For nature lovers, this Eastern Cape hamlet is the ideal getaway with its many waterfalls, forests and very affordable accommodation. TripAdvisor lists accommodation rated by guests, but as much as we love peer reviews, can we trust them? Pippa, who has reviewed accommodation for 18 years, inspected 21 properties – some rated on TripAdvisor, plus she rooted out new ones. These 10 made her list. Photographs by Teagan Cunniffe.

 

The case for Hogsback

It has magical landscapes

A patchwork of wild farms and gardens carved into the indigenous and plantation forests that carpet the Amathole Mountains, Hogsback is perched at a crisp-air altitude of 1200 metres. The link between the town and JRR Tolkien may be spurious (based purely, it appears, on naming a local holiday camp for underprivileged children Hobbiton in 1947) but the evocation of a fantasy forest lingers on. And when the mists that wreathe the trees and ferns suddenly clear to drop-away views, it is indeed quite magical.

There are 27 waterfalls and one very cute chapel

The Tyhume River, replenished by summer rain and winter snow, drops 419 metres to the valley below, affording plenty of picturesque falls. Hogsback Adventures offers a four-hour mountain bike tour (R500 pp) past waterfalls, viewpoints and a swim in a natural pool, and abseiling (R275 pp) down Madonna and Child, the largest waterfall. hogsbackadventures.co.za Equally pretty, and even easier to get to, is St Patrick-on-the-Hill, Hogsback’s charming thatch- and-stone chapel.

It has warm, interesting and hybrid community

Hippies, retirees, eco-warriors, artists, online entrepreneurs and people who just like to potter about live here, where wealth is not measured in money, and despite the potholes and lack of municipal services, residents are vocal about the privilege of living in what local historian Trevor Webster calls ‘the dominant presence of Nature’.

There’s a roaring fire every night

Apparently snow- falls are recorded every month bar February. Room proportions are cosy, with one or more fireplaces and plenty of wood.

It’s cheap

Hogsback specialises in compact, fire-warmed self-catering cottages, and they are all bargains.

Also read: the Getaway guide to Hogsback

 

Best view and biggest collection

1. The Edge Mountain Retreat

TripAdvisor No. 3 of 6 B&Bs/Inns

Peter Colyvas and Wouter Jordaan rented out their first cottage back in 1991 and used the income from this to build the next one on the lip of their prime seven-hectare cliff-side property, just a few minutes’ drive north of town. Today there is a choice of 20 self-catering cottages ‒ most located within sight of each other but set far enough apart in the sprawling gardens to feel private ‒ and 10 B&B en-suite rooms. All are furnished with bits and pieces picked up from local farm auctions ‒ a leather sofa or armchairs usually taking pride of place in front of a log-burning fireplace. A staffed reception and large restaurant serving good comfort food means that The Edge can offer the independence of self-catering with the pleasures of catered accommodation. With a great private function room, it’s also my pick for a group (accommodating up to 70) looking to commemorate a special occasion.
Room tip: The five cliff-side cottages are worth the extra cash: Over the Edge is best value (R950, sleeps two) but Heavens Above has the best view (R1600, sleeps two). Stargazer also has lovely views (R1800, sleeps four) but if you’re four people and wanting to save, consider Birchwood and Apple Tree ‒ semi-detached and set back so there’s no view, but they have their own semi-private gardens (R650, both sleep four).
Cost: From R450 per person sharing a B&B room. From R650 (for two) self-catering.
Contact: theedge-hogsback.co.za

Best-equipped cottages

2. Laragh-on-Hogsback

TripAdvisor No. 4 of 10 Speciality Lodgings

Jenny Newman is a perfectionist and her three semi-detached cottages ‒ located in a barn-like structure the Newmans built in their tree-filled garden in 2013/14 ‒ is testament to this. They don’t have the big views that many of the other options on these pages offer, but the double-volume units still feel brand new, and you won’t find a better-equipped kitchen in Hogsback. Bathrooms are heated (two have good showers, one has a bath) and efficient wood-burning, closed-combustion fireplaces warm the double-volume living space. Each cottage sleeps four comfortably; two have interleading doors should you be travelling in a larger group. A natural host, Jenny stocks her cottages with fresh flowers, tea and coffee, fresh milk, homemade rusks and wood for the first night. For a small fee, she’ll even deliver a continental breakfast to your cottage (R55 per person). Given the standard of the accommodation and service (the cottages are serviced daily), this is a bargain, so book early ‒ it’s popular.
Room tip: Yellowwood is on the north-facing corner with a large, wrap-around L-shaped deck furnished with table, chairs and a Weber.
Cost: From R350 per person for two sharing. Additional guests R150 per person.
Contact: laragh-on-hogsback.co.za

Best hotel

3. Arminel hotel & Village

TripAdvisor No.1 of 2 Hotels

The best Hogsback options are self-catering, but if you prefer hotel facilities then the 26-room thatched Arminel is the best choice in town. Rooms have a pleasing gingham- and-floral country style, service is friendly and the sprawling grounds are well-maintained by Kat Leisure (owners of nine hotels in the Eastern Cape as well as Simola in Knysna). It’s understandably popular with conference groups, with the kind of buffet-style food you expect from a three-star hotel. For the best of both, I’d probably book one of their new self-catering thatched Forest Cottages, built fairly close to each other at the bottom of the sloping garden near the pool. Well-designed and -furnished, these contemporary six-sleeper units are a great option for a family wanting accommodation in a secure, modern townhouse in a forest resort rather than a more secluded, romantic option.
Room tip: Hotel rooms 1 to 5 have unobstructed garden views from their porches and are closest to reception and the restaurant. Forest Cottages numbers 2 and 3 are the best, north-facing and double storey.
Cost: From R660 per person for a DBB. Forest Cottages are from R1500 (sleep six).
Contact: katleisure.co.za

 

Best-value cottages

4. Maple Grove

TripAdvisor No. 1 of 6 B&Bs/Inns

When Peter and Lyndsay Walker retired to their property in upper Hogsback, about three kilometres from the village centre on potholed-but-manageable track, the plan was to supplement their income by renting out the cottage in their garden. With experience in the construction industry, Peter then set about enclosing the area beneath their home for family and friends, and this became the snug self-contained cabin. The chalet, which had been an open store-room/carport, followed. Sadly, the Walkers decided to stop at three ‒ they have such a fine eye for design and decor, plus a generosity of spirit, with plenty of wood (the first basket is free), fresh flowers, fresh milk and Lyndsay’s famous home-made rusks included in the deal. Add to that the tranquil forest views and this really is excellent value. The website does it little justice, so thank you TripAdvisor reviewers for a spot-on rating (though Maple Grove, being neither B&B or Inn, should be listed under Speciality Lodging).
Room tip: My first choice would be Cottage, a lovely open-plan unit with separate bathroom and French doors leading onto a patio and gazebo, followed by well- equipped, cosy Cabin, also with a deck and forest views.
Cost: From R295 per person sharing for Cabin and Cottage (both sleep two each, plus Cabin can sleep a child on a mattress, and Cottage two teens on a stack bed, for an extra R100 per person. From R1000 for Chalet (sleeps four); 10 per cent discount for pensioners, students and midweek stays.
Contact: maplegrove.co.za

 

