Hostels in GEORGE, SOUTH AFRICA

Travelling through George, the Holiday Paradise of South Africa

The city of George is a part of Western Cape Province in South Africa. George is located next to the coast on the Garden Route between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. Apart from being Garden Route’s commercial hub, George is also a centre for conference and administrative purposes. The city is known for being a holiday paradise with its picturesque beauty, gaming parks, lakes, beaches along with the amazing Xhosa culture. The city is known for its Garden Route lifestyle.

Accommodation Options
The city is full of luxury hotels, lodges, hostels, beach houses, budget hotels and guest houses. George is known for being a major accommodation centre and has many bed-night accommodations and budget hotels as well. Caravan parks like George East Caravan Park and Aqua Eden resort are also getting popular.

History
The city was named in the honour of King George III, the then reigning monarch in the early part of the 18th century. George was formed due to the growing demand of timber and the initial settlement revolving around the timber industry as well as livelihood related to forests. In 1837, the city got its status as a municipality.

Climate
George experiences a Mediterranean type climate which brings in warm summers and mild (cold at times) winters. The rainfall is low with an annual precipitation at around 28 inches.

Popular Places
George boasts of an urbane infrastructure laden with shopping centres, banks, conference facilities and small scale to large scale businesses. The city has many golf courses which includes the famous Fan Court Golf Estate. The city houses the famous ‘slave tree’ which is also a national monument. King Edward VII library building, famous for its Edwardian architecture and Pacaltsdorp church also attract a considerable number of visitors. George manages to keep its small town atmosphere along with the growing urban infrastructure.

Getting Around
When it comes to transport, the city is well connected with roads and airways which ably support the growing infrastructure. George Airport (located just 7 km from the city centre) connects the city with other major cities of South Africa like Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. Rovos Rail, the Union Limited and Outeniqua Choo steam train offers leisure rides for tourists. Private taxi companies form a major part of local transport. Hiring a guide who is well versed with the local dialects and travel options is highly recommended.

Places of Entertainment
Vintage train rides towards the Garden Route and are popular with locals as well as tourists. Popular places include Kidbuddy Adventure Park, Montagu gallery, Outeniqua Wine region, Kingswood Golf estate, Outeniqua Transport museum. Garden Route Quad Adventures and steam trains are also popular with travellers.

Languages Spoken
English along with other African dialects are used in George.
 
Currency
Rand (ZAR) is the official currency here. A Rand is divided into cents. Travellers can get latest details, news and updates related to currency exchange either online or through banks.