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2ND DEC 2008
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Events
Public holidays underwent a dramatic shake-up after the 1994 elections. For example, the Day of the Vow, which celebrated the massacre of Zulus, has become the Day of Reconciliation (16 December). The officially ignored but widely observed Soweto Day, marking the student uprisings that eventually led to liberation, is now celebrated as Youth Day (16 June). Human Rights Day is held on the anniversary of the Sharpeville massacre (21 March).
The Festival of the Arts transforms Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape each July. As well as mainstream art, opera and theatre, there are fringe and student components to the festival, including theatre performed in many of the languages spoken in South Africa. The big Arts Alive Festival is held in Johannesburg in September and October. This is a great time to hear excellent music, on and off the official programme. There are also a lot of workshops exposing South Africans (and visitors) to the continent's rich cultures, so long denigrated during the apartheid years. The immensely popular Pretoria Show is held during the third week of August.
Apartheid-induced cultural boycotts starved South Africa's mad sports fans - and competitors - of competition. Any international cricket or rugby game is therefore a big event.
 Off the Beaten Track
Port St Johns
At the mouth of the Umzimvubu River in Eastern Cape, Port St Johns is an idyllic little town with a dominant black population and a relaxed atmosphere. Artists and craftspeople have been escaping the cities to set up studios and workshops in the area, some of which you can visit. This is about as close as you'll come to the new rural South Africa. There's tropical vegetation, dramatic cliffs, great beaches and a good range of backpacker-style accommodation. Silaka Nature Reserve, a small coastal reserve just south of Port St Johns, is a hang-out for otter and white-breasted cormorant. There are also tidal rock pools and an estuary where aloes grow almost down to the water.
Port St Johns is accessible by bus from Durban via either Lusikisiki (the shortest way) or Umtata.
The Shipwreck Coast
This stretch of coast in Eastern Cape, the graveyard for numerous ships, is largely unspoilt. There are a couple of resort towns and the inevitable casino, but it is still easy to get away from it all. The Shipwreck Hiking Trail extends for 64km, but there are several easy entry and exit points for hikers. This is one of the few walking areas in South Africa where you can set your own pace, camp more or less where you choose and light fires (providing they are on sand, away from vegetation). Those who make the effort are rewarded with wild, unspoilt surf beaches, rich coastal vegetation, beautiful estuaries and diverse birdlife. Try not to burn it all down. East London and Port Elizabeth are the main entry points to this area.
 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
This park is the result of a merger between the former Kalahari-Gemsbok National Park in South Africa and the Mabuasehabe-Gemsbok National Park in Botswana. Covering an area about twice the size of Kruger, Kgalagadi is not as famous as many other African parks but it is, nonetheless, one of the greatest. The size of the park is crucial for the unhindered migration of antelopes which are often forced to travel great distances to reach water and food. Although the countryside is described as semidesert, it is richer than it appears and supports large populations of birds, reptiles and small mammals. There are 19 species of predator here, including dark-maned Kalahari lions, cheetahs, leopards, wild dogs, hyenas, jackals and foxes.
The best time to visit is in June and July when the weather is coolest (it gets below freezing at night) and the animals mooch along the dry river beds. The closest major town is Upington, but it's still a slog of a drive - be careful on the dirt roads. All accommodation is run by the National Parks Board and it ranges from camping spots to chalets with private facilities.
Provided by The Student Zone (United Kingdom)
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