Internet Cafes in South Africa

South Africa is wired! The internet is everywhere here – well, almost everywhere – is decently fast and relatively cheap, and there are hundreds of internet cafes eager to bring it to you.

• Don’t ever pay more than R25/hour at an internet cafe! Chances are, the next one down the road is cheaper.

The greatest number of internet cafes, of course, is in Cape Town, where there seems to be one around every corner. Most have headsets for Skyping, and charge R15/hour or less. SA Blog’s favorite place to find them is Regent Road, Sea Point (a.k.a. Main Road | map), because they tend to be cheaper than those in the city centre, and also because of the many nearby shops, delis and cafes. To get to Regent Road, take a Main Road minibus taxi from Strand Street (map) in town, and tell the driver to let you off at New York Bagels, which is within spitting distance of three internet cafes.

Tips for finding an internet cafe in your area:

• SA Yellow Pages
  Let your mouse do the scurrying.
• Directories: Ananzi | iCafe Directory
  Not comprehensive, but will provide good leads.
• Postnet
  Most Postnets have internet facilities (but also charge more than the cafes); click to find one in your area.
• See also: WiFi Hotspots