South Africa is known for its beaches – and its cold water in Cape Town – but there are plenty of other places to plunge in. This is only a small collection, but we thought it might get you in the mood. Arathusa Safari Lodge, Sabi Sand Game Reserve Sea Point Pavilion Pool, Cape Town Mac […]

High tea – that sumptuous invention credited to the Duchess of Bedford to quell the pangs of hunger between lunch and dinner – is still part of the culture at a range of hotels in Cape Town. So settle back and raise your pinkie as you enjoy the savoury and sweet treats found at some of the best high tea spreads […]

Everything from unidentified flying objects over Durban’s UFO-like stadium to women taking to the roads of Cape Town – to fix them, no less – to reminiscences about walking the famed “camino” trail across northern Spain, those are a few stories you might not have seen this week. 1. Good grief, green light a UFO? The […]

Congratulations on your engagement. You’ve clinked champagne glasses, changed your Facebook status, now begins the quest to please everyone – including your father’s half sister’s aunt Betty who, having sent you R50 for your birthday every year since birth, expects to be invited. But what do you want? Have you considered a ‘destination wedding’? People all over […]

Dreaming of a fabulous holiday to South Africa? While few holidaymakers in the past probably thought of renting someone else’s home – or even a room in it – the US company Airbnb seems to be changing all that around the world, especially in South Africa – and your holiday options are now quite spectacular…as seen in the photos below. Airbnb’s home/room/couch-rental […]

A slick new video made by a young German doing a trip around South Africa – great music, thrilling footage from a drone – includes a scene less than halfway through that might throw some viewers into a moral dilemma. He rides an elephant. The scene is jarring because in the rest of the video, titled “For that […]

SuzelleDIY’s latest video couldn’t come at a better time – she shared all her top tips on enjoying Amsterdam, just as Air France KLM announced they will now operate year-round daily flights between Amsterdam and Cape Town, starting in May 2016. The latest video from South Africa’s popular DIY queen is a little different from her normal household and how-to-make-a-braai-pie type of […]

A few weeks ago I heard a young kid on KFM radio explain what he loved most about Cape Town. He said that despite school and work, it always feels like you’re on holiday. It got me asking why Cape Town has this particular atmosphere, and then it came to me – it has a […]

If every cloud has a silver lining, The Telegraph in Britain is pointing it out – 25 silver linings, in fact (and we’ve added a 26th – see the end of the story). When so many things seem to be going wrong in South Africa – with a drought to boot – it’s nice to […]

Cape Town and the Winelands are famous for their stunning scenery and outdoor activities, but they are also a treasure trove of art, culture and history. Travel writer and tour guide James Bainbridge shares his cultural highlights of the Mother City area. 1. Babylonstoren  This 17th-century wine farm south of Paarl is a total gem, […]

The production house Two Wheels Across has released a video made over six weeks of Cape Town from a bird’s-eye view, a follow-up to an earlier video of the city as the starting point of a cross-Africa motorbike ride. Watch the Cape Town video Two Wheels Across is the brainchild of Beirut-born Christian Ghammachi who did a solo […]

Botswana has come out as the leader in Lonely Planet’s list of countries in the world most worth travelling to in 2016. Lonely Planet highlights the top city, region and country in the world for 2016 in this video What might have also made the country a winner, besides the fact that next year is its 50th […]

Jacob Venter got his law degree from the University of Cape Town four years ago, but he hasn’t worked in an office once. Instead he’s been scrubbing decks on a boat – and loving it. Welcome to the world of yachties, boaties and dock walkers – call them what you will, but mostly you could call them happy […]

Now that the government has approved changes to its controversial and financially disastrous visa regulations, it is time to catch up on how a few sectors are preparing for the end-of-year holiday season. Several airlines like Turkish and Lufthansa have scheduled new flights to South Africa and are increasing existing flights per week, while cities are […]

NEW YORK – After more than 128,000 travelers took part in the US Conde Nast Traveler magazine’s 28th annual Readers’ Choice Awards survey, the most in its history, the South Africa-owned lodge Singita Grumeti in Tanzania was chosen the world’s top hotel. Coming in at No. 3 was Bushmanskloof Wilderness Reserve in the Cedarberg. Cape Town came sixteenth […]

When the famed Outeniqua Chootjoe stopped doing its breathtaking run from George to Knysna, over the Kaaimans Bridge, many lamented the passing of another famous train trip in South Africa. Truth is, there are still a bunch of fantastic train trips available (and even the George-Knysna route might operate again soon). 1. The Blue Train Started […]

It’s about 160km, give or take a metre or two on either side, from the House of Light & Shadow in Richmond, Northern Cape, to the Karoo Roos padstal outside Middelburg, Eastern Cape. That’s if you venture out on the R398, a dirt road that embodies all that is intriguing about the Karoo: big spaces, […]

On her fourth out of 13 Durban curry hot (!) spots, Sarah Khan had some bunny chow, which she had heard from local food author Erica Platter people get as worked up about as they do about soccer. “Bunny followers are as fanatical as football-club supporters,” said Platter, co-author of ‘Durban Curry: So Much of Flavour’. “Once […]

Many travellers to and from South Africa will be elated to hear that changes to the immigration regulations have been announced this morning in Pretoria. The changes include a relaxation of the stringent Unabridged Birth Certificate (UBC) requirement as well as new postal options for those who don’t have a South African embassy or mission office […]

In its regular feature ’36 Hours in (Name a Place)’, the New York Times focuses on a great city or part of the world. This week it’s Cape Town’s chance to be in the spotlight. From museums to a revival of life in the city centre, from going up Table Mountain to eating at local markets, […]

The catchline for Spencer Conway’s new TV show says it all: ‘One Man, One Dream, 34 Countries’. The ‘dream’ is also one humungous challenge – to circumnavigate Africa by motorbike. The show, ‘African Motorcycle Diaries’, is a six-part series, premiering in early November, of motorcyclist Conway’s journey across 55,345 kilometers of road (and plenty other surfaces), and his […]

Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge in Botswana is one of nine hotels vying for the top hotel award at this year’s World Architecture Festival, to be held in Singapore in November. The 12-suite lodge’s unique shape has been likened to an upturned boat or a big wooden ribcage, although we prefer the allusion to the endangered pangolin. […]

South Africa’s 21st wine route has just been launched…and it’s quite spectacular, with so much more than just wonderful wine. Less than two hours out of Cape Town, the Stanford Wine Route in the Western Province is perfect for a day out… or even a relaxing weekend. It’s such a beautiful part of the world where […]

You never know what you’re going to find up one of the alleys in Kalk Bay, a gem on the False Bay side of Cape Town, and it just makes you want to explore. So says one of the locals interviewed by musician Arno Carstens in a recent video about the artist-town-meets-fishing-village. The video gives you a good […]

For anyone experiencing delays in getting a passport or Smart Card ID in South Africa, relief is on the way, with a new programme launched in Johannesburg on Wednesday to allow certain banks to take applications and issue them. The Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba said the initiative – which is still being rolled out – will allow people […]