By Jennifer Stern
We live in one of the most beautiful places on earth, with so many exciting activities, but we never seem to get around to doing the things in our own backyard, do we?
The only way you're likely to actually get up from your computer, the telly or whatever, is to make a list, stick it on the fridge (or your computer or the telly) and tick off the activities as you've done them.
I've chosen these 50 as being a good representation of what's available - some are my personal favourites and some, I think, have more general appeal. But you may not agree, so if you don't like mine, make your own list. For what it's worth, though, here are 25 of my suggestions and we will publish the remaining 25 next Saturday.
1. Paddle the Orange River: Awesome scenery, fun but easy rapids, great food and sleeping under the stars is one of the best destressers around. www.felixunite.com
2. Ride a horse along a beach: The long white beach at Buffels Bay near Knysna is just perfect for a gentle canter in the surf line. More experienced riders can do a longer ride returning through the fabulous coastal forest of the Goukamma Nature Reserve. www.great.co.za
3. Learn to dive: From Cape Town's icy kelp forests to Maputaland's coral wonderland, South Africa has some of the best and most varied diving in the world. There is a dive school near you.
4. Watch the sun set over the Atlantic:You may even see a green flash. And, certainly, you can enhance the experience with a good Cape wine.
5. Spend a night in a township B&B: That's assuming you don't live in a township already, in which case concentrate on the other 49 options. Enjoying a meal with your hosts and getting to know them is all part of the experience. You'll find all the info you need at local tourist info offices.
6 Walk in the Berg: You can choose between a short-day walk to visit waterfalls, caves or rock art, or opt for the full Drakensberg traverse that will take you anything from two to four weeks. www.kznwildlife.com
7. Ride the cable car up Table Mountain: Yes, of course, it's a touristy thing to do - that's 'cause it takes you to what must be one of the most stunning viewpoints in the world. You'd be amazed how many Capetonians haven't been up the cable car - it's that old backyard mentality at work again. www.tablemountain.net
8. Explore the Cango Caves: Extending for miles into the limestone of the Little Karoo, these fabulous caves contain huge stalagmites and stalactites, as well as some spectacular flow formations.
Unless you're really claustrophobic, or unfit, opt for the longer adventure tour. This way you get to slither through the Devil's Chimney and post yourself through his little postbox. Hmmm. Obviously he doesn't get much mail. www.cangocaves.co.za
9. Do the Grahamstown Festival: Every July thousands of culture vultures descend on this fascinating little town to freeze their butts off, eat their way through a dozen ephemeral restaurants that pop up for the duration and - of course - see the best performance art South Africa has to offer. www.nafest.co.za
10. Amble around Kalk Bay: Browse in the antique shops, sample the many cappuccinos on offer, buy crusty ciabatta (possibly the best in the world) from the Olympic Café and fish fresh off the boats in the harbour.
11. Paddle with dolphins: Take a kayak trip from Plett where you are almost guaranteed to see a pod or two of dolphins. If they don't oblige, the scenery is great, anyway, and it's a fun trip. www.dolphinadventures.net
12. Walk the cliff top in Hermanus: The flowers and views are fantastic and - in winter - the whales are there.
13. Spoil yourself rotten:
There is no more gloriously self-indulgent experience than to check into a game lodge with a wellness centre attached. You do the usual - up at dawn, game drive, monster brunch, late afternoon tea, game drive, sundowners, night drive and huge supper.
But then, instead of spending the time between brunch and afternoon tea reading or sleeping, you could be getting a massage, facial, manicure or whatever. Definitely the best of both worlds. Almost every second game lodge has a wellness centre, now so there are dozens to choose from.
14. Visit the Apartheid Museum: We need to know our history to make sure we don't repeat it. And, while you're there, you can dilute the serious soul-searching stuff with a carnival ride at Gold Reef City. www.apartheidmuseum.org
15. Do Kruger: If you've never explored this mega South African icon, you're really missing out. Don't listen to the mother grundies who say it's too developed. It's 20 000sq km with, granted, some tarred roads and huge rest camps, but this is a wild place. You go self-drive, join a night drive, take a self-guided 4x4 trail or even adventure on an escorted mountain bike trail. www.sanparks.org
16. Check out the spring flowers: Almost every obscure little place north of Cape Town all the way to the Namibian border is renowned for one or two species, or a family, or just the sheer overwhelming number of flowers. Iridescent carpets of colour stretch towards the horizon as far as the eye can see. Although August is usually the best time, September can be good, too.
17. Take a horseback safari: If you're pretty competent, try Wait a Little or Equus in Limpopo Province, but beginners can still enjoy the thrill of seeing big game on horseback with Horseback Africa, near Cullinan, or Aquila, near Cape Town. www.equus.co.za
18. Go on a boat-based whale watching trip: There's something to see almost any time of year, but between June and November the southern right whales hanging around between Cape Town and the Garden Route offer the most dependable viewing. Other species regularly sighted around the coast are humpback whales and Brydes whales, and even orcas and sperm whales have been seen on occasion. www.oceansafaris.co.za
19. Watch nesting turtles in Maputaland: These huge reptiles are so graceful underwater, but when Mama turtle comes ashore to lay eggs between November and January, she lumbers up the beach in a fashion that is certainly dignified but can't, by any stretch of the imagination, be called graceful. And when the babies hatch in February or March, the only adjective that will fit is cute. Guided walks are offered along the beaches between November and March. www.kzbwildlife.com
20. Go wine-tasting on horseback: In theory you don't have to watch how much you swallow as - let's face it - most of us aren't really in control, anyway. The horse just follows its nose until it finds itself back at the stables. www.horsetrails-sa.co.za
21. Abseil off Table Mountain: It's not the highest abseil in the world, but it is very exposed.
The actual abseil is just over 100m, but you're hanging out more than a km above the city. www.abseilafrica.co.za
22. Bungee jump off the Bloukrans Bridge: It is the highest in the world - 216m - and it's a real scream machine. Other attractions on this bridge include a flying fox, a bridge tour and a winch experience - you get to hang underneath the bridge without jumping. www.faceadrenalin.com
23. Spend some time really looking at rock art: The northern Cedarberg, just over two hours north of Cape Town, has some of the most easily accessible and best documented rock art around. If you're in a position to splurge out on a luxury game lodge experience, stay at Bushmanskloof, where you'll be pampered and taken on escorted rock art tours. If, however, you'd rather watch your budget, Traveller's Rest, next door, is an inexpensive self-catering establishment that offers access to the equally spectacular rock art on the Sevilla Trail. You won't be accompanied by a hunky game ranger, but you can buy an inexpensive map and explanatory guidebook. www.bushmanskloof.co.za
24. Ride with the herd at Kaapsehoop: This fabulous, misty, mountainous landscape is home to what is probably the largest herd of feral horses in South Africa. They'll often join up and spend some time with the domestic horses (and riders, of course) on an escorted horse trail. You also stand a good chance of seeing the rare and endangered blue swallow. www.horsebacktrails.co.za
25. Eat seafood at Muisbosskerm: This was the first of the West Coast seaside seafood "restaurants". It's a simple shelter, with a sand floor. All cooking is done on an open fire and "cutlery" is of the Strandloper variety - usually mussel shells. Not the place to wear your finest outfit and you'll probably ditch your shoes for the whole duration of the meal. Arrive hungry and set aside a few hours. www.muisbosskerm.co.za
- Next week we will run the next 25 of Jennifer Stern's list of 50 things to do in South Africa.
- This article was originally published on page 12 of The Saturday Star on April 22, 2006