As well as having cover for the basics, like medical emergencies and baggage, you need to make sure that you are covered for any extra activities you have planned during the visit:

Water sports activities

Many millions of watersporting enthusiasts are attracted to South Africa's Northern, Western and Eastern capes each year. If you have any kind of watersporting activity planned during your visit to South Africa, then it's very important to make sure you have adequate water sports cover.

Holiday Extras travel insurance comes with many water sports activities covered as standard including certain types of snorkelling and yachting. If you are unsure whether a watersports activity you have planned is covered or not, take a look at the policy wording, which can be found when making a quote.

South African safari travel insurance

With over 700 publicly owned nature reserves and 19 national parks, safari tours in South Africa are popular, readily available and should definitely be on your to-do list. Having adequate safari travel insurance should also be a high priority as this will insure you are covered for personal accident, medical emergencies and cancellations.

Gadget travel insurance

Most travellers like to take some expensive gadgets and tech with them on a trip - things like ipads, iphones and camera's. If you really can't afford to loose your tech, then it's also worth considering adding gadget cover to your policy. You might especially want gadget cover for your trip to South Africa, as the country is known for it's high rates of crime, including smash and grab theft. Adding gadget cover to your policy will ensure you don't need to take the financial hit.

Do I need a visa for South Africa?

Assuming that you are a UK citizen travelling on a full British passport, it's possible to stay in South Africa for business or tourism purposes, without having to apply for a visa - provided your stay does not exceed 90 days. For any extended trips lasting more than 90 days, it will be necessary to apply for a visa. If your stay exceeds 90 days and you haven't applied for a visa, then you may find that certain penalities are imposed, like being declared undesireable and being denied future entry into South Africa. For more information on entry requirements into South Africa for UK citizens, check out GOV.UK on this topic.

South Africa safety tips

It would be foolish to deny that certain areas of South Africa, like Cape Town and Johannesburg are infamous for their high rates of violent crime. That being said, the country has so much to offer an intrepid traveller, and it would be a crime in itself not visit these beautiful, breath-taking cities out of any sense of fear. Here are some useful guidelines and tips to staying safe and getting the most out of your trip to South Africa:

ATMs

If you need to take out some cash, it's advised not to use ATMs on the street. It's common for thieves and fraudsters to come along pretending to help, but with the intention of robbing you. The safest way to withdraw money is to use the ATMs inside shopping malls, as here there's adequate security and CCTV.

Getting around

By far the safest and most convenient way to get around is by using Uber. Taxi services run all hours of the day and at just 200-250 rand (£11-14) are an affordable means of covering large distances around the city. Remember to only use official marked Taxi's. Don't ever walk anywhere alone at night, it's always best to either walk with a group of friends or just get a cab.

Alternatively, if you're looking for a cheaper way to get from Cape Town international airport to the city centre, there is a one way bus service departing every 30mins costing approximately 88 rand (roughly £5.00).

Another popular means of getting around is to rent a hire car, as UK driving licenses are valid for up to 12 months in South Africa. This offers you considerable freedom to explore outer lying areas, and visit attractions like national parks and vineyards - which often tend to be far from the city. If you're using a rental car, don't rely on GPS navigation, as this will only give you the fastest and not necessarily the safest route to your destination. It's always best to get directions from your hotel, host or the locals.

Avoid the unofficial "mini-bus taxis" that you may see around. These are unregulated and unsafe!

Road safety

If you're planning to take a hire car, there are a few things you should be aware of to stay safe on the roads. It's best to avoid unfamiliar rural areas at night as these are the times when thieves and hijackers often operate. Thieves have been known to use various methods to stop a car and rob it's occupants, like placing large stones and other obstructions along isolated roads. Another technique used by hijackers involves getting drivers to stop by feigning distress. It's safer to report the incident to the police rather than pick up or help any apparently distressed motorists.

Eating out

South Africa has a rich food history and culture, from the sumptuous fusions of Cape Malay Cuisine, to the famous Masala steak Gatsby sandwiches of down town Cape Town. There are a few things to remember when eating out. Tipping is customary, so be sure to add between 10-20% to the bill. At certain eating establishments, servers will want to see your receipt when they bring your order, so remember to hold on to this to avoid any confusion.

Understanding the lingo

A source of endless confusion amongst english speaking tourists is the mystery surrounding South African Slang. While it's not possible to give you a complete urban dictionary of all the idioms and colloquialisms, here's a breakdown of the one that catches everyone out...

"I'll see you just now" - The single most misleading piece of slang ever to be used. "Just now" does not mean "just now" in the sense that the rest of the world understands it. When a South African says "I'll see you just now", they really mean, "I'll see you later" i.e not now.

"Now Now" - If a South African says "I'm coming now now" this actually means that they'll be with you in five minutes.

"Now" - Fortunately, this means exactly what it has always meant - an immediate action.

Currency

South Africa's currency is the rand, and it can be exchanged for British pounds in advance, or at a money changer in a city.

Vaccinations

The World Health Organisation recommends that you are vaccinated against Rabies, Typhoid and Hepatitis B. Be sure to get your injections weeks in advance, as our medical cover won't support you if you do not receive the required immunisations.