What?s the first thing that comes to mind, when we think of South Africa? The unmistakable Table Mountain towering over sunny Cape Town? Or wildlife and safaris? But the powerhouse of the African continent has much more to offer, and fans say that one trip is never enough. South Africa offers plenty to enthrall children and parents alike, making it a perfect family vacation. Here are some of the great places you can visit while you?re there.

Johannesburg

South Africa?s commercial metropolis is a remarkable and rather daunting city where highrises cluster at the city centre and suburbs sprawl outwards. Green and prosperous enclaves dotted with turquoise pools contrast with dusty African townships. Johannesburg lies on the southern slopes of Witwatersrand, in the Transvaal, the north-eastern region of South Africa. A mining town founded in 1886 when gold was discovered on a white-settlers farm, Johannesburg became the hub of South African gold mining through World War II, and an important industrial and financial centre thereafter. The best shops and hotels here are found in the northern areas of Rosebank and Sandton.

Sightseeing may include the Gold Reef City, one of Johannesburg?s landmarks. The biggest attraction here is the 220m deep historic underground shaft, which held the World Shaft Sinking record in 1916 and was, during its heydays, one of the richest gold mines in the world. There are a lot of museums also, including the South African National Museum of Military History near the Johannesburg Zoo, the James Hall Museum of Transport in La Rochelle, Bernard Price Institute of Palaeontology Museum, Barnberg Fashion Museum, Museum Africa and the Madiba Freedom Museum. Other places of interest include Randburg Waterfront, a relaxed harbour-like setting fringing a man-made lake fed by the Jukskei River. You can also indulge in water sports like scuba-diving and water-skiing or let your adrenaline flow by bungee- jumping or go-karting.

Johannesburg is also a haven for adventure-lovers. You can go on an African adventure package that includes mountain-biking, fly-fishing, hiking, bird-watching, game-viewing, micro light-flying, river-rafting and canoeing. Game walks, game drives, country rides, bird parks, animal farms, flora farms, nature trails and jewel gardens are some of the other options to choose from. The Pilanesburg Game Reserve is situated north-west of Johannesburg and is home to many different animals. Just 30 minutes to the city?s north-west, lies the Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve in the beautiful Kromdraai Conservancy.

Pretoria

The administrative capital of South Africa, Pretoria is a city of parks and gardens, quiet residential streets and imposing public buildings. In October, its famous jacaranda trees garland the city with purple and carpet the pavements with petals. South Africa?s past is recalled in the historic Church Square and the Council Chamber, once the Parliament of the old Transvaal. To the east of Church Square, the State Theatre has six auditoriums for drama, concerts, opera and ballet. The Museum of Natural History is one of the best in South Africa as its displays include the definitive survey of the region?s birds.

Pretoria expanded around Church Square, at the intersection of Church Street and Paul Kruger Streets. The buildings of note here are the Old Raadsaal and the Palace of Justice.

Durban

Durban combines the fun atmosphere of the nation?s premier beach resort with the restlessness of Africa?s busiest port. It?s come a long way since 1823, when it started life as a tiny British trading post. Today the city is better known as a holidaymakers? paradise with a happening nightlife. A lot of Indians live in Durban and they?ve preserved the way of life they took from India in the early 20th century. The heart of Durban?s Indian business district, Grey Street, is a great area to explore. Shops selling food, jewellery, saris and European fashions occupy the arcades of the Great Mosque. The Indian Market in Warwick Street offers a sampling of the romance and mystery of the East. Durban is proud of its parks that include the Durban Botanical Gardens, a Japanese Garden and the Jamieson Rose Garden, where some 200 varieties of roses bloom in springtime.

Kruger National Park

This is South Africa?s premier game sanctuary and has more species of wildlife than any other one in Africa. The park is home to large populations of elephant, buffalo, zebra, giraffe, white and black rhino, lion, leopard and cheetah among others. Here the lodges are some of the most stylish in Africa and you are most likely to see the ?Big Five? ? lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino. The park runs for 350km along the Mozambique border and the main entry points are through the towns of Skukuza and Nelspruit, both about a day?s drive from Johannesburg.

