Dive Services

African Odyssea
P.O Box 107 Ramsgate Natal South Africa 4285
Ph. +27 39 315 7628
Fax. +27 39 315 7628
odyssea@margate.co.za
http://www.africanodyssea.co.za
We offer fully guided diving and wildlife tours in South Africa and Mozambique. See all the creatures that inhabit Africa in on one trip!

Dive The Big 5
PO Box 2209
White River 1240
Republic of South Africa
Tel.: +27 13 750 1832
Fax.: +27 13 750 0018
E-Mail: info@divethebig5.com
Web: http://www.divethebig5.com
South African operator specializing in land based and liveaboard scuba diving along the entire coast of South Africa and Mozambique. Each scuba diving tour can be linked to a wildlife Safari.

Country Information

General Information
	Area: 1,219,080 sq km (470,689 sq miles). Population: 43,054,306 (1999). Population Density: 35.3 per sq km. Capital: Pretoria (administrative). Population: 1,080,187 (1991). Cape Town (legislative). Population: 2,350,157 (1991). Bloemfontein (judicial). Population: 300,150 (1991). Geography: The Republic of South Africa lies at the southern end of the African continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the east and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and is bordered to the north by Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Swaziland and totally encloses Lesotho. South Africa has three major geographical regions, namely plateau, mountains and the coastal belt. The high plateau has sharp escarpments which rise above the plains, or veld. Despite two major river systems, the Limpopo and the Orange, most of the plateau lacks surface water. Along the coastline are sandy beaches and rocky coves, and the vegetation is shrublike. The mountainous regions which run along the coastline from the Cape of Good Hope to the Limpopo Valley in the northeast of the country are split into the Drakensberg, Nuweveldberg and Stormberg ranges. Following the 1994 elections, South Africa was organised into nine regions. These comprise the Western Cape with its provincial and national capital of Cape Town, the Eastern Cape with its provincial capital of Bisho, the Northern Cape with its provincial capital Kimberley, KwaZulu-Natal with its provincial capital Pietermaritzburg, the Free State with its provincial capital of Bloemfontein, the North West Province with its provincial capital Mmabatho, the Northern Province with its provincial capital Pietersburg, Mpumalanga with its provincial capital of Nelspruit, and Gauteng with its provincial capital of Johannesburg. Government: Republic. Gained independence from the UK in 1910. Head of State and Government: President Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki since 1999. Language: The official languages at national level are Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swati, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. Religion: Most inhabitants profess Christianity of some form and belong to either Catholic, Anglican and other protestant denominations, Afrikaner Calvinist churches or African independent churches. There are also significant Hindu, Muslim and Jewish communities, and traditional beliefs are still practised widely, sometimes in conjunction with Christianity. Time: GMT + 2. Electricity: 220/230 volts AC; 250 volts AC (Pretoria), 50Hz. 3-pin round plugs are in use. Communications: Telephone: IDD is available. Country code: 27. Outgoing international code: 09. Mobile telephone: GSM 900 network. Operators include MTN (website: www.mtn.co.za) and Vodacom (website: www.vodacom.co.za). Coverage extends to most urban areas. Fax: Most main hotels have this service. Internet/E-mail: ISPs include M-Web (website: www.mweb.co.za), I-Africa (website: www.iafrica.com) and Sangonet (website: http://sn.apc.org). Visitors can access their e-mail from cybercafés around the country. Telegram: Services are available in all towns. Postal: Post office hours: Generally Mon-Fri 0800-1630, Sat 0800-1200. Some transactions may not be carried out Mon-Fri after 1530 or Sat after 1100. The smaller post offices close for lunch 1300-1400. Press: The main newspapers are in English and Afrikaans, and include Business Day, Cape Times, The Argus, Mail and Guardian, The Star, Sowetan, Sunday Times, and Natal Mercury.
