I'm an 86-year-old white male experienced solo world traveler (always using LP guides) who will be in Johannesburg in December. I would like to stay in the city center rather than in a suburb such as Sandton, one consideration being that from the info I have been able to gather (including from this Forum), public transportation is virtually useless to tourists. The Reef Hotel, which looks nice from info/photos and most reviews is only a few blocks from Ghandi Square, where I could board the hop-on/hop-off bus to the Apartheid Museum, Constitution Hill, etc. LP's 11/12 guide says that "it's not particularly safe to walk around alone at night" in the City Centre, which I have no need to do, but how about during the daytime? Being within walking distance of Ghandi Square, Standard Bank Art Gallery, etc., is no good if I can't walk there, and most reviews of the hotel seem to have been written by people who were driving. There is no recent info about safety in Johannesburg on this Forum, and posts on the Internet, many of them old, vary greatly. Some reports say that conditions in central Johannesburg have improved greatly from the time when it was said to be too dangerous to visit. If anyone has recent experience regarding safety during the daytime in central Johannesburg, I would greatly appreciate their sharing it with me.
During the day is fine.....Joburg is not very exciting (IMHO)but you can walk around the centre! Just don't carry a load of valuables with you...
By far the most interesting things (for me) are the Apartheid Museum and Soweto.
I agree with 2 (and 3 :-)!), Johannesburg CBD is very busy on working days, quite safe, just pay attention to your valuables.
After sunset it's better to avoid to walk alone. If you can have dinner at the hotel there will be any problem for you.
Apartheid Museum and Soweto are the most interesting places (but I haven't been at Consistution Hill).
I stayed just north in De Koorte Street on business in June
Whilst I felt safe walking around during the day, my hotel weren't happy about it & arranged free transport for the 500m trip down the same street ... I walked back to the hotel on the last day as the driver didn't show and he got a lot of grief from the Transport manager, despite my saying that I didn't feel threatened and wasn't worried he hadn't turned up.
As a female I felt fine, I'm used to Africa but always on the lookout for potential 'trouble' ...
You should be ok, as someone else mentioned, don't take your valuables out with you (although I did have my laptop with me!)
Kira
I want to thank all those who replied to my inquiry. (I am, of course, intensely curious about the reply that was removed and my imagination is running wild about it.) FYI, the LP guide recommends a hotel on De Korte St. and also one on Anderson St., only four building numbers away from the Reef Hotel where I am planning to stay, which may mean that I can walk safely to at least one other restaurant! I am relying principally on the LP guide for places I should visit. I abhor group guided tours and only take them when there is no other option, which seems to be the case in Johannesburg. So I will be taking day tours to Soweto, Pretoria (Voortrekker Monument and Freedom Park), and the Cradle of Humankind. Fortunately, the hop-on, hop-off bus tour of central Johannesburg goes to both the Apartheid Museum and Constitution Hill, so that I won't be limited to guided tours to those sites. I am greatly looking forward to my visit to South Africa, which I have wanted to visit for a very long time.
The reply that your imagination is running wild about is 'usually' advertising, some tout posted something possibly
Nothing to worry about, follow the rest of the advice & have a good trip
When/If I'm 86 I'll be thinking of you!!!
Kira
JHB can be an awesome place.
The inner city revival means that large parts of JHB is much safer than a year ago.
You can use the gautrain or rea vaya busses to get around town and to and from places.. or an uber or orange taxi.
I love joziville and I hope you will as well.
I study in the city and live about 10 minutes away from jhb central.
Ive also lived in Pretoria.
Ill gladly give you some more information if you want.
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