Most creative eco-lodge

5. Terra-Khaya

TripAdvisor No. 2 of 10 Speciality Lodgings

Variously described as a permaculture farm, Earth Home Project, experimental venture and eco-backpackers, Terra-Khaya defies easy categorisation. Owner Shane Eades has created a magical off-the-grid lodge on his 18-hectare farm high in the mountains, showcasing and teaching visitors how fulfilling an ecologically sound lifestyle can be. With the help of live-in volunteers he has built and beautified Terra-Khaya, using natural building techniques and salvaged materials. Accommodation comprises four double timber cabins, furnished with real artistic flair, plus delightful four- and 10-sleeper dorms. There are no en-suite options but the shared ablutions – comprising a separate composting toilet, a charming bath house and outdoor showers – all feature fantastic views, as do the cabins. Horseriding is a speciality, including various overnight horse-trail options. Communal meals are highly rated and affordable (around R75). Creative energy permeates the place; there’s even an art room in the loft of the communal lounge-library-dining area should the urge arise. As one guest wrote: ‘This place makes you feel safe and secure; doors stay unlocked because the only thing that will get stolen will be your heart.’
Room tip: Khayalam Down (sleeps two) and Khayalam Up (sleeps four) have incredible views.
Cost: R135 per person in a dorm; R325 for two in a cabin.
Contact: terrakhaya.co.za

 

Best luxury bungalow

6. Bredon Self-catering cottage

Unlisted

Bredon ticks every box: a two-bedroom, two-bathroom thatched dwelling that is totally private, utterly charming and luxuriously fitted, with fantastic views and a huge, deep, stone pool fed by a seasonal spring. It’s located in the Bredon Gardens, adjacent to the renowned Applegarth Gardens established by Mary Wilson and ‘Sweetie’ Wilson in 1938, apparently with the help of a Kew gardener. Today Rob and Sandy Wicks are its custodians and they have done an admirable job of improving and maintaining the grounds and historic buildings. Bredon Cottage is situated well away from the main house, with its own driveway, garden and seasonal waterfall, and gorgeous views through every pane. Stone steps lead down to a small terraced garden with a braai area and a winding pathway that leads to the pool, with more fantastic views from its edge. Sandy supplies loads of wood for the braai and combustion stove, and the kitchen – with more views through the open doors – had me itching to cook. (Incidentally, Rob and Sandy are avid motorbike collectors and could open a museum!)
Room tip: The main bedroom is bigger and better of the two, so if you’re sharing with friends you’ll need to draw lots. No kids under 13.
Cost: From R1800 for two, R2000 for four.
Contact: applegarth-bredon.co.za

 

Most magical bolthole

7. Hogrockfalls

Unlisted

Artist Leigh Smith designed and hand-built these two tiny cottages, aided by locals Wayne Bernade and AB Ndzelani, on the steep forested slopes leading down to a series of private waterfalls. The sound of running water is the constant backtrack here and is part of the soothing energy that pulls you into a chair on the deck with a cup of tea or glass of wine, gazing at the plantation views. Leigh’s eye for beauty is evident everywhere ‒ from the choice of the olive-green walls and the nifty gas oven with stovetop to pretty rugs and vintage chairs, it’s like being tucked up in a little box of boho treasures topped with a ‘living roof’. Enterprising AB now manages the property for Leigh and is extremely helpful ‒ carrying bags, showing the way to the waterfalls and, come sundown, he’ll even light the fire for you. Definitely one of my top picks, and again, a total bargain.
Room tip: I much prefer Silver Birch with its cosy loft bedroom, effective fireplace and dinky kitchen with a view. It also has a delightful bathroom (tub only).
Cost: From R275 per person (both cottages sleep four each).
Contact: hogsbackinfo.co.za/hogrockfalls

 

Worth a look

8. Melody Cottage Swallowtail Country Estate

This is a camping and caravan site at the entrance to the village, but owner Fritz Klaasen has just built the cutest open-plan cabin for two with a great view of the Hogsback mountains. This would be a featured top pick out of season, but when the campsite is busy it would lose some of its romance. From R700 (sleeps two). swallowtail.co.za

9. Camelot Cottage

An old-fashioned rondavel for two set in the same delightful gardens as the Fairy Meander, this cottage is within walking distance of the village centre. It’s tucked away and very cosy, insulated by thatch and warmed with a Jetmaster (definitely the warmer and more charming of the two cottages on the property), with an outdoor braai area and seating. From R500 (sleeps two). camelot-cottages.co.za

10. Thatchfield Cottage

This quaint two-bedroomed thatch with its own garden and efficient fireplace, usually lit for you on arrival by the most accommodating hosts, Tim and Sonia Willats, comes with plenty of wood, a litre of farm milk, tea and coffee, and it’s pet-friendly too. R650 for two and R150 pp thereafter (sleeps up to five). countrycottagecollection.com

This story first appeared in the November 2016 issue of Getaway magazine.

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Our November issue features the next adventure frontier of Madagascar, affordable breaks in Hogsback, and what to do in the Cradle of Humankind.

Cynical about the much travelled Thailand? So was Getaway‘s Kati Auld, until she went there. Here’s why she’s now a convert.

I am sitting at the water’s edge with a Chang beer when I notice that a curious ant is investigating half a piece of rice left over from my glorious red curry. Within a few minutes there’s a healthy bundle of them, waving their anty antennae at each other, getting excited. Then one single ant joins the bunch and suddenly they have critical mass: they hoist the entire thing and drag it away, leaving the latecomers sniffing the fumes where it used to be, wondering what all the fuss was about.

To walk the 500 steps leading to the temple of Wat Tham Pha Plong is intended to be a meditation in itself.

The thing about Thailand is that you can never be sure which ant you are. I turned down this assignment, the first time. Can you believe that? If you’re a certain kind of cynic, or perhaps a self-important travel writer in your 20s, you can. I had heard about the telephone lines running along Bangkok’s streets like clotted liquorice laces, and I knew that bowing was a big deal. I’d seen photos of long-tailed boats beached on creamy stretches of paradise, of sweet-spicy pad thai, of monks taking selfies with iPads.

I also knew, as you probably do, that Thailand is one of the most visited countries in the world; that it was picked up in a backpacker whirlwind in the seventies and has never really come down; that Koh Samui has a Tesco’s; that group jump shots at Koh Phi Phi require a queue; that there’s a certain kind of South African who goes to Thailand and comes back describing the drinks specials. Send me to Lagos or Indonesia or Japan, I grumbled with absolutely no sense of irony or perspective. I can write a story about Thailand without leaving my house.

I was wrong, of course: both about the country and about the kind of people who go there. But the thing about getting off the grid, anywhere in the world, is that it requires either more time or more money, and sometimes both, and unfortunately most of us can spare neither. Luckily, in Thailand, there is a third option. For the cynics, staying far from the tourist spots will be of equal if not more importance than staying near beautiful places; and what you lose by setting your sights slightly lower in terms of spellbinding landscapes, you gain back many times over by having a travel experience which doesn’t feel like pre-chewed gum.

The beauty of a temple, even in slight disrepair; tea served from copper pots in Trang.

I only had two weeks in Thailand but I was determined to stretch it into the two archetypal experiences – beach and jungle. So there were two questions: is it possible to find a beach in Thailand where you don’t have to fight through three rows of sizzling pink-prawn Brit bodies to get into the water, and is the jungle-bound northern town of Chiang Mai really all it’s cracked up to be? I didn’t know the answers to either of these questions while waiting out a four-hour layover at Don Muang Airport in Bangkok. This is more than enough time for people-watching. The Thai travellers looked put together as a pastel Pinterest board: wide-brimmed hats, lacy sundresses, brogues. In fact, the only bright colours I found were attached to the legs of the backpackers, who seemed to be wearing a uniform of flowing patterned pants and a fine layer of grit. After wandering up and down and buying a snack (baked cuttlefish?), I sat down at my gate. A woman with a grin and a bouquet of flowers was texting.