Travel
	AIR: South Africa's national airline is South African Airways (SA). There are frequent direct and indirect flights by numerous major airlines from destinations throughout Europe and North America. For more information regarding airports, contact Airports Company South Africa (tel: (11) 453 9116; fax: (11) 453 9353/4; website: www.airports.co.za). Approximate flight times: From Cape Town to London is 12 hours 35 minutes, from Durban is 14 hours and from Johannesburg is 11 hours 50 minutes. From Johannesburg to New York is 17 hours (including stop in Cape Verde). International airports: Cape Town (CPT) (Cape Town International), 22km (14 miles) east of the city (travel time - 25 minutes). Airport facilities include outgoing duty-free shop, car hire, bank/bureau de change (Mon-Fri 0830-1730, Sat 0830-1300) and restaurant/bar (0600-0305). Inter-Cape buses meet all incoming and outgoing flights. Courtesy buses are operated by some hotels. Taxis are available, with a surcharge after 2300. Bloemfontein (BFN) (Bloemfontein International), 10km (6 miles) east of the city (travel time - 15 minutes). Airport facilities include ATM, restaurants, car hire and conference facilities. Airport shuttle bus to the city centre (leaving from outside the airport building). Taxis are also available. Durban (DUR) (Durban International), 16km (10 miles) south of the city (travel time - 20 minutes). Airport facilities include outgoing duty-free shop, car hire, bank/bureau de change and bar/restaurant. Airport buses and taxis are available to the city. Johannesburg (JNB) (Johannesburg International), 24km (15 miles) northeast of the city (travel time - 35 minutes). Airport facilities include incoming and outgoing duty-free shops, post office, car hire, bank/bureau de change (24 hours), restaurant and bar (1000-2400). Bus services to Pretoria and Johannesburg are available. Buses link Kempton Park with Johannesburg. Taxis are available. Courtesy coaches are operated by some major hotels. Port Elizabeth (PLZ) (Port Elizabeth International) is 25km (16 miles) from the city (travel time - 30 minutes). Airport facilities include Nedbank ATM, conference facilities, information desk (Mon-Fri 0600-2200; Sat 0700-2100; Sun 0800-2210; tel: (41) 507 7319) restaurants and pubs, shops, a pharmacy, postal services, car hire. Airport shuttle bus to the main international hotels in Port Elizabeth. Taxis are also available. Departure tax: None. SEA: The main ports are Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth and East London. St Helena Shipping Co Ltd runs a regular passenger service from Avonmouth to Cape Town. The Royal Viking Line includes South Africa on its southern Africa cruise. Cruises are offered by various companies between South Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands. Cruise lines include P&O, Cunard, Princess, Orient Lines and Silversea Cruises. RAIL: The main routes are from South Africa to Zimbabwe, Botswana and Mozambique. Contact South African Railways (SPOORNET) (website: www.spoornet.co.za) for further information. ROAD: There are main routes into South Africa from Zimbabwe (via Beit Bridge) and Botswana (via Ramatlabama), Mozambique (now open after a long war - check with local police about state of road and safety) Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland.
Entry
	Passport Visa Return Ticket Required Australian  Yes  No  Yes British  Yes  No  Yes Canadian  Yes  No  Yes Japanese  Yes  No  Yes Other EU  Yes  No  Yes USA  Yes  No  Yes
	PASSPORTS: Passports valid for at least 6 months beyond date of departure from South Africa required by all. VISAS: Required by all except the following for business and tourist purposes: (a) nationals of countries referred to in the chart above for visits of up to 90 days; (b) nationals of Iceland, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland for visits of up to 90 days; (c) nationals of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Israel, Jamaica, Malta, Paraguay, San Marino, St Helena, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Swaziland, Uruguay and Venezuela for visits of up to 90 days; (d) nationals of Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Cape Verde, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Gabon, Guyana, Hong Kong (SAR), Hungary, Jordan, Korea (Rep. of), Lesotho, Macau (SAR), Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mexico, Namibia, Peru, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Thailand, Turkey and Zambia for visits of up to 30 days; (e) transit passengers continuing their journey by the same or first connecting aircraft provided holding onward or return documentation and not leaving the airport. Note: (a) Nationals of Russian Federation and China must meet specific requirements before any visa application will be considered. Contact the Consulate for further details. (b) Holders of Visitors visas are not allowed to take up employment in South Africa. (c) Unaccompanied children under the age of 18 years must hold written consent from their parents when travelling alone. (d) Study or work permits must be obtained in the country of normal residence before entry into South Africa. Note: Visa fees will only be requested from nationals of Belize, Benin, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Hong Kong, Kenya, Korea (Rep. of), Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand if the intended visit exceeds 30 days. Additional Visa Details: http://www.southafrica.net
Misc. Info.
