Must-see attractions in South Africa

  • Hluleka Marine Protected Area coastline, Hluleka, Eastern Cape, South Africa

    Hluleka Nature Reserve

    The Wild Coast

    Approximately midway between Coffee Bay and Port St Johns, this nature reserve is known for its spectacular coastline of rocky seashores, pristine beaches…

  • Cape Town

    South African National Gallery

    Cape Town

    The impressive permanent collection of the nation’s premier art space harks back to Dutch times and includes some extraordinary pieces. But it’s often…

  • Homecoming Centre

    Cape Town

    This centre houses an annexe of the District Six Museum which is usually open for temporary exhibitions and events. Currently there's a wonderful…

  • Chancellor House

    Johannesburg

    It was in this three-storey building that, in the 1950s, Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo set up South Africa's first black-owned law firm. After a 2012…

  • Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newton.

    Mary Fitzgerald Square

    Johannesburg

    Named after South Africa’s first female trade unionist, this square is partly decorated with an array of heads, carved from old railway sleepers by…

  • Church Square

    Cape Town

    One of the city's most attractive public plazas is surrounded by handsome old buildings including the Herbert Baker-designed National Mutual Building,…

  • Zoo Lake

    Johannesburg

    This busy park is a firm favourite with Jo'burgers from all walks of life. Lace up your trainers and join locals for a run on the paved paths or games on…

  • We Are Still Here

    Cape Town

    Mosaic artists Lovell Friedman and Leora Lewis are the creators of this powerful artwork just outside the Central Library. A mosaic of ceramic tiles forms…

  • Norval Foundation

    Cape Town

    This large, purpose-built gallery has caused some disquiet among locals for its austere, imposing facade. Inside, airy spaces host rotating exhibitions of…

  • Sci-Bono Discovery Centre

    Johannesburg

    Testament to the remarkable reawakening of downtown Jo'burg, this well-organised science museum, full of interactive exhibitions, occupies a former power…

  • Ditsong National Museum of Military History

    Johannesburg

    If you’re fascinated by guns, tanks and aircraft, you can see artefacts and implements of destruction from the 1899–1902 Anglo-Boer War through to WWII at…

  • Monkeybiz dolls, Bo-Kaap.

    Bo-Kaap Museum

    Cape Town

    This small museum provides some insight into the lifestyle of a prosperous 19th-century Cape Muslim family, and a somewhat idealised view of Islamic…

  • Victoria Yards

    Johannesburg

    These old brick buildings of what used to be a steam-powered laundry have been transformed recently into studios for artists and artisans. The site is…

  • Delta Park

    Johannesburg

    One of Jo'burg's largest public parks, Delta Park is ideal for long strolls and picnics. It is best known for its stunning explosion of pink and white…

  • Workers’ Museum

    Johannesburg

    This important museum is in the restored Electricity Department’s compound, which was built in 1910 for 300-plus municipal workers and has been declared a…

  • Ithala Game Reserve

    KwaZulu-Natal

    Although it's not as well known as other reserves in the province, a trip to Ithala should be on the itinerary of anyone who is looking for spectacular…

  • Close up of mature male artist working on canvas

    William Humphreys Art Gallery

    Northern Cape

    One of the country’s best public galleries, with changing exhibitions of contemporary South African work, as well as a surprisingly good collection of…

  • South Africa, Johannesburg, Origins Centre, Recently Opened Museum On The Campus Of Wits University,

    Origins Centre

    Johannesburg

    This stunning museum explores the African origins of humankind through interactive exhibits. The centre is brilliant for school-age children and holds the…

  • Mountain Zebra National Park

    Eastern Cape

    This underrated national park, 12km west of Cradock, is on the northern slopes of the Bankberg Range (2000m), covers 280 sq km and has superb views over…

  • Greenmarket Square

    Cape Town

    This cobbled square is Cape Town’s second-oldest public space after the Grand Parade. It hosts a lively and colourful crafts and souvenir market daily…

  • Church Square

    Pretoria

    A statue of Old Lion (Paul Kruger) takes pride of place in the centre of Church Square, which is surrounded by some impressive public buildings. The…

  • St George’s Cathedral

    Cape Town

    Known as the People’s Cathedral, this was one of the few places of worship that was open to people of all races during apartheid. Classical concerts are…

  • Iziko Slave Lodge

    Cape Town

    Dating back to 1660, the Slave Lodge is one of the oldest buildings in South Africa. Once home to as many as 1000 slaves, the lodge has a fascinating…

  • Long Street

    Cape Town

    A stroll along Long St is an essential element of a Cape Town visit. This busy commercial and nightlife thoroughfare, partly lined with Victorian-era…

  • Schotia Game Reserve

    Sunshine Coast

    The smallest (and busiest) private reserve in the Addo area, Schotia is contiguous with Addo (accessed from the N10 south of Paterson). Aiming to evoke…

  • South African Museum

    Cape Town

    South Africa’s oldest museum was undergoing renovations at the time of research, so some galleries were closed. The museum contains a wide and often…

  • 18 Gangster Museum

    Cape Town

    Gangsterism is the blight of the Cape Flats, and this innovative living museum shows the treacherous path that too many in these communities follow into…

  • Robberg Nature & Marine Reserve

    Garden Route

    This reserve, 8km southeast of Plettenberg Bay, protects a 4km-long peninsula with a rugged coastline of cliffs and rocks. There are three circular day…

  • Sammy Marks’ Museum

    Pretoria

    This handsome mansion, 20km east of central Pretoria, was built in 1884 for the industrial, mining and agricultural magnate Sammy Marks. Now it’s a…

  • Grand Parade

    Cape Town

    A prime location for Cape Town’s history, the Grand Parade is where the Dutch built their first fort in 1652; where slaves were sold and punished; and…

  • Lake Eland Game Reserve

    KwaZulu-Natal

    The reserve has over 40 species of animal and 200 bird species. You can head off on a self-drive (R60 per person) or a wildlife drive (R250 per person,…

  • Kliptown

    Gauteng

    Established in 1891 and found southwest of Orlando West, Kliptown is Soweto's oldest settlement. Informal settlements (shacks) for black families started…

  • Moffat Mission

    Northern Cape

    Established by the London Missionary Society in 1816, the mission was named after long-serving Scottish missionaries Robert and Mary Moffat. They…

  • Lenong Viewing Point

    Limpopo

    A narrow, serpentine but paved road climbs to this splendid vantage point with sweeping views; arguably the best views are on the way up. Once at the…

  • Wynberg Village

    Cape Town

    Declared an urban conservation area in 1981, pretty Wynberg Village is also known as Little Chelsea or Chelsea Village, a nickname it gained in the 1950s…

  • Silaka Nature Reserve

    The Wild Coast

    This small reserve, 6km south of Port St Johns, is worth a visit if you want to soak up the stunning scenery. It runs from Second Beach past Third Beach…

  • Fort Nongqayi Museum Village

    KwaZulu-Natal

    Based around three-turreted Fort Nongqayi, the museum village also includes the Zululand Historical Museum, with artefacts and Victoriana; the excellent…

  • Two Rivers Urban Park

    Cape Town

    Covering some 240 hectares around the confluence of the Liesbeek and Black Rivers, this new park is one of the city's largest, with the potential to…

    • placement: fullWidth
    • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
    • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [300, 250], [320, 50], [1, 1],
    • targeting:
      {
        "position": "superzone"
      }

More destinations you need to see