Shopping in South Africa

Shopping in South Africa

The Waterfront shopping mall in Cape Town is set against the backdrop of Table Mountain and is one of the most visited malls in the country

Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and other large cities are liberally dotted with shopping malls that typically contain several supermarkets and a plethora of other retail outlets selling the sort of goods you’d expect in similar establishments in North America and Europe. Home-grown foodstuffs, wine, beer and other local produce tends to be very inexpensive by international standards but imported goods can be pricey. Smaller towns tend to have at least one mall offering a similar range of goods but less choice than their big city counterparts. Shopping opportunities are rather more limited in game reserves.

There are a variety of craft markets dotted throughout the country where you can buy souvenirs at reasonable prices | Credit: Market on Main

Handicraft shops and stalls can be found at many lodges and most towns and other places where tourists congregate. And a mind-boggling array of crafts from all over Africa is on sale at markets such as Greenmarket Square in Cape Town and Norwood Rooftop Market in Johannesburg. Shops invariably charge fixed prices, but bargaining is essential at markets.