South Africa is the southernmost country in the African continent. The country is well-known for its beauty and distinctive attributes of the country. Cape Town is the largest city in terms of inhabitants in the country, along with this South Africa has three capitals, yes you heard it right! Most of the countries usually have only one capital city, but South Africa is the exception. Pretoria is the administrative capital of the country where you can find the presidential house along with other administration headquarters. The second one is Cape Town, the legislative capital city where you can find the National Assembly of South Africa. And lastly, Bloemfontein is the judicial capital of the country. As a matter of fact, South Africa has nine official cities, but to my surprise, one can find a huge number of places & villages all over the country. Today I would like to discuss some prominent places in South Africa.
Table Of Contents
10 Best Places to Visit in South Africa
- Genadendal
- Graaff-Reinet
- Hermanus
- Jeffreys Bay
- Franschhoek
- Tulbagh
- Pilgrims Rest
- Hogsback
- Paternoster
- Clarens
Genadendal
Genadendal was founded by Georg Schmidt, the town is rich in spiritual history. It is in the Western Cape province; this place is located at the oldest mission station in the country. The name of the place was changed in 1806. It was originally named Baviaanskloof but later, it was renamed Genadendal which means “Valley of Grace”. It is just a 90-minute drive from Cape Town. The sign outside the village invites people to “Visit the square and mission and a step back in time” This wonderful tiny village is to visit must in the atmospheric slice of South Africa.
Graaff-Reinet
Founded by the last governor of the Dutch East India Company in the year 1786. It is the fifth-oldest town in South Africa, after Cape Town. Graaff-Reinet town is located in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It courses along the Sundays River, in the stale plateau area called the Great Karoo. The architecture of the place is old Cape Dutch style, restored homes and public buildings are maintained. This place is also famous for being a flouring market for agricultural produce, noted for its mohair industry, sheep, and ostrich farming.
Hermanus
A seaside town(Hermanus) in South Africa’s Western Cape province. Very known for watching whales, this place is full of beaches include the broad Grotto Beach, overlooking Walker Bay. The place has many things to offer like Hermanus Cliff Path Walk, Land-based Whale Walking Tour. The town is full of hotels, restaurants and travel guides who show the remarkable beauty between mountain and sea. place is just two and half hour drive from Cape Town, dropping towards the Atlantic Ocean.
Jeffreys Bay
Jeffreys Bay often says J-Bay is a town of only approx. 27K inhabitants. It is located in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Jeffreys famous among surfers its preferred surf capital of South Africa. Similarly, it is the second most famous surfing destination in the world. It hosts the annual World Surfing League (WSL) during July. Jeffreys Bay is also famous for abundant seashells, great seafood, and calamari. The nearby kabeljous, seekoi, and Krom River lagoons host numerous water birds and much more water sports like fishing, boardsailing. Jeffreys Bay as a surfing destination was made famous by Bruce Brown’s movie “The Endless Summer”.
Franschhoek
This place was founded in 1688. Franschhoek is located in South Africa’s Western Cape. The tourist attraction has centuries-old vineyards and Cape Dutch architecture. Franschhoek is very famous for its renowned wineries farms. The wine valley is just 45 minutes drive from Cape Town. The town has one of the best cuisine and wine in the country. It has wonderful collections of art and antiques and galleries along main streets lined with restaurants and coffee shops.
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Tulbagh
Tulbagh was named after Dutch Cape Colony Governor Ryk Tulbagh. The region was named “land Van Waveren” in 1699 by William Adriaan van der Stel in honor Ostegens van Waveren family. The town is also very famous for its wine production, there are numerous wine estates on the streets. Tulbagh also hosted the previous Absa Cape Epic mountain bike stage race. This best place has experienced the most diverse and attractive conditions of Viticulture enjoys distinct wines.
Pilgrims Rest
A small unqiue museum-type destination in Mpumalanga province, South Africa. This place is famous for reserving Gold. The alluvial gold wasby prospector Alec Patterson, later in 1873, it was officially declared a goldfield. Pilgrims Rest original architecture remains unchanged and is declared National Monument.
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It became a provincial heritage site in 1986. It has unique cultural heritage site and a living museum with a variety of items and has tours, accommodation, restaurants, and shops.
Hogsback
Up in the high flat-topped mountains, Hogsback is a majestic village in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The village has spectacular views, forests, mountains, and waterfalls. The village is a must-visit if you are traveling deep South Africa. This village surprises nature lovers with its beauty. The Destination is covered with exotic plants, there is a number of hiking routes through mountains and forests. The village is being widely famous around the Globe attracting people both international tourists and the residents of South Africa.
Paternoster
One of the oldest fishing villages on the West coast of South Africa. around 90 minutes drive from Cape Town, the town is situated 15 km northwest of Vredenburg. This tourist attraction is also well known for its seafood, lobster, and white-washed fishermen’s cottages. The town is a commercial market for the fishing industry, encouraging wildlife too. The town has multiple activities include whale, dolphin, seal, and penguin watching along you can also see 225 bird species in the area. The town has a place to keep the sports, tourism and a lot of food.
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Clarens
Clarens is a small town in the free state province of South Africa. often heard “Jewel of the Eastern Free State”. In 1912 a decision was made to name this place “Clarens” in honor of president Paul Kruger’s influence in the area. This tourist attraction is an artist’ haven, with may art galleries scattered around the village. The village is known for spectacular sandstone mountains and a wonderful climate. The town is picturesque spot in South Africa. The town is also known for large Jurassic dinosaurs lived in the eastern part of free state about 200 million years ago. It’s a perfect spot to visit in South Africa.
At The End
South Africa is full of surprises and best places to visit. These are some unique destinations/tourist attractions to visit must in a lifetime. Yet the country has also some fast-growing cities like Cape Town, Johannesburg, Soweto, Durban, etc.
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