Language:

South Africa claims a whopping eleven official languages but the most common you’ll hear in and around Cape Town is English—the lingo of business and media—followed by Afrikaans and Xhosa on the streets.

Currency:

The currency in South Africa is called a Rand.

US Dollar to Rand = $1 to R18.23 (subject to change).

Credit Cards and Banks:

The majority of retailers and restaurants accept Visa and Mastercard as payment, AMEX is only accepted by very few places.

Passports:

Passports need to be valid for at least 6 months after arrival into South Africa. USA passport holders do not need visas for South Africa.

Climate:

Humidity is quite low in Cape Town, so while the summers are hot they aren’t too muggy. In November the days will be warm and the evenings will get cooler.

Plugs:

Most plugs in South Africa are 2-prong or 3-prong in type C, D, M, and N. I recommend buying a universal adapter.