Other places in South Africa

Durban Eastern Cape Johannesburg Kwazulu Natal Mpumalanga Natal South Coast Western Cape

The land of hope that bowls a blinder

The Cricket World Cup will be held in South Africa for the first time in February and March next year.
With a total of 14 countries competing, it is a competition which is bound to attract an enormous number of supporters.
And while cricket is the main item on the menu, the competition will also provide a great chance for visitors to explore the many other delights of this fascinating country.
My wife and I have just come back from a two-week whistle-stop tour of the country and, against expectations, it turned out to be one of the most exciting experiences of my life.
We started off in Natal with a guided tour of the Boer War and Zulu War battlefields.
It was a four-hour drive from Durban (where Kingsmead will host a number of World Cup fixtures) to the epicentre of the Boer War, Spion Kop, where the Boers gave the British a drubbing in a crucial early battle.
The discomfort suffered by the British troops at Spion was in stark contrast to our own conditions.
We stayed at first-class lodges throughout our trip, proving how the South African tourist industry has made galloping progress in recent years.
The accommodation was among the best I have experienced. And the country represents excellent value for money.
The Spion Kop Lodge, for instance, produced great comfort at absurdly cheap prices for Brits, who collect 17 Rands or more for every pound.

Read more in our destination guide to South Africa.