The tiny private plane is skimming just above the waves of Walker Bay near Cape Town when the pilot points and there are no fewer than half a dozen whales playing in the surf, so close to the beach it's hard to believe they won't strand themselves. There are plenty of Cape Fur Seals in these parts, too. Around 60,000 of them on nearby Dyer Island alone, said to be one of Africa's most eco-sensitive bird islands. Between January and March you can see around 15,000 young seal pups learning to swim.

Viewing whales from a light plane is the fast way to do it but there are plenty of boat trips available, too, few more spectacular than those from the beach at Plettenberg Bay. I climb aboard a catamaran, which is then pushed by a tractor into the surf before the engines roar and we take off like a rocket out to sea.

We head to where we think we have seen a whale "blowing". I can just see where it has disturbed the surface of the sea. There are hundreds of seals, too. We see them playing in the surf later as we drift past aptly named Seal Island on our way back to the beach.

The first of the Southern Right whales -- named because whalers used to think they were the "right" whales to catch, due to the amount of blubber they produced and because they floated after they had been killed and so were easy to tow to shore -- can usually be spotted from June onwards, when they migrate north to escape the heavy winter storms of Antarctica.

Oudtshoorn
by Lucy van Zyl

My South African boyfriend took me to all sorts of places on my first trip to SA, but one of the most memorable was when we travelled to Oudtshoorn to an ostrich farm. After having a most fascinating tour of the farm, I was given the opportunity to ride to ride one of these unusual beasts. I tentatively climbed on the back and was shown how to hold the wings correctly. The farm hand then whistled and set the ostrich off at a steaming pace round the exercise yard with me bobbling along on it's back clinging on for dear life. I laughed like a mad woman all the way round until the bird came to a stop at the other end. One of the most exhilarating and unusual experiences of my life and highly recommended!
CLIMBING
by KIM JURECKI

SPENT A SUPERB 3 WEEK HOLIDAY CLIMBING IN SOUTH AFRICA VISITING CAPE TOWN AND THEN HELLFIRE CRAGS AND UP TO WOLFSBERG. FELT VERY WELCOMED AND PRIVILEGED TO EXPERIENCE THE FANTASTIC SCENERY. AT ONE WITH NATURE AND THE ROCKS - SUPERB
U Shaka Marine World
by Brenden Callaway

I was visiting some friends in Durban, It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining brightly on my untanned back, after waking up and going to the beach for a swim, we got to go to this amazing casino right on the coast line of golden beaches and beautiful women. I won like 300pounds and then took a walk to Ushaka marine world, where we had some cocktails and dinner, we proceeded to party the night away. Respect South Africa, you did me well..
Unbelievable - South Africa has Everything
by BOB BAYLIS

With or without children there is nowhere better than South Africa. Cape Town is heaven on earth, a wonderful centre for exploring the Cape. The Indian Ocean warms the east coast and Blouberg on the west is cooled by the Atlantic. There is every source of pleasure, interest, sport and fun for all and the beauty of Table Mountain, Cape Point and Kirstenbosch botnical gardens. The coastal Garden Route to Durban is breathtaking with superb, informal hospitable hotels. Most important, despite what one sometimes hears, South Africa is a HAPPY place with friendly, smiling people. And the Game Reserves!
shark diving,cricket,table mountain!
by ryan gillingwater

i went shark cage diving from hermanus which was one of the best experiences of my life.a four metre great white just a couple of inches away from you is a really awesome experience.i want to go back!
also spent 2 months following the england cricket around and had some of the best times with really friendly south africans all round the country. and walked up table mountain, twice, a beer well earned at the top while admiring some incredible views out to robben island and the beaches.
The Blue Train
by Andy Walker

Having spent our 25th wedding anniversary on the Orient Express we thought we would celebrate our 30th on the Blue Train. It was fantastic! Everything we expected and more. The food was excellent, as of course were the wines. The staff were attentive but not over bearing and the train itself was luxurious. It’s a great way to get a glimpse of South Africa, first passing through flat open plains before traversing the mountains and dropping down through the vineyards to the Cape. Perhaps we’ll try Rovos for our 35th!
super subaqua
by simon fenner

Chilled out (literally) by snorkelling at Boulders Beach (glad we had wetsuits) - the penguins waddle right up to you on the foreshore, but afloat we had to creep around the rocks to catch a glimpse of their underwater antics; definitely worth it. Up the coast at Tsitsikamma (coastal forest reserve) we were thrilled to watch pods of 30+ dolphins surfing the breakers, basking southern right whale and as a bonus nearly tripped over a rare cape clawless otter snacking on an octopus. North of Durban, at Sodwana, we enjoyed warmer water, coral reefs and the panoply of polychromatic parrot, butterflies and other piscatoria.

great memories
God's Own Country
by Alishka Wilson

Talk about a world in one country, it will knock your sock off! It's beauty is unsurpassed, everything from dramatic mountains to picturesque sea resorts. It has everything you could ever imagine to do and see and there's always another magical sight around the next corner. The game parks are amongst the best in Africa. Awesome!
Garden Route
by Leslie James

Capetown great, Jo'burg great shopping, but the garden route for a holiday can offer it all, scenery, beaches, food and weather
Sensory Overload - Everywhere!
by Bob Parkes

The whole country is fantastic. I visited a number of places in the Western Cape and everywhere I went I had a wow factor overloading my senses, the views, the coast, the distances, the mountains. Unequaled in any single country I have been to before.
golf
by mike bebb

Several years ago a party of 16 of us from Yorkshire went to cape Town golfing and it was a fabulous experience...we played some magnificent golf courses...Stellenbosch, Royal Cape, Milnerton etc. and several more. Everywhere we were made welcome and our accommodation and dining experiences were great and so cheap! I would recommend a visit to anyone...I promised myself I would one day go back !!!
Cricket
by Ian Cousins

Have been 3 times to Cape town and surrounding area. Have brought a boys cricketing side out to play against local schools. Had a fantastic time in an exciting and vibrant country. would love to bring my wife to see it.
Shark fishing
by Michael Willis

Had a great time off Durban fishing for shark. Caught hundreds of them in great weather; and then enjoyed a great party when we finally berthed.
Addo Elephant Park
by Edward Walkden

This was a wonderful experience, once our guide found where the elephants were we sat in our vehicle near a water hole and about 60 elephants surounded us as close as 5 meters. They were all sizes, young to old with young bulls testing each others strengh. We also spent 2 nights at a small private wild life reserve and this was also a marvelous experience, living in the wild in luxury huts with wild life all around. A never to forget experience.