USEFUL INFORMATION |
Beautiful scenery, teeming wildlife, a fascinating history and as good a climate as you will find attract visitors from all over the globe to KwaZulu-Natal. Washed by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, KwaZulu-Natal with its subtropical coastline and sweeping savannah in the east and magnificent Drakensberg Mountain range in the west generously caters for just about every taste imaginable.
Climate:
In KwaZulu-Natal, daytime temperature in summer (October to March) varies between 27oC – 34oC. From September to November the climate is warm, dry and windy at times. The months December through till February are very warm, thundery and humid at sea level. Water temperature varies between 24oC – 29oC, and sea conditions are calm in the morning, often becoming choppy and windy later on in the day.Daytime temperature in winter (May to August) varies between 18oC – 26oC, climate is mild and very pleasant. Water temperature varies between 17oC – 23oC with generally calm sea conditions.
For daily and long term forecasts for Durban see our home page here.
Entry:
There are daily flights from Europe and the United Kingdom to Durban via Johannesburg. Visitors are required to have valid passports for entry into South Africa. Most foreign nationals are exempt from visa requirements. All visitors must complete a temporary residence permit at the point of entry into the country, showing length and purpose of the visit and a contact address.Time Zones:
Standard Time in South Africa is 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and 1 hour ahead of Central European Time (CET).Currency:
The South African unit of currency is the Rand (ZAR) – indicated by the letter ‘R’ before the amount (‘Rand’ is short for ‘Witwatersrand’, Gauteng’s gold-bearing reef). The Rand is divided into 100 cents (c). Bank notes are issued in R10, R20, R50, R100 and R200 denominations. Most international credit cards are accepted throughout the country.
Banking:
Most major commercial banks offer foreign exchange services and automatic teller machines throughout the country. Traveller’s cheques may be exchanged at banks and bureaux de change.Banking Hours:
In the large towns and cities, week day banking hours are 09H00 to 15H30 and on Saturdays from 09H00 to 11H00. They are closed on public holidays. A few areas that have high volumes of foreign visitors offer a 24-hour foreign-exchange service. All airports with international arrivals and departures have special banking facilities for international passengers.Tax Refund:
Visitors to South Africa are not exempt from paying VAT (Value Added Tax) on bought goods. However, tourists can claim back the VAT paid on items, with a total value exceeding R250.00 that they take out of the country with them. The VAT can be claimed at airports and/or harbours of departure, as well as customs offices.
Water:
Tap water is chlorinated, but quite safe to drink throughout South Africa, unless otherwise posted. There is also a wide range of bottled spring water available. It is recommended to drink lots of water to avoid dehydration.Tipping:
10% usually applies for restaurants and R5.00 per bag for porters.Health and Medical Care:
No compulsory vaccinations are required. Medical and hospital fees must be paid direct, so special travel insurance is recommended.For minor ailments, we recommend you to purchase paracetamol, aspirin, anti-inflammatory tablets, decongestants, plasters, Imodium, re-hydration sachets as well as medication for seasickness if you are prone to it. Also remember to bring mosquito repellent and sun block.
Beaches:
Shark nets protect most of KwaZulu-Natal beaches.Clothing:
Casual and comfortable shorts, t-shirts, sandals and a windbreaker will suffice for summer. Although our winter is very mild and shorts and t-shirts are worn during the day, you will need something warmer at night.Geography:
South Africa is bigger than Germany, France and Italy combined, and five times larger than Great Britain. We have good roads leading to mountains, deserts, forests and pristine beaches.
Sunshine is plentiful, varying from 7.5 to 9.5 hours per average day, compared to 3.8 hours average in London, 6.4 hours average in Rome and 6.9 hours average in New York.
People:
South Africa, a large scenically splendid and humanly diverse country at the foot of the African continent, is home to about 47 million people from at least 20 ethnic groups.There are 11 official languages, of which English is most widely spoken and understood.
More questions?
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