Thrilling adventures in the sunshine make South Africa a great getaway escape from the cold and damp of China’s winter.
Because South Africa is in the Southern Hemisphere, the festive season is in the middle of summer. So one major difference is that wild flowers are blooming in their full glory, the sun is shining and everything is vibrant. All that vitality is brought to life even more by the festive mood of the people – with the same decorations, markets, carolers and Christmas dinner (which in South Africa is more of an outdoor lunch) helping you get into the festive spirit.
South Africa is a country with a great affinity for outdoor activities, so it's no surprise that thousands of people visit to the Big Five game parks like the Kruger National Park to spot lions, leopards, elephants, buffalos and rhinos.
South Africa is the adventure capital of the world. With over 130 adventures and counting, there is something for everyone from magnificent hiking routes, such as the six-day Hoerikwaggo Trail, between Table Mountain and Cape Point, to skydiving in KwaZulu Natal and shark cage-diving at Gansbaai.
Glorious days of sunshine carry an irresistible invitation to beautiful white sand beaches along the 3,000 km coastline, including 41 ‘Blue Flag’ awarded beaches voted among the best in the world.
For one of the world’s most spectacular drives, the Garden Route is a scenic stretch of the south-eastern coast from Mossel Bay in the Western Cape to the Storms River in Eastern Cape, famed for hiking trails and various eco-tourism adventures in its verdant forests and nature reserves dotted with lagoons, lakes and some of the world’s most beautiful golf courses.
Along the popular Garden Route you can experience “Ocean Safari’s” in unique marine reserves, home to dolphins, seals and a host of other marine life, including the endangered Southern Right Whales. Ocean Safaris offers a unique opportunity to see some of the ocean’s largest and most mysterious inhabitants in their natural environment in Plettenberg Bay.
Whale and dolphin tours are also in Port Elizabeth's Algoa Bay from January to July, when the phenomenal ‘sardine run’ attracts countless marine and birdlife. Whale species include southern rights, humpbacks and Bryde's, while Port Elizabeth is also known as the Bottlenose Dolphin Capital of the World, with a population of around 30,000. Algoa Bay is a paradise for bird-watchers, declared a ‘hope spot’ for survival of the endangered African penguin. The St Croix Island group, including Brenton and Jahleel, is home to vast colonies of bird species, and St Croix is home to the largest breeding colony of African penguins in the world. Bird Island is meanwhile the world’s largest gannetry for Cape gannet, as well as being home to 6,000 Cape fur seals.
One of Africa’s premier vacation destinations, Sun City, is internationally renowned for its superb resort offering of hotels, attractions and world-class events, from the lavish opulence of The Palace of the Lost City to the casual elegance of the Cascades and the tropical thrills of the Valley of Waves. The family-friendly destination is also superb for kids, with a supervised playground and dedicated kids’ activity centre at Kamp Kwena, charming Animal World, Entertainment Centre gaming arcade and thrills of a magnificent Water world.
Then, there is golf. The huge desert style Lost City course has real crocodiles at the 13th hole! and The Gary Player Country Club and Golf Course is one of the most famous in the world, home to the prestigious Nedbank Golf Challenge.
Iconic attractions in picturesque Cape Town are UNESCO World Heritage sites Table Mountain, accessible by cableway or an exhilarating hike, and Robben Island, one of the most significant historical sites in South Africa, with famous former inmates including Nelson Mandela. The V&A Waterfront is meanwhile a world-class shopping and entertainment precinct.
“For Chinese travellers, South Africa offers a world of adventure, fun and exploration in the sun over the festive season, and a welcome escape from miserable winter weather in most of the northern hemisphere,” says Mr. Bradley Brouwer, President: Asia Pacific, South African Tourism. “South Africa provides a unique holiday option for family vacations during Christmas and New Year, with the warm and welcoming people of South Africa ensuring this festive season will be a memorable one.”
China is one of South Africa’s five core tourism markets, alongside the USA, UK, Germany and India. To make the travel experience even more seamless, South African Tourism has established visa facilitation centres in nine Chinese cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xian, Shenyang, Wuhan, Jinan and Hangzhou.
中国银行近日与南非旅游局携手合作,联名发行“中国银行长城环球通自由行精彩南非信用卡”。前往南非这一享有“彩虹之国”美誉的国度旅行时,持有该信用卡的中国游客可享受众多优惠礼遇,收获更加超值、畅刷无忧的精彩南非之旅。
The recent launch of a new ‘BOC Inspirational South Africa FIT Credit Card’ in partnership with Bank of China is another milestone in making the South Africa experience even more appealing and accessible, introducing a host of benefits to cardholders.
Additionally, in order to enhance the experience of self-driving tourists, South African Tourism has teamed up with Didi car rental to provide users with an authoritative and comprehensive guide with insightful information on self-driving routes and tips from South African Tourism, which will help tourists navigate South Africa in safe and convenient experiences.
South African Food Culture
南非人民为其独特的烹饪文化传统感到自豪,发扬游牧民族和移民非洲部落,如科萨,祖鲁,佩迪,巴斯拉,索托等等为起源的饮食文化,构成了这个美丽多样的国家。
South Africans are very proud of their unique culinary heritage and cultures, embracing a food culture that began with ancient dessert nomads and migrating African tribes, like the Xhosa, Zulu, Phedi, Bathla, Shangaan. Sotho, and so many more that make up a beautiful diverse nation.
This fascinating history traces back to the ancient ‘Khoi’ and ‘San’ people of the Namib and Kalahari deserts….who lived on edible roots and plants, and harvested succulent oysters and mussels from the seashore.
Next, Bantu people migrated south and settled, introducing agriculture….cultivating maize, sorghum and millet, for baking pot bread.
Dutch settlers and African’s infused the tradition of cooking meat over open fires with ‘braai’ barbecues and ‘potjie’ cooking pots. When they migrated inland on the ‘Great Trek’ during the Anglo-Boer War, living off the land and wild game meats, they preserved meat into dried strips called ‘biltong’.
Colonists from Germany, France and later Britain brought their own European cooking styles – from ‘wurst’ and ‘boerewors’ sausages to the centuries old wine-making tradition of French Huguenots…and the English pudding culture.
Domestics from Indonesia, Malaysia and Madagascar imported aromatic spices from the Far East…
The Portuguese brought chilies from their colonies introducing hot ‘peri-peri’ dishes. And curry and rice arrived with Indian immigrants.
The heritage of South African cuisine is as colourful and diverse as the numerous cultures that make up the ‘Rainbow Nation’, with its 11 official languages.
“This culinary evolution, from traditional African food through waves of colonisation and immigration, results today in one of the most diversified and flavourful cuisines in the world that is a highlight of any journey to South Africa, nothing brings people together like good food” added Mr. Bradley Brouwer.
南非著名的开普酒乡已拥有300多年的酿酒传统,坐拥斯泰伦博斯、帕尔、法兰舒克、埃尔金等多座佳酿产区以及三座距开普敦不远的优质酒庄旅游线路。开普酒乡的每座酿酒厂都有自己的特色,游客可在此品尝多种佐餐特产,如橄榄、巧克力、太妃糖、手工精酿啤酒以及肉干等。