A grandfather in a wheelchair scowled indiscriminately at everyone passing him. A girl with a snapcap tried to listen to music, hat pushed down awkwardly over her earphones. Crocs, Converse, silver stilettos: all kinds of shoes were getting on my flight to Trang, but no backpacks. If Trang had less photogenic neighbours, it might get more attention. But it’s further south than Phuket and the popular islands dotted around there, and it’s sandwiched between places of such virtuosic beauty that Trang’s hardly a tourist destination. For my purposes, this was just fine.

The restaurant at Eakachai Floating House in Sri Lanna National Park; Trang is known for its delicious seafood – though it is spicy, even by Thai standards.

It’s a big town, and without the tourist industry to match you mostly get the refreshing sense that people are just getting on with their lives. The combination of Chinese and Malaysian ancestry means that it has a truly remarkable food scene – roasted pork, pickled fish swim bladder, amazing night markets – and it’s also the closest town to a constellation of islands that I’d heard were different to the rest. When I arrived on Koh Mook, the smallest of these, I thought there must be some mistake. It was the day before a public holiday, and yet my beer and I sat alone and unjostled on the perfect beach. As the colour faded from the sky and the rocks glowed, I realised that a full moon party can be quite palatable – as long as it’s for one. The islands are an essential part of a tropical holiday, but I’d been told that to see the ‘true Thailand’ you need to go north. So after only a few days of riding a scooter over tree roots and duck-diving through hazy jade water, it was time to take the night train to Chiang Mai.

On the east side of Koh Mook, houses on stilts cluster around the harbour.

Flights within Thailand are dirt cheap, but I was convinced by the romance of the train; the way, in retrospect, a train ride can seem to be symbolic of an entire trip. (Plus, I’d been told that train assistants come and make up the beds wearing white gloves, which seemed too unbelievable to be true. It isn’t.) Waiting on the platform in Bangkok, I found myself almost entirely among a jury of my peers. A girl wearing a ‘Chang’ T-shirt talked to a girl with a Cambodian lotus tattoo. A guy with a bone in his ear and a woman with a pile of red dreadlocks ordered a fruit shake from a vendor in shaky Thai. This wasn’t going to be the grizzled Kerouac train journey of my imagination, but when I arrived in Chiang Mai I realised why that was.

Chiang Mai literally means ‘new city’ – and it was, in 1296, when it was founded as the new capital of the Lanna Kingdom. The walls that used to fortify the city against enemies still stand in some places, crumbling worn brick making a picturesque background where tourists feed the pigeons, striking the traditional Christ-the-Redeemer pose. These days, it’s a new city in another way. It’s been refounded as the travel blogger capital of the world, and ever since it became the setting of a Chinese rom-com, the ratio of selfie sticks to yogis here has increased.

Scooters can be rented cheaply for the day, although you’re on your own if you crash (they are not insured, so you’ll be expected to pay damages); rice is sold parcelled in banana leaves, with coconut or eggy custard.

Many people have described Chiang Mai as ‘the past reaching an uneasy truce with the present’. It certainly is a wild contradiction – the backpacker district overlapping with a jaw-dropping array of temples; flowering trees lining the moat that still rings the Old City; elderly Thai women selling parcels of rice, young German women selling joints. But if it ever was off the beaten track, it certainly isn’t now. After an American swilling a whisky told me to let go of my ego, followed by a precise tally of the thousands of dollars he is paying for a bachelor party in ‘the oldest brownstone in New Orleans’, I decided to move on. Chiang Dao is a revelation. It’s a small town an hour north, huddled under a towering limestone massif. It’s not the highest mountain in Thailand, nor even the second-highest, which is probably how it shimmied past the guidebooks’ all-seeing eyes. And on a beautiful day in spring, I was able to wander its hiking paths without meeting a single other person. The trail lead me through a bamboo forest and a valley aflame with cherry blossoms and honest-to-god clouds of butterflies. I sat down to eat a messy, coconut-sized dragon fruit with my bare hands, victorious. It seemed that the entire mountain belonged to me.

When I returned to Chiang Mai, the contrast was stark. I gave myself the night off, walking the streets, smelling garlic, durian and smoke, when a brown dog darted out from a temple into the road. I ran towards it, but a monk had already come out to calm him and bring him back inside. This is how I met A. He asked where I was from and we ended up speaking for over an hour as the light turned lavender and swarms of mosquitoes danced around the street lights. He told me that before he joined the monastery he had worked as a fireman, and that when they are understaffed they sometimes still ask him to come and help out. He grinned. Of course, this can be complicated because the monastic oath curtails him from wearing anything but his robe, even if that anything is fire-retardant equipment. He could clearly see my scepticism because he took out his phone, his tattooed fingers scrolling through Facebook photos, so I could see for myself. Yes, there he was, standing bare-shouldered in the fire truck, smoke billowing around his head.

The glinting beauty of a temple in Trang; Sundown over Koh Mook.

On my last morning in Chiang Mai, I stood on the bridge over the river, turned glossy as honey by the sunrise, watching people start their day: a Thai man with tattoos and an undercut walked past, looking like he’d been roughed up by the evening before; a vendor sold Chinese doughnuts, deep-fried rolls in the shape of a chromosome; joggers, those international bastions of health, were dotted about – one trying to encourage her petulant son in French. This, for me, is the truly exceptional thing: not the jumbled mix of old and new but the different lives being lived side by side. There are so many different versions of a place that exist simultaneously, depending on who’s telling the story. It’s in the tension between these stories that a place comes alive. Now that I have my own version of this story, Thailand will always be illuminated.

Plan your trip

Travel planner

Flights to Bangkok from Joburg are from R7659 return on Etihad Airways (etihad.com). If you’re flying domestically immediately, you change from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Don Muang Airport, so allow at least half an hour travel time. Flights from Bangkok to Trang are from R380 with Nok Air (nokair.com). There are many options for the train to Chiang Mai – best to take the night train for R325. (railway.co.th). To get from Chiang Mai to Chiang Dao, take a B40 bus from Chang Puak bus station for R16 return. From the bus stop in Chiang Dao you’ll need to take a songthaew to your guest house. It’s usually a flat rate of R61.

Need to know

If you’re visiting in the cooler, less humid months, you can often cut your accommodation costs in half by opting for a room without aircon. Rates are usually charged per room rather than per person. Don’t buy ‘Buddha heads’ – physical representations are sacrilege in Buddhist culture. Though there are many buildings with the sign ‘Tourist Information’ emblazoned on them, don’t be lulled into a false sense of objectivity – these are mostly tour operators.

Do this

Swim at Emerald Cave, near Koh Mook. After swimming through a tunnel of glowing water, you end up in a tiny cove, surrounded by high cliffs and butterflies the size of a fist. Boats leave from Koh Mook and Pak Meng pier on Trang mainland.