Cape Town

Known to South Africans as the ?Mother City?, beautiful Cape Town was the first area to be settled by Europeans in the 17th century. It is situated at the south-western tip of Africa, about 60km north of Cape Point, in a natural bowl with the magnificent Table Mountain at its rear and the vast Atlantic Ocean in the front. This cosmopolitan city of parks, historic buildings, stylish malls and surrounding winelands is an ideal place to spend a week or more. It is safer than most South African cities with a bustling street life of shops, caf?s, market stalls and street artists. This vibrancy is set amongst historic buildings of old Cape Dutch and English architecture with the Castle of Good Hope dating back to 1666.

Garden Route

The Garden Route runs along a beautiful coastline in south-western Cape. The narrow coastal plain is well forested, mostly bordered by extensive lagoons, which run behind a barrier of sand dunes and white beaches. The Garden Route has some of the country?s most significant tracts of indigenous forest ? giant yellowwood trees and wildflowers ? as well as commercial plantations of eucalyptus and pine. This route is ideal for watersports and outdoor activities. Some of the quieter places here are Mossel Bay, Herold?s Bay and Buffalo Bay. If you?re travelling between Cape Town and the Garden Route, there?s a gruelling but spectacular alternative through the mountains of Little Karoo or Klein Karoo. This area is known for ostriches, which thrive in the dry, sunny climate.

Other highlights of the Garden Route include the Wilderness coastal stretch, the whale-watchers paradise of Hermanus, Knysna?s lagoon, as well as Plettenberg, that combines some of South Africa?s best beaches with beautiful forest and indigenous vegetation. Near Plettenberg Bay is the unspoilt Tsitsikamma National Park, where dense indigenous forests are punctuated by streams and tumbling waterfalls. For a complete outdoor experience, an outing at the Cango Caves is a must. They owe their origin to a geological fault in the Swartberg mountains, known as the Kango. The intricate calcite stalactites and stalagmites here range from the miniature to the massive. You can also get close to elephants at the Knysna Elephant Park.

Winelands

The Cape Winelands is an enchanting region of dramatic mountains and fertile valleys, stretching across rolling fields. Here, farmers enjoy perfect conditions and produce some of the best wines in the world. There are literally hundreds of wine estates, all offering the chance to sample their unique blends in a picture-perfect setting. Stellenbosch is the capital of the Winelands and the second town to be established by the Dutch settlers. It?s full of old thatched and whitewashed Dutch buildings and historic national monuments.

The KwaZulu- Natal coast

The KwaZulu-Natal coast has become a popular destination for the world?s scuba-diving and snorkeling enthusiasts with colourful tropical reefs and wrecks and a stunning variety of sea-life to be found. Added attractions are the pleasant climate, clear water and excellent infrastructure and facilities.

Most popular of the dive sites here is Sodwana Bay in the northern reaches of the area, with the best conditions experienced during the warm summer months from November to May. Although KwaZulu-Natal has a large population of sharks, they pose little threat to scuba divers. The migrating ragged tooth sharks can be observed on Aliwal Shoal from July to November. After Sodwana Bay, this is the next most popular dive destination lying off the coastal town of Umkomas. For adventure-seekers, Protea Banks is a must-visit. This is a deep dive starting at 25 metres where pelagic fish and the bigger sharks can be seen. The lucky diver may spot the potentially-dangerous Zambezi, tiger and hammerhead sharks during the summer months, and ragged tooth sharks during winter.

Sun City

An experience of a different kind awaits travellers in Sun City. In the middle of an extended savannah lies the Las Vegas of southern Africa. The spacious entertainment area used to be part of the former homeland, Bophuthatswana. Sun City is today famous for luxurious hotels, beautifully laid-out water-gardens, excellent golf courses, exclusive casinos and first-class entertainment shows.