One of the reasons I prefer leaving the country when I want to go on vacation is that it is actually CHEAPER to have a vacation outside South Afrika than it is to have one inside. For example, a bus (Eagle Liner) from Park Station to Harare (Zimbabwe) costs R450, which is less than the cost of a bus to Port Elizabeth. A taxi from Joburg to Manzini (Swaziland) costs R200, which is less than a taxi to Durban. A bus from Park Station to Lilongwe (Malawi) costs around R680, which is only R30 more than what a bus to Cape Town costs. It costs the exact same amount of money to travel from Joburg to Maputo (Mozambique), and from Joburg to Gaborone (Botswana) as it does to travel from Joburg to Mangaung. The beauty is that buses that cant be found in South Afrika can all be found at Roadport (Harare, Zimbabwe) or Inter-City Bus Station in Lusaka (Zambia). Here, you can find buses going all the way up to Dar-es-Salam (Tanzania) and even to Lubumbashi (Democratic Republic of Congo). For example, I took a bus from Harare to Lusaka for only $25 (R250). The only problem is having to stop for 4 hours at the border gate in Chirundu, but thats not a big deal if you have a good book to keep you company. And Im informed that in Dar-es-Salam, you can find buses going even all the way to Nairobi (Kenya), and from there to Entebbe (Uganda)! And with the exception of Luanda (Angola), accommodation across the region is actually quiet cheap. You can find a decent motel in Costa du Sol (Mozambique), near the most beautiful beaches, for a few thousand meticals. Food in Moz is also quiet cheap, just as it is in Harare, if you choose to eat on the streets and markets like I do. Harare is the only place I know where you can actually still have a decent meal for $1.50 (R15). Proper sadza and chicken. I stayed near Manda Hill in Lusaka, didnt like it much. Actually, Lusaka feels a lot like South Afrika. Im not sure I recommend it. So if you want to take a vacation on a limited budget, leave this country. Vacationing in South Afrika is actually expensive. I dont do it. One other thing I dont do is go on vacation in December. Prices are crazy. I do off-peak seasons and mid-late January when yall have blown all your money and hotels are feeling generous. Prices can even go down by 55% of what they were in December. #EconomicsOfACheapTraveller
Posted on: Sun, 09 Nov 2014 11:12:29 +0000