Visit Na Muen Sri weaving factory in Trang. Women here maintain traditional techniques and ancient tribal patterns on handworked looms. The scarves are a better souvenir than tie-dyed fisherman pants. +66814764318

Get a massage. Lila Thai Massage trains inmates serving minor sentences at Chiang Mai Women’s Prison, who then join the workforce upon their release: it’s cheap and good. From R82 for an hour. chiangmaithai massage.com

Visit Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, the most famous temple in Chiang Mai, just outside of town. Hike to the top, or for R205 return catch a songthaew (or split this cost with up to eight people). Go early. tourismthailand.org

Hike in Pha Daeng National Park. Reaching the summit of Chiang Dao takes two days, and you’ll need a guide and porters. The trail is clear enough for a short unguided day hike. Day entrance to the park is R41. tourismthailand.org

Stay here

Charlie Beach Resort in Koh Mook has lovely bamboo bungalows that are about 100 metres from the beach. R246 pp sharing. kohmook.com

Baan Hanibah is an old Lanna-style guest house in Chiang Mai, with dark wood and frangipani trees in the courtyard. It’s best for families. R863, sleeps four. baanhanibah.com

Villa Duang Champa, a boutique hotel in Chiang Mai’s Old City, has light-filled rooms, teal accents and a latticed balcony. From R390 pp sharing. villaduangchampa.today

Saithong Guesthouse, down a tiny soi (alley) in Chiang Mai, has clean rooms, stained-glass windows and beautiful Thai doors. From R185 pp sharing. saithongguesthouse.com

Chiang Dao Nest 1 Resort in Chiang Dao has simple bungalows with fans, and is close to the start of the nature trail around the foot of the mountain. From R184 pp sharing. chiangdaonest.com

Eat and drink

The Boxx is an indie karaoke bar and lounge in Trang, built from shipping containers; it does Thai-fusion snacks and drinks from R80 pp. Find it on Facebook.

Into the Woods in Chiang Mai is a little woodlands-style cafe with free Wi-Fi and great coffee. Find it on Facebook.

A local eatery next to the police station in Chiang Mai sells the best khao soi (chicken and noodles) for R16. The sign’s in Thai so look for the large corrugated iron gates.

Chiang Dao Nest 1 and 2 are known for amazing Thai meals; number two is more affordable. chiangdaonest.com

* Prices and conversions correct at time of going to print

For most of us, research is one of the best things about travel. As great as it is to know about the quirky guesthouse your friend stayed in, sometimes you’re looking for a more, um, thorough approach. That’s why every month we visit a tourist hotspot and methodically look through the options to find the absolute gems: the best guesthouses for families, the loveliest romantic hideaways, the pet-friendly options.

Here’s the ultimate collection of places we’ve visited this year, for your planning power! We’ve also included our guides – from the vibey streets of Joburg’s mellowest suburb to the changing face of Durban – so that there’s really no excuse not to be prepared for awesome travel next year.

Durban

Durban promenade, photo by Teagan Cunniffe.

 
There are currents of change swirling through this multicultural, balmy city. With urban regeneration projects everywhere, and Durbanite entrepreneurs taking the front seat on how they want their city to look, there’s an exciting swell of shared spaces and new faces. Teagan Cunniffe went back home to find out how her city has changed.

Guide to Durban

Ficksburg

Moolmanshoek.

It’s the surrounds of Ficksburg that are truly spectacular; and it’s only about three hours from Joburg. In the words of our reviewer Pippa de Bruyn, “there are grass-knolled valleys backdropped by striated sandstone cliffs. The valleys created by the Witteberg mountains as they march towards the Malutis are all huge, empty of habitation, punctuated by cedars that point towards powder-puff clouds.”

Guide to Ficksburg

Franschhoek

Photo by Teagan Cunniffe.

The Ruperts. Richard Branson. Analjit Singh. People who are rich enough to live anywhere on the planet choose to own a piece of Franschhoek. And who can blame them? And if you get off the commercial high street and traverse the back roads that run through orchards and vineyards, you can settle into a cosy en-suite cabin for R250 per person.

Guide to Franschhoek

Hazyview and White River

Rissington Inn, photo by Teagan Cunniffe.

For many, the Lowveld is synonymous with Kruger, but in your haste to push into the park you could be missing out on spectacular scenery, beautiful gardens and an array of great adventure activities in and around Hazyview, such as zip-lining, river rafting and mountain biking.

Guide to White River and Hazyview

Hogsback

The Edge Mountain Retreat, photo by Teagan Cunniffe.

 
For nature lovers, this Eastern Cape hamlet is the ideal getaway with its many waterfalls, forests and very affordable accommodation. And when the mist that wreathes the trees and ferns suddenly clear to drop-away views, it is indeed quite magical.

Guide to Hogsback

Melville, Joburg

The one and only 7th Street. Lots has changed, but many things (and places) remain the same. Photo by Vuyi Qubeka.

Want to explore a truly multicultural South Africa? This is where it’s at. Vuyi Qubeka brings you a guide of the best things to do in Melville, as well as places to eat and enjoy in this adored hippie village of Joburg.

Guide to Melville

Midlands

Forest House balances privacy with sprawling views.

The Midlands Meander is a very well-trodden tourist route; but the holy grail of any traveller is to find out where the locals go. On a recent road trip, Teagan Cunniffe did her best to make them give up their secrets.

Guide to the Midlands

Magaliesberg

Stone Hill, photo by Teagan Cunniffe.

We were looking for an easy wilderness/rural weekend escape no more than 90 minutes from Joburg, and in the Magaliesberg, we got lucky. These very special Joburg weekend getaways are in the Hekpoort Valley, and that you can comfortably get to one on a Friday after work.

Guide to the Magaliesberg

Maun

The sites at Maun Rest Camp are lovely, and ringed with bougainvillea. Photo by Tyson Jopson.

It’s the only spot on the list that’s not in South Africa, but it’s somewhere any wilderness-loving South African would love to get to. Here’s our pick of the best places to stay, eat and what to do before you career back into the glorious nowhere land of the Okavango.

Guide to Maun

Northern Drakensberg

Top Lodge, photo by Teagan Cunniffe.

This area is central to three major cities, good value (considering that many prices are all-inclusive) – and staggeringly beautiful. Just as you think you really can’t be whipping out your camera again you crest another pass or trail and are stopped dead in your tracks by a vista that gives real meaning to the word majestic. Our Pippa De Bruyn picked these 11 plum Northern Drakensberg escapes.

Guide to Northern Drakensberg

Paternoster

Paternoster, As it is in Heaven. Photo by Teagan Cunniffe.

A wind and sun-lashed bay, its long beaches lapped by an icy aquamarine Atlantic, Paternoster’s strict building regulations have resulted in a dense cluster of simple whitewashed dwellings, making it by far the prettiest village on the West Coast. Here’s our pick of the 22 loveliest, and most affordable, places to stay.

Guide to Paternoster

Philippolis

An endless Karoo sky. Photo by Tyson Jopson.

For most, Colesberg is the stopover on a journey along SA’s N1. But just a short detour away is a hidden outpost that takes travellers on a journey into the past, shares Naomi Roebert.

Guide to Philippolis

Robertson

Bright lights, small city. Photo by Tyson Jopson.

Think wine tastings and gourmet food are too poncey for you? So did Tyson Jopson, until he went to Robertson, where connoisseurs are gracious and barmen generous.

Guide to Robertson

Soweto

Vilakazi Street, photo by Teagan Cunniffe.

In this inside guide, Niq Mhlongo, a writer born and bred in Soweto, takes us through his hometown and insists that people who only go to Vilakazi Street and think they know Soweto, are like people who only read the blurb of a novel and think they know the whole story.

Guide to Soweto

Stanford

Stanford Valley Guest Farm, by Teagan Cunniffe.

