The sunny city of Mossel Bay is on South Africa’s famous Garden Route, situated roughly halfway between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. The city has a pleasant seafront promenade and there are some lovely beaches nearby, along with whale and dolphin watching hotspots and game reserves.

Port Elizabeth is home to some nice beaches and a handful of interesting buildings, but it is perhaps not the most exciting city on the Sunshine Coast. There are plenty of things to see and do in the surrounding area, however, and we highly recommend a day trip to the fantastic Addo Elephant Park.

East London is not the most appealing city in South Africa, but it serves as the gateway to the fascinating and often neglected Eastern Cape region. To the west is the Sunshine Coast and the arid, semi-desert landscape of the Great Karoo, while to the east is the rugged and undeveloped Wild Coast.

Durban is a real melting pot; not only does the city feel more authentically African than Cape Town, it’s also home to a large Indian community that lends the city a distinctly Asian flavour. The lovely waterfront promenade was revamped for the 2010 World Cup, and the beach is a popular destination for domestic tourists.

Richards Bay itself is an industrial city with little in the way of tourist sights, but the port serves as a gateway for the many attractions of KwaZulu-Natal province. Head inland and you’ll find traditional Zulu villages, undulating hills and wildlife including crocodiles, hippos and the rare black rhino.

Mozambique’s laid back capital is an eclectic mix of elegant Portuguese colonial architecture and concrete blocks that hark back to the days of Soviet influence. Maputo also has an excellent selection of restaurants and a lively nightlife scene, as well as some interesting museums and markets.

The densely populated Island of Mozambique was the capital of colonial Portuguese East Africa, and the island gave its name to the country when it gained independence. An impressive collection of historical buildings saw the island awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 1991, and it’s a fascinating place to explore.

The name Zanzibar evokes images of sultans and spice traders, an island of beautiful white sand beaches and turquoise waters criss-crossed by dhows. It’s also a great place for spotting wildlife, including dolphins, antelope and the rare red colobus monkey.