VIP DESTINATION: 2010 WORLD CUP, SOUTH AFRICA

The stage has been set and the countdown is on for one of the grandest international events of the year - the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Ole ole!! If you've missed the hype and haven't realized it's happening, start preparing now as it starts on June 11. Get out your team colours and pack your bags, this one is going to be huge...

If you've always wanted to go to South Africa, a trip combining some football with wildlife, surf or tribal villages could be just the thing. VIP Backpackers can certainly help you out with plenty of accommodation to choose from, packages and tours to join.

You can read more details about the World Cup at the official FIFA site plus get the draws and location of games. Host cities include Cape Town, Port Elizabeth / Nelson Mandela Bay, Durban, Mangaung / Bloemfontein, Johannesburg, Rustenburg, Polokwane, Tshwane / Pretoria and Nelspruit - basically places dotted all over the country. We don't have time to profile them all, but here's a quick look at some so you can start planning.

Johannesburg

South Africa's largest city Johannesburg stages the opening match of the tournament between South Africa and Mexico. Host nation matches always go off so try to get yourself there on June 11!

While old Jo'burg has been traditionally used more as a transit place for people going to Cape Town or Kruger National Park, it is a commerical hub so there's plenty to do beyond football. There are several art museums, the famous Mandela Museum, a great theatre and you can visit former townships like Soweto and Alexandra. Or head out of the city to The Cradle of Humankind, a UNESCO World Heritage Site 25km north of Jo'burg featuring a network of limestone caves where a 2.3 million fossil was found. We've got plenty of accommodation in Jo'Burg so you won't lack for places to stay.

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Cape Town

Green Point Stadium is where all the action will be come June 11. Of course Cape Town is also brimming with fun things to do which is why so many people come here. Firstly there's a ton of great events from jazz festivals to food and wine all year round. It's also one of the most beautiful cities in South Africa with well-known scenic landmarks like Table Mountain rising above the metropolis, the rocky promonotory of Cape Point and beautiful shores of Table Bay. Hang out at the beach, shop at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, check out the Two Oceans Aquarium, visit offshore islands, see penguins and enjoy all the cosmopolitan vibrance of the city. You can also pop out to Stellenbosch to taste wines or go whale watching near Hermanus. You're spoilt for choice in Cape Town.

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Port Elizabeth

Football matches begin in PE, as it's known to many, on June 12. PE has also been called "The Friendly City" or"The Windy City" so you can probably guess what it's like. PE lies on Algoa Bay and is a major seaport. There's plenty of historic remnants from its days under British occupation like the beautiful Stone Fort. Reaching PE itself is actually an attractions in itself along the picturesque Garden Route following the coast. Indeed there are lots of great beaches near the city and plenty of watersports to enjoy from scuba diving to kiteboarding, dolphin or whaletours, surfing, windsurfing or fishing. Around PE there are opportunities to view game as well including the famous Addo Elephant Park. If you need accommodation or tours check out VIP for options.

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Other useful details

We haven't got time to go into all the World Cup locations but if you're keen to go here's a few more facts:
* South African currency is called rand
* The population is 46.9 million
* There are 11 official languages including English, Afrikaans, Ndebele, Xhosa, Zulu, Sepedi, Sotho, Tshivenda, Tswana, Swati and Xitsonga.
* There are 13,000 elephants in Kruger National Park

Johannesburg is the major international gateway for South Africa although Cape Town is becoming increasingly more used for flights to/from Europe. There are numerous buses running all across the country, but we highly recommend Baz Bus with whom we offer tour passes! VIP Backpackers has numerous accommodation options in South Africa.

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