This rural town has nature, a beautiful river and history, plus it’s an easy weekend escape for Capetonians. We found 12 lovely places to stay in this sleepy town.

Guide to Stanford

Tulbagh

Mont Rouge, photo by Teagan Cunniffe.

Tulbagh is an underrated gem – tucked into a tiny horseshoe valley created by the undulating Obiqua Mountains, the craggy Witzenberg peaks and the majestic Winterhoek Mountains, every vantage is backdropped by spectacular views. It also has one of the largest collections of Cape Dutch, Edwardian and Victorian provincial heritage sites in one street. We found eight beautiful spots that are perfect for either a winter or summer getaway.

Guide to Tulbagh

Learning to love a Kiwi, our columnist finds, is only one Swedish castle away.

Photo by Sanjin Tulac

I was in Phuket one Christmas, visiting my friend Andre. He lives in Nai Harn with his wife and six-year-old son Nicholas, and one night he told me he was worried about raising his son in Thailand. He goes to school with other expat kids – mainly Kiwis and a couple of Australians – and Andre feared this might have a deleterious effect on his character. ‘Not this again,’ said his wife. ‘It’s true,’ said Andre. ‘He’s turning into a Kiwi!’

One morning on the beach we watched some Kiwi kids building a feeble sandcastle. Their dads looked over and gave them the wishy-washy New Zealander thumbs up, even though these were very obviously meagre efforts resulting in a woefully substandard structure. ‘See what I mean?’ said Andre. ‘Come,’ I said to Nicholas, ‘let’s show them how South Africans build a sandcastle!’ How do South Africans build a sandcastle? With bravado, pointless competitiveness and excessive displays of force, that’s how. At first Nicholas just watched as Andre and I scrabbled and heaved at the sand to form a mighty moat, creating a growing mountain in the middle. Then he began to get it. He scavenged pieces of wood and rope and we grunted and sweated and constructed impregnable walls and a drawbridge and piled the sand higher and higher.

The Kiwi kids looked over at our castle in awe. They cast accusing looks at their parents, no doubt regretting their degraded genetic heritage, then came to ask if they could help. ‘Of course,’ I said graciously, for it behoves the lord of the castle to be generous to his vanquished foes. The Kiwi dads sulked under their umbrella. For hours we laboured away, constructing an increasingly baroque pleasure palace that soared and loomed and crenellated, a magnificent folly, a grand and occasionally collapsing vertical sea-sand Nkandla. Andre’s back was in spasm. I had sand in my eyes. We were exhausted but proud. ‘See!’ I said grandly to Nicholas. ‘That’s how a South African makes a sandcastle!’ Then I noticed a couple of Swedish guys watching us. They shook their heads and tutted. ‘Who could live in such a building?’ they said. ‘It would fall down.’

They had a quick conference and sketched out plans with a twig in the sand, and started to work. In three minutes they had a broad square base, smooth and planed. It looked like solid concrete. I glanced back at our castle, which was already beginning to crack. Small sandslides were happening on the north face. ‘Quick! We need to build it higher,’ I hissed at Andre. We sweated and grunted and sobbed as we tried to bolster our palace. The kids all lost interest and wandered off to swim. ‘Traitors!’ I wheezed after them. No matter how we strained, in half an hour the Swedish castle loomed high above ours, rising like a ziggurat in level architectural platforms, solid enough to bear a human’s weight. They tied a shirt to a spade to make a flag and planted it on top, where it fluttered proud and true. And then a wave rolled up the sand and washed over our sandcastle and it melted before our eyes.

‘We built above the waterline,’ said the Swedish guys solemnly, ‘so ours is more permanent.’ They shook hands with each other and walked off to go and listen to Roxette or something. Andre and I slumped there, shattered. Then the New Zealand guys wandered over. Silently they handed us each a beer. ‘Sorry, fellas,’ one of them said. ‘Nothing worse than being beaten by a bunch of Scandos.’ ‘Southern Hemisphere must stick together,’ the other agreed. ‘You know,’ said Andre later, back at the house, ‘Kiwis aren’t so bad.’

This story first appeared in the December 2016 issue of Getaway magazine.

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Our December issue features 5 awesome summer adventures in South Africa. On sale from 21 November.

Barcelona is a dream destination for most travellers; but when you’re arriving with rands, you’ll need to stretch them as far as you can. So what’s worth your while, and what should you miss? Here’s your guide to an affordable holiday in Barcelona – and some of the pitfalls you can expect too.

“Free dinner” – two words that have the ability to warm the insides of any thrifty traveller. Include them before “…and sangria,” and you’re pretty much guaranteed a deal. I smugly clicked “Book Now”, entered my details, and secured a dorm bed in a Barcelona hostel with an alarmingly high rating for “Atmosphere”.

I’d spent the last month conversing in broken English with AirBnb hosts along the French west coast. Despite what the AirBnb website will have you believe, sharing bathrooms with single mothers and their 16-year-old sons is not all smiles and high fives. So when the hostel dorm option popped up in my Barcelona search results, 9.8 out of 10 for Atmosphere sounded like a pleasant change of tempo, even though I knew full well that this is simply a euphemism for permanently loud music and puke-friendly policies.

Hotels within a sniff of La Rambla are, rightfully, fairly expensive.

Budget accommodation

Despite being the wrong side of 30, or perhaps because of it, the hostel dorm seemed like a socially and financially sound decision. I knew I wanted to be fairly close to La Rambla, a tree-lined street which is considered the epicentre of Barcelona street culture, but any hotel for grownups within a sniff of it costs significantly more than the €25 (R375) per night of my dorm room bed. And even if I could find a hotel room close to my budget, I knew that most nights would end in an oversized starched bathrobe watching foreign language infomercials, willing myself to live a little and drink that €6 bottle of beer in the bar fridge.

So I decided to forgo a private bathroom, and bedroom, and likely most of my post-30-year-old dignity, and embrace the best value accommodation I could find. In doing so I’d also committed to embracing the 9pm pot of overcooked pasta, washing it down with the pitcher of treacly red wine masquerading as sangria, and accompanying the two-dozen 20-something Americans on 11pm walks to the bars, 2am stumbles to the clubs, and then sympathising with them over 11am hangovers the next morning.

For travellers on tight budget, or those of us who have to multiply everything by 15, Barcelona occupies an interesting position. There’s certainly a lot that you could preoccupy yourself with that doesn’t cost a cent. Gawking at pasty sunbathers on Barceloneta beach, or gazing wistfully through the doors of that glamorous ocean-side club as you wander on home, for example.

But when you set foot on Barça soil, you soon realise that to get the most out of the city you’ll actually have to part with cold hard cash, and quite a lot of it. A trip into the Gaudi’s unfinished Sagrada Família will set you back €15 (R225) without all the trimmings – and €29 (R435) if you want an audio guide to tell you what you’re looking at.

Park Güell, once a free jewel in the city’s crown, now costs €7 (R105) if you buy the ticket online and ahead of time. Tickets to a football game at Camp Nou cost in the region of €70 (R1050) depending on the game, and if you’re planning on fraternising in a bar or club after the game, and drinking an alcoholic beverage, get ready to haemorrhage cash.

Gaudi’s Park Güell is no longer free, though still swimming with tourists.

Back to AirBnb

When my three pre-booked nights in the hostel dorm came and went in a flash of admittedly enjoyable late nights, I faced a conundrum: continue saving cash and trying to keep up with my significantly more resilient dorm mates, or disappear early in the morning before any of them have risen, or possibly returned?

