South Africa Resorts | 42 Timeshare Resorts in South Africa

South Africa Beckons To Visitors On Many Levels

With a history that's intermingled with strife, conflict and a race for gold and diamonds, South Africa is a tourist destination with an almost mythic feel. Offering a host of World Heritage sites and beautiful landscapes to explore, there is more to this country than many realize.

Offering more than 471,000 square miles to explore, this country is bordered by such others as Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland and Namibia. Its more than 1,500 miles of coastland cross both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Visitors here find there is much to do and see. From the world famous beaches to the sights of Cape Town and beyond, the draws of South Africa include:

• The Cradle of Humankind: Located about an hour northwest of Johannesburg is one of this country's most noted World Heritage sites. The Cradle of Humankind is a large fossil site that has yielded such finds as an Australopithecus skeleton that is estimated to be 3.3 million years old. The caves themselves are known as the Sterkfontein Caves.
• Robben Island: This is the site of Nelson Mandela's 27-year imprisonment. It has turned into a major tourism site. A ferry from Cape Town runs to this location, which has a history that dates back centuries.
• Richtersveld: This location is inhabited by the Nama people who are nomads noted for living a pastoral lifestyle.
• Battlefields: The country is home to a number of historic battlefield sites that date back to the 17th century. The fighting grounds of the Anglo Boer War and the Zulu wars are both major tourist stops.
• Constitution Hill: The location of the country's Constitutional Court was once home to the Old Fort Prison. Leaders who are noted to have walked its grounds include Mandela and Mahatma Ghandi.
• Other historic sites: History runs deep in South Africa. Other heavily visited sites include the Apartheid Museum near Soweto, the Mgungundlovu, which was the home of Zulu King Dingaan, the Nelson Mandela Museum in Umtata and the Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town.
• Adventure sports: While it is almost impossible to escape history when visiting South Africa, there are many other attractions to this country. Many visitors take part in adventure sports, which include such unusual things as sandboarding, quad cruising, shark diving and bungee jumping.
• Wildlife tours: Visitors to South Africa will also find there are many opportunities to meet some of the country's more wild inhabitants. Whale watching, safaris and more are all open to tourists. Sites for viewing animals up close and personal include the Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve, Kruger National Park and the Addo Elephant National Park.
• Other activities: Tourists will also find South Africa has more than 300 museums, plenty of beaches, shops, artistic sites and more to explore. The country is home to major cities with all the comforts of metropolitan living and rugged areas where only the brave dare enter.

From the diamond and gold mines to the wilds inhabited by lions, rhinos and cheetahs, visitors will find South African excursions are distinct. Steeped in its own distinct history, closely intermingled with that of the British, this country is a destination for those who want to see and do something very different.