Zanzibar, Namibia, Sri Lanka? One week in Feb ...

[juneau]

DH has a big birthday coming up in Feb 2020 and we're wondering where to go to celebrate. It will be us and kids 12 & 8. We're thinking of going somewhere warm and a bit more special and memorable than the usual winter sun destinations like the Canaries, Florida and Cyprus (all of which we've been to).

The catch is that we only have a week - Feb half-term - so a maximum of 9 days to play with. We like warm, but not boiling hot, and we like to get out and do things, not lie by the pool for a week. We like culture, walks, wildlife, beaches and/or towns.

I would also ascertain what the current situation is re the water shortages in Capetown and the surrounding areas. They have been in a state of drought now for some considerable time and water restrictions continue.

Do read the FCO travel advice on SA for up to date information.

You will also need to travel with the long version of your children's birth certificates if travelling to South Africa; the short forms are NOT accepted by the SA authorities. Your passport should have at least 2 blank pages when you present it at immigration to enter or leave South Africa.

I never normally travel with the DC's birth certificates ... short or long! Is this a requirement for SA? If so, I'd better make a note to remember to take them.

I'd forgotten about the drought - thanks for reminding me to bear it in mind.

The water shortage is still an ongoing situation.

Yes it is a legal requirement which has been in force for some time now; the short versions of the birth certificates are not accepted. People have been turned away at airports in the UK for showing up with the short versions of these documents for their children. There is more info on this point on the Foreign Office travel website re South Africa.

The FCO report makes alarming reading! We never normally go anywhere that is described as being so dangerous

I go to Cape Town twice a year - and normally stay at the fantastic Vineyard Hotel - and have never felt unsafe. Providing you're not wandering around a township at night you should be fine.
There's so much to do too. If you need some help or advice, I can highly recommend Rene at www.simpsonconferencesandtravel.co.za
She's a font of knowledge, super friendly and will be able to put an iternary together if you want. I use her for work in cape town and for our Namibian holiday too.

Thanks struggling - that's a great tip and aside from my sight nervousness about taking my kids somewhere where the FCO advice begins: There is a very high level of crime including rape and murder in South Africa, I think it would actually suit us very well as a destination. It literally has everything we could want for a week and the kind of temp that we are all comfortable with, so I think if we make sure we get good advice and stay somewhere that feels safe it will be great.

Namibia is much, much safer. The Namibia FCO report details the dangers of passport loss and hitting an oryx. Violent crime is quite rare. Similarly Botswana. Cape Town is safer than other parts of RSA, but the reality is it’s a ( beautiful) country with very high rates of violent crime. People visit all the time and are fine, but it’s a judgement call about what risk you can tolerate, and whether this precautions you would take might limit your holiday. We hope to go next year to visit family, but my DH ( who is half South African) has already started getting frit and suggesting we just fly Frankfurt-Windhoek instead.

OP you asked about kids and vineyards. Have a look at Spiers
Hotel and Vineyard which is very kid friendly and has lots of activities as well as wine tasting. Worth staying a night or two.
We combined a couple of nights at vineyards, three at Houts Bay and then a few by waterfront. Gave a nice mix.
Also, don’t expect to see whales in February. Penguins are great though!

It takes about 1 hour plus to get to Stellenbosch from Cape Town. There are many vineyards in that area offering beautiful lunches and wine but also cater for children. Look for Stellenbosch guides on line. The town itself is also worth a visit.

The fact is that crime is high in SA. It’s always a hot topic of conversation and South Africans will always be quick to offer you advice on safety. Essentially, stay in the tourist areas. You don’t need to wander off anywhere. You won’t encounter problems going to Robben Island or in the Cable Car going up Table Mountain. Don’t stop in or near townships and always keep to areas where you see plenty of people, especially at night. Keep handbags etc out of sight in cars and keep car doors locked. Use air con. It’s common sense. A lot of crime is within Black South African society but white South Africans are fearful. Hence some have guns (like Oscar Pistorious), love gated communities and pay for heavy duty home security and razor wire!

However, this is less in evidence in Cape Town and the Garden Route than elsewhere. Many people are employed in tourism and scaring tourists away is not sensible. My children went to boarding school in SA(without us) for an exchange which lasted a term and safety is a preoccupation from a young age! They always felt safe but initially thought the guards outside the school were to stop the girls escaping - lol!

Stay reasonably vigilant but don’t let it spoil your holiday!SA is a great place with stylish places to stay and it’s good value with supberb food.

Have a look at www.londongreenafrica.com for info on South Africa.

I went to Zanzibar a few years ago. To be honest I wasnt blown away- found Stone Town a little threatening (followed all the time by people selling things v aggressively, including telling us they knew which hotel we were in) and not much to see, and the diving/snorkelling wasn’t the best.

That said, if you do go, this place is amazing - at least for dinner in the rooftop restaurant if not to stay

www.emersononhurumzi.com

Thanks Bubbles, that is reassuring. We actually have several friends from SA living here in the UK, so I'll talk to them, but I feel that as long as we take sensible precautions we'd all really enjoy SA - it looks beautiful and interesting and different.

DH and I went to Rio before we had kids and he's been to Colombia on business, so we've both been to dangerous places before. We left all our valuables at home and I guess we'll do that again and we'll definitely avoid townships. I can't see us driving around at all after dark - safety will be our No. 1 priority.

As for Zanzibar - I think that idea is on hold as I'm not convinced there is enough there to interest us - thanks for the info artesia

I’ve also been to Rio and again took safety precautions about where to visit and personal safety. I would do the same in Columbia. Your South African friends will give you sensible tips - it’s often a no 1 topic of conversation for South Africans! I suspect what I said will be a decent summary!