A quick browse on AirBnb revealed that I could find a room in a fourth floor apartment with my own balcony, in the vibrant but pleasantly tourist-free El Poble-sec neighbourhood, for just €10 more per night. €35 (R525) for a quiet room in a large apartment, away from the 24/7 madness of the hostel, was too good to refuse.

Where to eat

Fernando, the owner of my AirBnb apartment, let me in on a secret about Carre de Blai, a bustling pedestrianised zone where tapas and beers are just one Euro each. On most evenings I would take a saunter past the El Molino theatre, hoping to catch a glimpse of the free two-minute cabaret show that takes place in the building’s windows at select times, and then continue on to Blai. There I would stockpile an array of bite-size dishes – skewered cherry tomatoes and mozzarella, crumbed prawns, smoked salmon and cream cheese on bread, all the pork variations you could wish for – and wash them down with one or two thimble-sized cervezas and feel pleasantly satiated. Most restaurants on the street are in on the deal, but the best, La Tasqueta de Blai, was brimming with patrons all hours of the evening.

Cost-effective dining options do exist elsewhere. On the other side of town I found cheap, tasty and generously portioned sandwiches at Bo de B. As did the three-dozen American exchange students queuing outside, who apparently had also read about it on Yelp.

My AirBnb hosts had gifted me with an email with subject line: Barcelona Tips. The email was packed full of recommendations, most serving up mains in the region of €40. Though I gave these a skip, they also recommended the nearby Federal Café – the perfect location at which to sip a reasonably priced flat white, fuel up for another day in the city, and watch Barcelona’s hippest brunchers come and go.

In fact, Barcelona is brimming with such coffee shops and cafés, many run by Australians who’ve shaken up the scene. But don’t let that dissuade you. Satan’s Coffee Corner in the heart of the Gothic Quarter is so meticulously put together it could be anywhere in the world. But it’s not – it’s hidden away in a dark alley in the middle of Barcelona’s old city, and you could easily spend an hour of your life pressed up against the large windows watching the world float on by against a surreal backdrop.

The narrow alleyways and surprise courtyards of the Gothic Quarter

Beating the bicycle mafia

Staying in El Poble-sec may offer respite from the chaotic artery of La Rambla, but it was a good 15-minute walk from much of the action. Busses, the metro and trains are cheap and reliable, but bicycles, my AirBnb hosts informed me, were the way to go. Unfortunately, their high-end hipster fixies remained locked away in the entrance hall storeroom. Barcelona’s shared bike scheme, which happens to be one of the best in Europe, is also off limits to short termers like me.

Riding along Bareclona’s beachfront isn’t all about the glamour, but it’s a rewarding way to see the city.

Instead, the bicycle rental mafia maintain a firm grip on tourists eager to do a bit of pedalling, and it’s hard to find a reliable ride for less than €18 (R279) a day. I was determined not to be extorted by the Barceloneta bike rental mob, and so tracked down Ajo Bike on a quiet alleyway in El Raval. The beaming greasy-handed owner rents out bikes at just €10 (R150) per 24 hours and didn’t bother charging me a deposit. And because he doesn’t want to work on Tuesdays, if you rent a bike on Monday he’ll let you keep it until Wednesday, at no extra cost.

Bicycles are the most efficient and enjoyable ways to get around the city. A slow ride along the beachfront from the garish Hotel W all the way to the Parc del Fòrum is the perfect way to kick-start a morning. A detour through Ciutadella Park is also worthwhile. And if you’ve got the legs, you could cycle all the way to the Sagrada Familia. Any travel guide will tell you that you have no choice but to go inside. Skip the audio tour – the bare-bones ticket is enough – but splash out on a trip up one of the towers, where you can hang out with the high-altitude construction workers and admire the city from above.

The Sagrada Familia may be the most expensive attraction you’ll visit in Barcelona, but it’s worth every Euro.

If you feel you’ve already given Gaudi’s estate enough of your hard earned cash, a casual ride down Passeig de Gràcia will expose you to the impressive outsides of two more of his famous buildings (Casa Milà and Casa Batlló) that you probably don’t need to see the inside of.

Walking tours without the small talk

When it comes to the labyrinth of narrow streets in the Gothic Quarter, you may want to chain up the bike or leave it at home. Rather than risk riding over toes and knocking over children’s ice-creams, I set out on foot and plugged in to Detour’s interesting Summer of Anarchy GPS audio walk (R71).

These seamless location-based tours are the self-conscious, anti-social traveller’s dream. They run off your pocketed smartphone, and if you hold the right pose, you’ll just look like a regular resident taking in a catchy tune. In actual fact, you’re learning about how the city became the first and only anarchist state. Better yet, unlike regular walking tours, you can explore the city at your own pace without once having to roll your eyes at another tourist’s inane questions.

The walking tour takes you past the harbour with tales of a different era.

Cheap views, free museums and missed opportunities

Over the course of the week I’d been up to see the spectacular panoramic view from Búnquers del Carmel high above Barcelona, free except for the public transport up there. The top 10 lists also told me I should visit Park Güell, and they’re probably right – the stunning views and whacky architecture still manage to trump the throngs of tourists treacherously wielding selfie sticks.

I’d also shouldered many a hangover from some of Barcelona’s famous bars and clubs (the grungy Nevermind, traditional absinthe bar Marsella, and old theatre, now thriving club, Sala Apolo, all contributed hazy memories of overpriced drinks in enthralling venues).

As one point I talked myself into not going to a game of football at Camp Nou, and then instantly regretted the decision. Tickets were frighteningly expensive, and the opposition was also a little known Basque side, so instead I pocketed the €70 to spend on something less impressive.

By now it was Sunday, and in an attempt to shake an Apolo hangover I took a slow amble up to the Montjuic Castle. The view from the outside is impressive enough, but because it was after 3pm on a Sunday, they let me inside for free. I shuffled through the doors, feigned intrigue at its unexciting insides, spent too long watching an amateur archery competition, and left grateful that I hadn’t forked up the €5 (R75) to get in. Several museums in Barcelona are also in on the Sunday deal, including the nearby Botanical Gardens, where I marvelled at a few hillside patches of dead or dying plants from around the world before sauntering back down, heavy with the knowledge that my time in Barcelona had come to an end.

 
Back at the apartment, I took a seat on the balcony high above the pedestrianised street below. Like most afternoons, I waited for the iconic Barcelona Port Cable Car to appear between the buildings at its very end, a fleeting sight which filled me with satisfaction. Except this time, when it did appear, I felt a pang of regret for denying myself an actual ride. As consolation, I snapped a photograph of the red shuttle against the pink sky, and, as is the allure of Barcelona, thought to myself, “Well, there’s always next time.”

What on earth is a jalousie? It’s one of our best vegetarian Christmas recipes this summer, and it’s as fun to say as it is easy to make.

 
Everyone can relax! There might come a time in your life where you need to Google ‘vegetarian meatloaf recipe’, but it is not this day. A jalousie is essentially a pie who has been on a roadtrip through Europe and returned with a very sudden accent and a few good stories. If you leave the puff pastry to defrost somewhere warm (which isn’t difficult, in a South African summer) you can be serving it al fresco before you’ve finished your second glass of wine.

It’s named after a French style of wooden slatted doors, but also literally means ‘jealousy’, which is exactly what the vegetarians facing an endless buffet of salad will think. Here’s the recipe for the absolutely delicious one that we made, but it is almost infinitely customisable: if you have enough veggies in your bottom drawer to make a sad stirfry, you could probably make a filling for this.

