Visa-free: Five exotic Asian countries for South Africans

See which five countries in Asia South African passport holders can visit without needing visas for tourist stays.

The South African passport is certainly not the best passport in the world. South Africans are quite restricted with regard to global mobility compared with passports of other countries.

That said, there are some exciting and inspiring places South Africans can travel to for tourism purposes, without having to obtain entry visas in advance. 

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VISA-FREE DESTINATIONS:

Here is a list of five exciting Asian destinations South African passport holders can travel to without needing costly tourist visas.

1. THAILAND

The Kingdom of Thailand formerly known as Siam is a country in Southeast Asia. It has a population of almost 70 million people.

According to Wikipedia Thailand has the second-largest economy in Southeast Asia. The country has many idyllic beaches and spectacular islands.

Capital city: Bangkok

Currency: Thai Baht

South African passport holders may visit Thailand without visas for periods of up to 30 days.

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2. MALAYSIA

Malaysia is multiethnic and multicultural situated in Southeast Asia. With a population of over 32 million, Malaysia is a delight to visit. Its capital city is home to the Petronas Towers one of the world’s tallest buildings.  

About half the population is ethnically Malay, with minorities of Chinese, Indians, and indigenous peoples. The country’s official language is Malaysian Malay, a standard form of the Malay language. English remains an active second language. 

Capital city: Kuala Lumpur

Currency: Ringgit

South African passport holders may visit Malaysia without visas for periods of up to 90 days.

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3. SINGAPORE

Singapore is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. It has the third highest population density in the world, although there are numerous green and recreational spaces.

Singapore has a multicultural population with four official languages – English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil. The country has some exciting tourist attractions, and its airline is consistently rated among the world’s best.

Capital city: Singapore

Currency: Singapore Dollar

South African passport holders may visit Singapore without visas for periods of up to 30 days.

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4. HONG KONG

Hong Kong is a city and a special administrative region in China. With 7.4 million residents of various nationalities in a 1,104-square-kilometre (426 sq mi) territory, Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated territories in the world.

Hong Kong has various tourist attractions and interesting cuisine. Hong Kong is one of the world’s important financial centres and has the largest number of skyscrapers of any city in the world, according to Wikipedia.

Capital city: Hong Kong

Currency: Hong Kong Dollar

South African passport holders may visit Hong Kong without visas for periods of up to 30 days.

5. PHILIPPINES

This island country of Southeast Asia is located in the western Pacific Ocean. The Philippines is an archipelago consisting of more than 7,000 islands and islets lying about 500 miles (800 km) off the coast of Vietnam.   

It is the world’s twelfth-most-populous country, with diverse ethnicities and cultures. The Philippines is home to some amazing beaches and islands.

Capital city: Manila

Currency: Peso

South African passport holders may visit the Philippines without visas for periods of up to 30 days.

TRAVELLING TO ASIA

It is not possible to fly directly to several of these destinations from South Africa.  However, Singapore can be reached on direct flights from South Afria. Cathay Pacific Airways, which flies to Hong Kong will be resuming flights to SA next month.