5 Countries to visit in 2024 where the Rand is strong

Going abroad is never an easy exercise for South Africans. Aside from visa requirements, we are also forced to make purchases with one of the world’s most volatile and weakest currencies.

The rand is weaker than most major global currencies like the Dollar, Pound Sterling and Euro, but there are a few countries where it is much stronger. This can be a welcome bonus, allowing South Africans to stretch their Rands further and maybe even splash out on higher-end hotels, luxury resorts, fine dining or a flight upgrade.

So where can we travel for a little less? Here we suggest five countries that should be on your travel hit list for 2024 where the Rand will go further.

1. Argentina

This is one of the safer south American countries, with relatively low crime rates. Here one Rand will get you about 10 Argentine pesos. Another advantage is that South Africans don’t need a visa to enter, provided your stay is for less than 90 days.

The government has also just announced a new regulation for exchange rates, meaning tourists using credit and debit cards will get more pesos for their money than previously. The scheme is called the ‘foreign tourist dollar’ and both Mastercard and Visa signed up to it in December last year.

2. Czech Republic

This is your best option if you want to enjoy the experience of being in Europe without shelling out Euro’s. The best time to visit is between June and September, unless you are planning on skiing during December and March.

One Rand here will get you just over 1.3 Czech korunas but remember that the country does fall within the Schengen area and so a visa will be necessary if you have a South African passport.

3. Egypt

The land of the pharaohs is still in Africa, but as it’s on the opposite end of the continent it feels like a proper international holiday. Last year, Egypt changed their laws meaning South Africans no longer require advance visas from the Egyptian embassy. Instead, you can now get one upon arrival at Cairo International Airport. One Rand will get you about 1.79 Egyptian pounds.

4. India

In general, things become a lot cheaper the further east you travel. South Africans are issued a free visa on arrival in India and one Rand will buy you about four Indian rupees.

5. Mauritius

You can hop over to this island get away in just over four hours flight time. What’s more, it doesn’t require any visas from South Africans and has direct flights leaving Johannesburg a few times a day. One Rand equals to about three Mauritian rupees.

While the Rand doesn’t go far against stronger currencies it is possible to make it stretch if you do your research and visit countries that have weaker currencies.