What’s your absolute favourite attraction to visit in South Africa?

For me, it’s the ‘Slowveld’, for its mixture of subtropical and savanna landscapes complete with high hills and low rivers, trees and wildlife – if only because Cape Town is the complete opposite.

But with seven ecoregions, as many biomes and nine provinces, thrown together to make up a country that houses various people, cultures and languages, it’s safe to assume that every person has their own idea of which is the best place to visit in South Africa.

Of course, CNN has their own ideas, too.

From neighbourhoods to natural wonders, they jotted down 23 reasons to visit South Africa. Here are a few of their suggestions just to remind you how magical this country is – and hopefully motivate you to explore beyond that two-hour radius from Cape Town.

OK, fine, we’ll start off close to home.

Silvermine Nature Reserve, Cape Town: Part of the Table Mountain National Park, Silvermine Nature Reserve is a favourite backyard garden for residents of Cape Town. It’s famous for its indigenous fynbos species and boasts plenty of picnic and braai spots.

The Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve, Mpumalanga: Claimed to be the world’s largest green canyon, the reserve is home to a 33-kilometer [sic] gorge, abundant wildlife and dramatic landscape. God’s Window along the Panorama Route is one of the best viewpoints in the 29,000-hectare reserve.

Augrabies Falls National Park: The arid Augrabies Falls National Park is home to the Orange River Gorge and the 56-meter Augrabies Waterfall. It’s especially impressive when it’s in full flood — the local Khoi people called the waterfall Aukoerebis, or Great Noise.

Cango Caves, Western Cape: The interior of the Cango Caves is like a palace of exquisite stalactite and stalagmite formations. Regular tours to the caves are available daily.

Namaqualand, Northern Cape: In September, the desert across Namaqualand is blanketed with endless fields of colourful blossoms.

Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal: A resort town north of Durban, Umhlanga boasts a three-kilometer-long promenade with gardens, swimming and surf beaches and the famous Umhlanga Lighthouse.

Bourke’s Luck Potholes, Mpumalanga: A part of the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve, the potholes are carved out by centuries of river activity. A number of vantage points and bridges are built over some of the most beautiful sections.

Chapman’s Peak Drive, Cape Town: Affectionately nicknamed “Chappies” by local residents, Chapman’s Peak Drive is a nine-kilometer scenic and curvy — with 114 bends — stretch of road from Hout Bay to Noordhoek.

Constitution Court, Johannesburg: A former prison that once held Mandela and Gandhi now houses the nation’s highest court, surrounded by an art gallery and museum that explores the site’s history and the implications of significant rulings — like the right to housing, and the right to anti-AIDS drugs. The ramparts of the old barracks offer some of the best views of Johannesburg.

Kruger National Park, Limpopo: Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in South Africa spanning 19,000 square kilometres. The famous safari park is also a great place to have your first encounter with the big-five beasts – elephants, lions, buffalo, rhinos and leopards.

Tugela River, KwaZulu-Natal: Originating in the Drakensberg Mountains, The Tugela River is the largest in the KwaZulu-Natal province. At times a rocky stream and at times a broad river, the Tugela recalls scenes of the American West, except for the hippos.

Amphitheatre, Drakensberg, Kwa-Zulu Natal: Amphitheatre is a near-perfect symmetrical rock wall rising 1,200 meters from the Tugela Valley. The most notable feature among Drakensberg mountains, Amphitheatre offers challenging hiking trails for experienced hikers.

Valley of Desolation, Graaff-Reinet: The valley inside the Camdeboo National Park is famous for its cliffs and natural Dolerite rock columns rising as high as 120 meters above ground.

I told you it’s a magical place.

So where are you off to next? If you need a little more inspiration, check out the rest of CNN’s choices here – and if you have ticked all of them off your list take the road less travelled, we all know there’s a whole lot of them.

[source:cnn]