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Overview
South Africa is an
exhilarating, spectacular and incredibly diverse country. With its post-apartheid
identity still in the process of being defined, there is undoubtedly an
abundance of energy and a sense of "moving forward" about the country at
the Southern tip of Africa. South Africa's infrastructure is constantly improving, the climate is
moderate most of the year and there are few better places to see Africa's wildlife
in the wild. But if
you really want to understand the country, you'll have to deal with the full
spectrum and not sure zebras and lions. Poverty, the AIDS pandemic and violence
are a part of South Africa as is its wildlife.
A bit of History
After the United Kingdom
claimed
the area around the Cape of Good Hope in 1806, many of the Dutch settlers
who were there moved north to found their own settlements. The discovery of
diamonds and gold in the 19th century spurred wealth and immigration.
However, this intensified the suppression of the native inhabitants. The
Dutch
resisted British aggressions but were finally defeated in 1902. The resulting Union of South Africa
moved forward under a policy
of apartheid - the separate development of the two races. The 1990s saw
an end to apartheid politics and introduced black majority rule.
How to Get There
South African Airways is
flying to Hong Kong so travellers can join this flight with a connecting
flight from Bangkok. Other choices include Kenya Airways via Nairobi or
some of the Middle Eastern airlines.
The Highlights
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Go on a safari and
get up-close and personal with lions, zebras, elephants etc.
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Enjoy the stunning
views from atop the Table Mountain in Cape Town |
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Rent a car and tour
along the spectacular Garden Route |
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Visit a diamond
mine and buy one of these little stones |
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Play a round of
golf in the spectacular resort of Sun City |
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Country Profile
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Country Name |
South Africa |
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Capital City |
Pretoria |
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Major Gateways |
Johannesburg (JHB) |
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Cape Town (CPT) |
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Population |
47 million |
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Languages |
Afrikaans, English |
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Main Religions |
Christian, Muslim, Hindu |
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Currency
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South African Rand (ZAR) |
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Time Difference with Thailand |
-4h |
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Calling Code |
+27 |
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Best Time to Visit |
All year round |
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Visa Requirement for Thai Citizens |
Visa required |
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Travel Time from
Bangkok |
11h (nonstop) |
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More info |
www.southafrica.net
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Map |
Click here
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National Flag |
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