Visiting RSA: Cash & Phones

[RYLC]

Asking for a friend as its a long time since I made a trip:  What are the options for getting a sim for data on an iPad? Who would you buy from, good price, is buying at the airport an option etc. The relos that side are not tech savvy so can't help. 

 

Would you take cash rand or just use a credit card?  

If cash is needed, how much would do for just the incidentals of buying coffee / meal / magazine at the airport? The friend is staying with family so his accommodation needs are taken care of. 

[Bonny]

I just use my iphone. Because I'm with Voda in Australia, I pay $5 per 24 hour access, and then it is charged as if I'm in Aus.

 

So it's all exactly the same calls and data fees as in Aus, except $5 per day extra because you are accessing from SA. You can also then use Whatsapp exactly the same.

 

To me that's a lot less hassle than messing around with packages or trying to get Sims at the airport. 

 

As for cash, just advise your Aus bank that you are travelling overseas so they don't think the card is being fraudulently used. I find it cheaper to draw say R1000 at an ATM than keep paying 'foreign conversion fees' every time I use my Aus card to buy something. But obviously beware of pickpockets.

 

Or they could go to a Forex place in Aus before flying, and get a couple of thousand Rand, but honestly an ATM in SA is probably simpler and cheaper.

 

Remind them to take travel insurance

Edited July 2, 2017 by Bonny

[RYLC]

 anybody?.....

[Riekie]

Sorry, never been back so can't help...

[TeeTMI]

When we were back we got a Sim & Dongle package from Game that had a large amount of Data available for 365 days.  

It was useful for me to keep tabs on work and then we left it with someone there.  I think it was a Vodacom Data only package??

I looked upon the internet beforehand on the packages available at the time so we knew what we were aiming for.

 

Buying at the airport was an option - but was massively more expensive than outside - but possibly easier re document requirements.

Edited June 28, 2017 by TeeTMI