Ingredients

• 1 roll puff pastry
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp butter and a good splash of oil
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon basil
• 1 tablespoon garlic
• A bunch of baby leeks
• 250g mushrooms
• 250g zucchini, sliced into strips
• 1 red pepper
• 1 yellow pepper

For the gravy:

• One red onion
• 1 tsp garlic
• t tablespoon butter
• 1 tsp cornflour
• Half a cup of milk
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 cup of vegetable stock
• 1 tsp garlic

Cooking method

1. Melt the butter and olive oil, and saute the mushrooms at a ferocious heat. After a few minutes, turn heat down to medium and add the leeks and garlic.
2. .When the mushrooms are done, remove them to a bowl and keep aside.
3. In the same pan, saute the peppers, herbs, and other vegetables in a little more oil. It’s alright to let them stick to the bottom of the pan a bit – those sticky brown bits will add depth to the flavour later.
4. Add them to the same bowl as the mushrooms.
5. In the same pan, add your red onion in the remaining butter, and saute. Add the rest of the garlic, then deglaze the pan with white wine. Let that simmer for a while, then add the milk and stock. Let the stock reduce for about ten minutes, then add your cornflour (usually it’s better to mix it with a bit of water first) and add it to the pan, stir continuously as it thickens.
6. When it’s reached a pie-filling texture, add the veggies back to the pan and mix to combine.
7. Roll half of the pastry out on a lightly floured surface to form a rectangle about 40 centimetres wide and 20 centimetres> Roll out the other half to the same shape, but slightly smaller. Place the smaller piece on baking sheet, lined with tinfoil.
8. Spoon the veggies onto the smaller piece, leaving a margin of around 1cm around the edges.
9. Cut parallel slits across the larger rectangle to within 2.5 cm of each edge.
10. Brush the edge of the smaller piece with egg wash, then carefully, carefully, lay the bigger piece over it (with the new slits it will want to fall apart) and seal the edges well.
11. Brush the whole jalousie with egg and cook in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celcius for 20-30 minutes until risen and golden. Serve immediately.

Where to find 15 of the coolest cocktail spots in Cape Town this summer, from rooftop bars to sand-between-your-toes venues.

While nobody seems to be sure where the word “cocktail” originated, there are some interesting stories and legends as to its origins. One of my favourite theories is that of a female tavern owner who used the tail feathers of her neighbour’s rooster to decorate and stir her drinks. Thus the name “cocktail” was born!

Feathers or no feathers, cocktails and summer make for an excellent mix, so here’s a guide to some of the coolest cocktail spots in Cape Town that should be visited this summer.

1. African Pride Crystal Towers Hotel, Century City

Opening times: 07:00-21:00 daily
Average cocktail cost: R50-80 / R30 on Thursdays
Website: www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/cptyr-african-pride-crystal-towers-hotel-and-spa/

Enjoy half-price cocktails at the rooftop bar at African Pride Crystal Towers.

The top floor of this stylish hotel has a bar with a sparkling swimming pool (for hotel guests only, but you are welcome to lounge next to it) and a magnificent view of Table Mountain which makes for a beautiful backdrop when it comes to cocktail happy hour. Which in fact is for just over two hours every Thursday from 16:30 to 19:00 when you can sip on selected cocktails for half their price while tucking into half-price sushi. Half-price cocktails include Pina Colada, Mojito, Cosmopolitan, Margarita and Strawberry Daiquiri. Other cocktails on the menu include brandy cocktails, bubbly cocktails and martini’s, The sushi pieces are large, so you don’t need to order lots of it. As an added bonus, if you park in the parking bays next to the hotel you can have your card signed at the bar and the hotel will pay for your parking.

2. Cape to Cuba, Kalk Bay

Opening times: From 12:00 daily
Average cocktail cost: R50 alcoholic / R30 non-alcoholic
Website: www.capetocuba.com

Cocktails at Cape To Cuba, shaken up by men with well-defined arms!

Enjoy a cocktail with sand underfoot at this popular Kalk Bay spot where men sporting Che Guevara-style berets and with well-defined arms shake up Mojitos and more all afternoon and evening long (thus the well-defined arms!) In-between the trains trundling past, you can enjoy a view of Kalk Bay harbour and the lighthouse while sipping on a Cuban Sunrise or a Voodoo cocktail amongst others. They also serve up tapas, burgers, seafood and other dishes if you are feeling peckish.

3. Chapman’s Peak Hotel, Hout Bay

Opening times: 12:00-22:00 daily
Average cocktail cost: R60
Website: www.chapmanspeakhotel.co.za

The terrace at Chapman’s Peak Hotel is a good spot for a cocktail after cruising Chapman’s Peak Drive.

The ever-popular terrace at this much-loved hotel at the foot of Chapman’s Peak Drive serves up various classic cocktails, including Long Island Iced Tea, Pina Colada, Cosmopolitan, Mojito, Strawberry Daiquiri, Tequila Sunrise and Vodka martini’s. It makes for a great stop after a drive along Chapman’s Peak Drive and the views across the ocean are spectacular on a good day. They serve up various seafood and meat dishes, but are famous for their calamari which is worth ordering. You can park underground at the hotel, but space is limited.

4. Dunes Beach Restaurant and Bar, Hout Bay

Opening times: Monday to Saturday 09:00-11:00, Sundays 09:00-22:00
Average cocktail price: R50
Website: www.dunesrestaurant.co.za

The Dunes Blue Lagoon is the signature cocktail at Dunes Restaurant and Bar.

Provided the wind is not howling, this is the perfect place to enjoy a cocktail while taking in views of the ocean and Chapman’s Peak. However, it is just as pleasant inside if it is blowing outside, so don’t let a windy day deter you! It’s also very child-friendly with a massive playground which is good news for parents. Their signature cocktail, Dunes Blue Lagoon, comes in a huge goblet that may need two hands to carry it! Other cocktails include Sex On The Beach, G&T Grande, a Black Margarita and all the other classics. They also serve sushi, nibbles, burgers, pizza, seafood and grills. A breakfast buffet is available on weekends.

5. Grand Café and Beach, Granger Bay

Opening times: From 12:00 daily
Average cocktail price: R75
Website: www.grandafrica.com/GrandCafeandBeachCapeTown.aspx

Hang out in the sand with the well-heeled at Grand Cafe Beach in Granger Bay.

If you want to hang out with the well-heeled crowd, then head to this swanky beach bar where you can remove your heels and enjoy the sand between your toes while ordering a cocktail from one of the 40 waiters on hand at any given time. Be prepared to shell out a bit more for a cocktail here, but where else are you going to find a Madagascan Vanilla Daiquiri, a Moulin Rouge or a Figgy Sour? Note that no children under 16 are allowed after 17:00 and parking costs R20.

6. Harald’s Bar & Terrace at The Radisson Park Inn, Foreshore

Opening times: 10:30-23:00 daily
Average cocktail cost: R60
Website: www.parkinn.com/hotel-capetown/restaurants-and-bars

Enjoy the view and take a dip in the splash pool at Haralds Bar.