	SAFETY AND SECURITY: Political violence has significantly decreased in most areas of South Africa since the establishment of a democratically elected government in May 1994. Some public gatherings, however, have provoked violent clashes between political factions, resulting in casualties. The highest incidence of such political violence has occurred in the province of Kwazulu/Natal. Although foreigners have not been specifically targeted in these attacks, some have been caught up in general disturbances. Some townships in the vicinity of major cities, most notably Durban, Johannesburg, and Cape Town, have been scenes of violent demonstrations and factional conflict. Areas most frequented by tourists, such as major hotels, game parks and beaches, generally have been unaffected by political or factional violence. In August 1998 and January 1999, however, American franchise restaurants in Cape Town were bombed, and the possibility of renewed threats against American interests cannot be discounted. Americans and American interests were not obviously targeted during the year 2000. Bombing venues have included police stations, courthouses and commercial venues, such as bars, restaurants and shopping areas. Two of the targeted locations have American place names. Random bombings continue to occur in and near Cape Town, with five in August/September 2000. No person or group has taken responsibility for any of the bombings. The South African government is taking steps to control the violence, and is actively investigating all bombings. While visiting game parks and reserves, leaving your vehicle or otherwise being on foot can be dangerous, even in the presence of a guide. Between July and September 2000 there were four incidents of wild animal attacks on American citizens in the region, resulting in three deaths and one serious injury. CRIME INFORMATION: Although the vast majority of visitors complete their travels in South Africa without incident, visitors should be aware that criminal activity, sometimes violent, occurs on a routine basis. Crime in South Africa is perceived to be a significant threat to the country's overall stability and to the welfare of its citizens. Criminal activity, such as assault and armed robbery, is particularly high in areas surrounding many hotels and public transportation centers, especially in major cities. American citizens should exercise particular caution in these areas. Notwithstanding government anti-crime efforts, crimes such as carjackings, muggings, "smash and grab" attacks on vehicles and other incidents are regularly reported by visitors and resident Americans. Crimes against property, such as car jacking, have also often been accompanied by violent acts, including murder. South Africa has a very high incidence of rape. Foreigners are not specifically targeted, although rape of foreigners has occurred on rare occasions. Travelers may also wish to consider avoiding local commuter and metro trains, especially between Johannesburg and Pretoria, as a number of American passengers have been the subjects of muggings and violent attacks. In the Western Cape, police resources have been strained by continuing gang conflicts and vigilante violence in the townships near Cape Town. Travelers should use extreme caution when traveling in, to, or through affected areas. Credit card fraud, counterfeit U.S. currency, and various check-cashing scams are frequently reported. Do not permit anyone to "assist" you with ATM transactions. Beware of schemes in which a caller from South Africa (who is usually not South African) attempts to win the confidence of an unsuspecting American, who is then persuaded to either provide privileged financial information or travel to South Africa to assist in a potentially lucrative business venture. Those contemplating such transactions are urged to contact either the U.S. Department of Commerce or the U.S. Department of State before providing personal financial information or making any financial commitments. TRAVEL TO THE FORMER "INDEPENDENT HOMELANDS": Travelers should avoid nighttime travel and use caution when driving in the former "independent homelands" of Transkei and Ciskei, which have been incorporated into the provinces of Eastern Cape and Kwazulu/Natal. Some areas, such as the "wild coast" in the former Transkei, have significant levels of crime and inadequate medical services. This situation, though improving, has caused problems for foreign travelers to the area. Travelers may contact the U.S. Consulate General in Cape Town or the U.S. Consulate General in Durban for further information before embarking on trips to these areas. MEDICAL FACILITIES: Medical facilities are good in urban areas and in the vicinity of game parks and beaches, but may be limited elsewhere. MEDICAL INSURANCE: U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. U.S. Medicare and Medicaid programs do not provide payment for medical services outside the United States. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services, but usually do accept credit cards. Uninsured travelers who require medical care overseas may face extreme difficulties. Check with your own insurance company to confirm whether your policy applies overseas, including provision for medical evacuation and for adequacy of coverage. Serious medical problems requiring hospitalization and/or medical evacuation to the United States can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Ascertain whether payment will be made to the overseas hospital or doctor or whether you will be reimbursed later for expenses you incur. Some insurance policies also include coverage for psychiatric treatment and for disposition of remains in the event of death. TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning South Africa is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance. Safety of Public Transportation: Poor Urban Road Conditions/Maintenance: Good Rural Road Conditions/Maintenance: Poor Availability of Roadside Assistance: Good Road conditions are generally good. Many drivers travel at very high rates of speed, however, and poor lighting on rural roads and insufficient regulatory control regarding driver licensing and vehicle maintenance pose dangers to travelers. A number of Americans have been killed in highway accidents since the mid-1990's, only occasionally caused by the fact that driving is on the left in South Africa.