GET A FEEL OF THE RYTHMIC NIGHTS DURING AFCON 2013

South African cities embrace a ‘New York state of mind’ when the sun sets, so whether you feel like dancing the night away, taking in some smokey jazz riffs, dining like royalty or watching the passing parade from an alfresco coffee shop, the choice is yours.

And the pleasure is ours.

Our cities boast globally renowned DJs, who are spinning the decks nightly with the latest international and local house, hip-hop, and R&B hits, and they play in lounges and clubs that are looking forward to welcoming AFCON fans to share the African beat, and infuse their own.

Sports bars are never far from the host stadiums, and will more than meet your need for thrills and spills well into the evening, courtesy huge flatscreen TV’s, attentive waitresses, limitless beer and friendly local fans.

If stepping it up is more your style, classy venues for sundowners are plentiful, with the luxurious five-star hotels taking the lead as gathering spots for the city’s beautiful people, among the favourites being Radisson Blu, the Hilton and Sandton Sun hotels.

Live music bands, meanwhile, playing everything from rock to pop to house, are liberally distributed among the city’s restaurants, clubs and bars. It’s just a matter of checking the daily entertainment schedules.

Vibrant nightlife hubs in Johannesburg are primarily in Sandton, Rosebank, Melville, Newtown and Soweto, with each offering a diverse mix of venues from cocktail bars and clubs to restaurants that serve anything from Jamaican to Japanese cuisine.

In Durban, the trendy gravitate to Florida Street, the culinary heart of the city with over 30 restaurants and bars set out in a bustling, historic road that by midnight is pumping. Point road in Durban city centre is another popular nightlife hub, while the city’s hottest DJ’s are on a perennial wave at Joe Cool’s, an iconic club on Durban’s north beach.

Laid back bars and pubs are the most patronised night venues in Port Elizabeth, while the city’s surrounding townships is where to head if you want to hear some serious jazz. The club scene is at its liveliest on weekends in Port Elizabeth.

In both Nelspruit and Rustenburg, you have an excellent choice of sports bars and a handful of good clubs, while close to Rustenburg is the hugely popular Sun City, magnet for every kind of night owl from clubber to diner to all night gambler.

So pack for some great evenings out. Your place near the night time beat is waiting.