Which one is best ?.

I have been to The Rec Room (in Randburg) a few times. It's ok-ish, there weren't many people even at weekends but I always had fun with someone.

I have just found out that there is another sauna called Breakaway Steam Baths (in Benoni). I wonder what this sauna is like. Has anyone tried it ?. If so, please share your experience and comments.

Both saunas are about 20 kms from JNB airport which is fine for me. My flight won't take off till 11 PM so I will have plenty of time for some fun.

Thanks.

Couldn't find this bloody Breakaway even with a GPS navigation system. The GPS took me to a house that looks nothing like a sauna. Gave up and went to the Rec Room.

Anything more you can say about Johannesburg? I've never been. Worth going?

Dboy

You want to visit Jo'berg only if you like a thrill of being robbed and murdered. However, a self-drive safari in the Kruger Game Reserve, which is a 4 hours drive from Jo'berg, is a must. Roads to Kruger are in very good condition, easy and safe to drive, but watch your speed. Police with speed camera are everywhere.

If you rather like a citybreak, fly further from J'berg to Cape Town which is much safer, more pleasant and more interesting than Jo'berg. Return flight from Jo'berg to Cape Town costs about 4,000 baht.

chuckwow wrote:

a self-drive safari in the Kruger Game Reserve

Self Drive... boring you won't see everything.

If you go to Sabi Sabi you get, a driver and spotter.
Rain too on the days I was there.

Oh yes it's several hundred dollars a night, I was on a full expenses trip  



If when you get to the Krugar use their transport around the reserve.



You will see more. Before Sabi Sabi I was there too.
Same animals on the same reserve !

OK play spot the Mary.....

It's a trick question...they're ALL Marys.

Being “robbed and murdered” are somewhat hysterical reasons for avoiding Johannesburg.

Jo’burg could be given a miss simply because it does not offer anything for most tourists except for it being a springboard to wildlife areas.  Likewise Durban.  Pricing at places like Sabi Sabi are completely out of reach of the average tourist.  Contrary to assertions otherwise,  Kruger National Park can offer some truly amazing Big Five viewing depending on the season, location (the park is larger than a number of small countries), climatic conditions etc.  Cannot imagine any reason not to self-drive within Kruger Park!  Aside from a few privatized lodges, accommodation within the park is basic but very reasonably priced.

Despite its lack of the Big Five (although that is changing with the development of some wildlife parks in that part of the country), Cape Town is an essential destination for spectacular scenery and numerous other world class tourist attractions.  Having a large gay population against the background of South Africa’s constitution which enshrines the right to sexual diversity, Cape Town has a vibrant gay nightlife albeit lacking in gogo bars and “offing” culture due to the scene being rather ageist as in most Western countries.

It is no longer essential to fly to Cape Town via Jo’burg - Singapore Airlines have three non stop flights per week directly in and out of Cape Town and a number of other airlines fly direct (non stop) from various other European hubs.

Brett1 wrote:

Being “robbed and murdered” are somewhat hysterical reasons for avoiding Johannesburg.

So it is safe for foreign visitors to walk about in Jo'burg downtown ?. I would still call an ambulance on standby if anyone is that brave !.

I totally agree with both LonelyPlanet and Eyewitness that recommend foreign visitors be accompanied by local tour guides if they want to explore Jo'burg on foot. Yuk!.

Given that virtually all big businesses including the stock exchange and all major hotels have moved out of downtown Jo'burg , who would want or need to walk in downtown Jo'burg at night???  Not too different to ghettos in other major cities - avoid like the plague.  Being extremely pedestrian unfriendly and almost completely devoid of public transport of the non-commuter type, Johannesburg as a whole is not the kind of place one can explore on foot anyway.  As I said in my first post, there is little or no reason for tourists to actually visit Jo'burg.

I am not suggesting that South Africa (and specifically Johannesburg) does not have crime problems but to a large extent the stats need to be viewed in a proper context.  The murder rate in one specific place in CAPE TOWN is actually the highest in the country yet Johannesburg is touted as the murder capital of the world.  I live in Cape Town but spend one or two weeks per month in Johannesburg on business and have to date never encountered any problems but admittedly, I do exercise extreme caution and common-sense.  Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit South Africa annually without encountering any harm or mishap whatsoever.

By comparison, it is commonplace to have an armed escort from arrival at the airport in Lagos, Nigeria - one of the leading economies in North Africa.  Welcome to Africa!

Brett1 wrote:

who would want or need to walk in downtown Jo'burg at night???

No, I am not talking about the night. I wouldn't either recommend any foreign visitors to take a walk in Jo'burg during the day for cultural experience or for whatever reason, unless it is really necessary.

A few years ago my friend and I drove into Jo'burg at about 4 PM for the first time. We did not want to visit any place in particular but we were looking for a hotel for a night sleep. A big mistake. As we were in town, we were too scared to stop and get out of the car. We had to drive away as quickly as we could, and never looked back. Seriously, it was a hair rising experience, and that we were inside the car all the time. I would have shited mtself if I had taken a walk.

I agree there is no reason not to do a self-drive in Kruger. There is no reason also not to cook your own dinners, unless you cann't cook, since many lodges provide fridge, hotplate, pan, utensils, knife, plates, knives and forks, spoons, and almost everything you ever need.








And as for the Big 5, I saw them all in the first 2 days that I arrived, but the leopard was sitting among tall grass and was far away from the road.















A lioness was looking at an impala...



























And if you are bored by animals, have some breathtaking views outside Kruger.....