in December and another similarly in Durban.
And it is everywhere in South Africa.

Answer 10

u whities r funny
mama africa is 4 africans an his children
whities must go
gangsta is waiting 4 u
africa and her african sons we will have our day!!