Thursday, November 15, 2007

SA Beaches are best

It's no secret that we in South Africa have some of the most beautiful beaches on the planet. Well, the rest of the world also knows it now as recently 18 South African beaches were awarded international Blue Flag status for 2007!The Blue Flag is an exclusive eco-label awarded to beaches and marinas in 36 countries across Europe, South Africa, Morocco, New Zealand, Canada and the Caribbean. There are 29 criteria that Blue Flag candidates are required to meet regarding water quality, safety, services and environmental education, information and management.South Africa's 2007 Blue Flag beaches are:

EASTERN CAPE Dolphin Beach, Jeffrey's Bay; Humewood Beach, Port Elizabeth; Kelly's Beach, Port Alfred; Kings Beach, Port Elizabeth; Wells Estate, north of Port Elizabeth.

KWAZULU-NATAL Addington Beach, Durban; Hibberdene Beach, South Coast; Margate Main Beach, South Coast; Marina/San Lameer Beach, South Coast; North Beach, Durban; Ramsgate Main Beach, South Coast.

WESTERN CAPE Bikini Beach, Gordon's Bay; Clifton 4th Beach, Cape Town; Grotto Beach, Hermanus; Hawston Beach, near Hermanus; Kleinmond Beach, near Hermanus; Lappiesbaai Beach, Stilbaai; Mnandi Beach, Strandfontein.

Ahead of 2010, it's fantastic to hear that, according to the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, a further 21 SA beaches are piloting the Blue Flag Programme, with the aim of achieving full accreditation in 2008 or 2009. Congratulations to all of the 2007 SA Blue Flag beaches.
Source: Getawaytoafrica.com

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

2010 FIFA Worl Cup


The 2010 FIFA World Cup will be staged at 10 venues across nine South African cities. With two nd a half years to go we are set to host the world's biggest sporting event outside the Olympic Games. South Africa offers the visitor a variety of attractions. From the metropolitan cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria, one can easily travel down the N1 Highway to the central city of Bloemfontein with its beautiful flora. If breathtaking coastline is what you are after, journey from the "friendly city" of Port Elizabeth, along the spectacular Garden Route, arriving in Cape Town, one of the most spectacular cities in the world! Want to take a safari? Then Nelspruit and Rustenburg offer everything including the "Big 5"! From Polokwane which is a vibrant city, rich in cultural heritage, a “Big 5” safari can also easily be arranged. Durban has a great climate and is a surfer's paradise. Visitors will find our country positively inviting, with excellent infrastructure, transport and accommodation! If you only have a few days between the games then it will be a good idea to explore the various cities and plan a decent 5 or 6 day safari after or even before the games.
To keep abreast with all plans and proceedings please visit the FIFA website
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/ for information about the tournament and click on the Destination Tab for information on SA. For all you safari, garden route and Cape Town travel requirements contact Go Safari or visit our website

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Drinking Water in SA

In South Africa, we're lucky to have good-quality drinking water, we are one of only 12 countries in the World that it is safe to drink tap water.
But that doesn't mean that all our tap water is always 100% safe.
As a general rule, it's best to get your drinking water from the cold water tap. Sometimes nasty things can get into hot water tanks and cisterns if they're poorly maintained, so rather heat drinking water up in the kettle or microwave. It's also a good idea, if you're not sure of the age or state of the plumbing, to let the cold tap run for a minute or two to flush any traces of lead or other undesirables.

From this month, for the first time, South African bottled water will be officially regulated and monitored by the Department of Health. And both here and in the United States important moves are being made to clamp down on bottled-water suppliers that don’t specify the source of the water on their labels, whether it be natural or municipal.

With water being in the news right now, we decided to dispel a few popular water myths:

Myth: Clear water is safe water
“Just because water looks clear, doesn’t mean that there’s nothing dissolved in it,” says Dr Frans Kruger, director of Purificare Water Purifiers.
Clear water may contain inorganic minerals, herbicides, pesticides, bacteria, viruses, hormones, chemicals and toxins – in other words, substances that could harm you. Municipal water quality varies from time to time and one can’t determine what’s been dumped in it just by looking at it.

Myth: Bottled water isn’t tap water
While many bottled-water suppliers get their water from natural sources, some bottlers do indeed use tap/municipal water as a source/raw material for their processed water, according to the South African Natural Bottled Water Association (SANBWA).
One example of such a product is Bonaqua, which is produced by the Coca-Cola Company.

Myth: Flavored water is a whole lot better than soft drinks
Unfortunately, flavored, sweetened water isn’t that much healthier than soft drinks. These drinks still contain a lot of sugar and have a high kilojoule content as a result.
Purely in terms of kilojoules, a 340ml can of Coca-Cola is equivalent to 2½ slices of bread, while 500ml flavored, sweetened water is equivalent to 2 slices of bread. This is bad news for your waistline and for your teeth.


Sources:
• PurifiCare Newsletters, compiled by Dr Frans Kruger, www.purificaresa.net
• Website of the South African Natural Bottled Water Association, www.sanbwa.org.za