Cape Town, South Africa ? It may be halfway around the world, but a visit to South Africa is worth the royal hassle. And it IS a chore getting there, logging more than 14 hours in the air (depending on your point of departure) and a pesky jet-lagging time difference. But once in Cape Town, you’re in for a stunning surprise.

This pristine settlement near the southwesternmost tip of Africa looks like San Francisco with its shimmering harbor, marble-floored malls and Ansel Adams backdrop — the 13,500-foot Table Mountain.

Along the western coastline, massive granitic mountains hover over the sugar-cube cities, powdery beaches and a riotous variety of flora.

From Cape Town, it’s a two-hour flight to the rugged safari country in the north where you’ll spy nearly every animal you ever read about — up close and personal. A visit to one of the game reserves adjacent to the Kruger National Park is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and you’ll have the close-ups to prove it.

One of the best things about South Africa is the whopping break you get on currency. At an exchange rate of 8.6 rands to the dollar, a greenback stretches farther than it has since the Depression. Two can dine extremely well for $10 each, and diamonds, tanzanite and gold are sagacious buys.

There’s plenty to see in Cape Town itself, including Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for 17 years, the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and its myriad proteas, the sea-scarred peninsula, great restaurants and swinging nightlife.

Putting past to rest

Of course, the name South Africa conjures up political and emotional reactions. The townships, where the races were segregated during apartheid, are still there. Now shantytowns, they still scar the landscape. You can actually tour a township and talk with the people, buy their innovative crafts and learn what it’s like for them to be free at last.

While the nation still struggles with unemployment (45 percent) and crime, there is a concerted effort to keep things safe for tourists. Private security forces are everywhere to provide safety and badly needed jobs. Most of Cape Town is safe, the taxis are good-to-go and people are happy to advise you on what areas to avoid.

Don’t miss the Greenmarket Square, stalls of African goods and curios, open daily except Sundays. Here everyone speaks English (it’s one of the 11 official languages of the nation) and is willing to bargain for rare items like woodcarvings, hand wrought textiles and beadwork, a specialty of the Xhosa tribe that populates the area.

The coastal town of Muizenberg is one of the varied attractions in South Africa. From modern cities to shantytowns, botanical gardens to bush country, South Africa offers a wealth of opportunities for exploration.

You’ll find unusual antiques on Church Street, the colorful Bo-Kaap neighborhood where freed Malay slaves settled, the Gold Museum on Strand Street. For the best buy in jewelry, try Jewel Africa, not cheap, but they feature expert workmanship and quality. They’ll also pick you up and deliver you to your hotel.

Some restaurants favored by the locals include the Africa Cafe, where only native cuisines are served, Five Flies, La Colombe (at the Constantia Uitsig Hotel), Bukhara Indian Restaurant on Church Street and One.Waterfront.

Hotel prices vary widely. The Holiday Inn at the Waterfront runs about $100 for a double, Table Bay $237, Best Western $80 for a double, and the most elegant, the harbor-fronted Cape Grace (where Clinton stays) runs around $381 for a double. There are also B&Bs for as little as $15 per person.

Wine country

Just 50 minutes east of Cape Town lies South Africa’s glorious wine country. The Dutch town of Stellenbosch is post-card perfect with its thatched roofs, imported oak trees and dozens of wineries.

Nearby in the Paarl Valley are the luxurious Grande Roche Hotel and the fairy-tale village of Franschhoek (French Corner) with its prize-winning hotel Le Quartier Francais and picturesque vineyards. You can rent a car (they drive on the opposite side there) or book a tour.

South Africa is deservedly famous for its wines. Try the chardonnay, their version of champagne (called Cape Classique) or their nutty pinotage (a combination of pinot and heritage).

Off on safari

From Johannesburg it’s two hours to Mpumalanga Province and the wildlife area adjacent to Kruger National Park. Here several safari camps feature wilderness treks. One of the very best is the MalaMala Game Reserve.

Visits may be arranged through Karell’s African Dream Vacations out of Florida at (800) 327-0373. Karell’s tailors the trek just for you and even follows up to make sure everything is precisely to your liking.

A lioness and her pride are some of the sights that can be found on a safari in South Africa. Game reserves near the Kruger National Park feature several safari camps.

Three camps on the site provide visitors with the best the bush has to offer: knowledgeable rangers who take you under their wing from the moment you hit the landing strip; two game drives a day (including nighttime vigils); incredible sightings from ubiquitous, unencumbered Land Rovers; excellent food and accommodations.

The Main Camp is the most luxurious with remote-controlled air-conditioners, his-and-her bathrooms and verandas overlooking the Sand River where the animals graze within 50 yards.

Prices run about $500 per person per day, double occupancy for the Main Camp. The slightly less luxurious Kirkman’s Kamp runs $350 and Harry’s Camp, $275.

The well-trained rangers know where the animals are in these 40,000 acres and keep in constant radio contact with each other. You’re practically guaranteed to spot the “Big 5” — rhinos, lion, buffalo, elephant and leopard. During a two-day stay you’ll likely encounter giraffe, hyena, cheetah, hippos, monkeys, baboons, bushbucks, zebra, nyala and a half-dozen different kinds of antelope.

The two-decker vehicles lend themselves to unbelievable photo ops offering passengers views of animals from as close as 10 feet. Most of them are not spooked by the Land Rovers, which can crash through the timber or splash through river beds like vengeful Godzillas.

Because South Africa is in the southern hemisphere the seasons are reversed. The best time for safari is May through August, though the weather is never extreme. The rainy season (October through March) brings more lush vegetation and returning migrant birds, but also parched mosquitoes.