Being on the Foreshore, this rooftop bar relies on The Cape Doctor behaving itself! When I was there the wind was not playing along and I had to dodge chairs being flung across the terrace. But on a good day, it’s beautiful and that’s not only the view over the city and Table Mountain. The terrace has a smart little splash pool and loungers on astro-turf that anyone is welcome to use, provided you order food or drinks. They have all the classic cocktails and a few signature ones that have been designed by the bar staff. There’s also a Fast and Furious cocktail and other variations such as a Kiwi, Cucumber & Pimms Punch and a Pomegranate and Mint G&T. Considering a Savanna costs almost the same as a signature cocktail, you may as well indulge! They also serve baskets, sliders, platters, pizzas, burgers and tapas.

7. Kitima, Hout Bay

Opening times: Tuesday to Thursday 17:00-01:00, Friday to Saturday 17:00-02:00, Sundays 12:00-16:00
Average cocktail cost: R70
Website: www.kitima.co.za

Indulge in stylish cocktails at Kitima, situated in a National Monument.

Everything about Kitima is chic and their bar in the Raya Lounge is no exception. Luxurious wood panelling and moody lighting add to the ambiance while you enjoy a cocktail from their extensive menu that includes martini’s, exotics and exquisites. Cocktails are slightly on the more pricey side, but they do have exotic choices like Original Singapore Sling, Bankok Breeze and Rose Caipiroska. Their Espresso or Chilli Chocolate Martini makes for a good end to a stylish evening. Plus there’s a lovely little ghost story that goes with this restaurant – ask the barman! This restaurant is popular, so best to make a booking.

8. Mynt Café, Camps Bay

Opening times: 08:00-23:00 daily
Average cocktail cost: R65
Website: www.myntcafe.co.za

Cocktails at Mynt Cafe are a reasonable price for a spot on the Camps Bay strip.

I ended up at Mynt Café along the Camps Bay strip due to being ignored for over 15 minutes at a well-known cocktail bar up the road. And I am glad I did as it has just as good a view of the beach and the service is top-notch. I was greeted and seated immediately and had my cocktail within five minutes of ordering it! Plus they are fairly affordable for this neck of the woods, so well worth a visit if you want to feel part of the elite, but don’t have the same size wallet. They have all the classic cocktails and some interesting craft cocktails, including Rose Petal Margarita, Papaya & Paprika Club Sour and Peach & Orange Sangria. The Apricot Passion comes highly recommended! They also serve light meals, burgers, sandwiches, breakfasts and dinners.

9. On The Rocks, Blouberg

Opening hours: 09:00-22:00 daily
Average cocktail cost: R45
Website: www.ontherocks.co.za

Cocktails with a classic view at On The Rocks.

For cocktails with a view, this is the winner! Situated literally on the rocks in Blouberg, the terrace offers the classic Table Mountain view, along with a good view of Robben Island, while the sea crashes onto the rocks below. You couldn’t get closer to the ocean if you tried and there’s plenty of seating available to enjoy it, including a rather comfy couch and chairs. If you get there too early (like 11:00), you will only be able to order a Pina Colada or Strawberry Daiquiri, but there’s a fairly wide range of the classic cocktails available at reasonable prices. They also have a Cucumber Gin Fizz, a Cherry Cola Julep and their signature Smashed On The Rocks on the cocktail list. Breakfasts, seafood and grills are also served and I recommend you make a booking and make a day of it.

10. Outrage of Modesty, City Bowl

Opening times: Tuesday to Saturday from 18:00
Average cocktail cost: R100
Website: https://anoutrage.com

Interesting cocktail ingredients are used at Outrage of Modesty.

I haven’t personally visited this exclusive cocktail bar in Shortmarket Street yet, but it is on my list and it should probably be on yours too. Just the name alone makes me curious! A friend has had cocktails there and said it was quite the experience – it appears they use interesting ingredients such as pickled strawberries, wood sorrel, fermented red cabbage and lemon pelargonium in their concoctions. So if cocktail names like Elderflower Gimlett, Peas & Flowers, Man vs Pig, Pine & Wine and Avo On Toast intrigue you, then pop in and try one!

11. Planet Bar at The Mount Nelson, City Bowl

Opening times: From 12:00 daily
Average cocktail cost: R100
Website: www.belmond.com/mount-nelson-hotel-cape-town/planet_restaurant

The Planet Bar is as stylish as The Mount Nelson.

The Planet Bar has seen many famous faces, from politicians to rock stars, so you never know who you may bump into while sitting at the bar or on the terrace! The Nellie (as it’s affectionately known) is wonderfully posh and the Planet Bar is the same, so you can expect slightly higher prices. However, cocktails are served with a selection of bar snacks (crisps, nuts and olives) which makes the price tag seem not so bad. The cocktail menu is a few pages long and includes classic cocktails, sparking cocktails, and brandy cocktails, along with a selection of Mojitos and martini’s, so it could take a while to make up your mind what to have!

12. The Red Herring, Noordhoek

Opening times: 12:00-23:00 daily
Average cocktail cost: R45
Website: www.theredherring.co.za

The sunset terrace at The Red Herring offers great views of Noordhoek.

With it’s great views from the sunset deck and dog-friendly courtyard, it’s no wonder that this restaurant is always popular. They have zooshed themselves up over the years, but you can still expect good food and good service in a relaxed atmosphere. Their cocktail menu has all the classics with a few additions such as a White Russian, Blueberry Burst, Cherrytini and Malibu Coconutini. Their pizzas are excellent and they also serve tapas, grills, seafood and a selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes. There’s live music on selected days as well as a pub quiz night to add to the festivities.

13. Strolla, Sea Point

Opening times: 07:00-23:00 daily
Average cocktail cost: R50
Website: http://strolla.co.za

While it may not sport great views, Strolla is a good spot to enjoy reasonably priced cocktails.

You won’t necessarily get a great view from Stolla (it’s right next to a MyCiti bus stop), but the bar and outside area is very attractive and the cocktails are average prices. They have all the classics, a signature collection, a few exotics (non-alcoholic) and some variations, including flavoured Gin & Tonics, Daiquiris, Margaritas and Mojitos. For something different, try their Apple Cognac Sour or Vanilla Passion Elyx from the signature range. They also serve tapas, pizzas, grills and seafood.

14. Tobago’s at Radisson Blu, Granger Bay

Opening times: 11:00-24:00 daily
Average cocktail cost: R70
Website: www.radissonblu.com/en/hotel-capetown/bars

Tobago’s is a beautiful venue and a great spot to enjoy a sundowner cocktail.

Sadly Tobago’s doesn’t offer their cocktail happy hour anymore, but it is still a beautiful venue and a great spot to enjoy a sundowner cocktail. If you are lucky you can grab a spot on the couches right by the ocean, but all the tables offer a good view and are under umbrellas – much-needed in summer! Tobago’s offers all the classics, but also have some interesting cocktail choices such as Africa Honey Badger, Afropolitan, Basil Gin Smash and a tequila-infused Cape Town Tea Party!

15. Zenith Sky Bar at Cape Royale, Green Point

Opening hours: 08:00-24:00 daily
Average cocktail cost: R60 for a glass, R180 for a jug, R330 for a bowl
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ZenithSkyBar1/

Astounding views of the Mother City and a pool you can swim in naked at Zenith Sky Bar.

To get to this bar in the sky, you first need to walk through the posh Cape Royale Luxury Hotel, which makes you wonder what’s in store on the 10^th floor! I battled to find it to be honest as I took the lift to the 8^th floor – if you do this, take the stairs up to the 10th floor. If you find the tradesmen lift in the hotel’s underground parking area, you will be taken pretty much to the entrance to the bar. It really does have fantastic views of the Mother City and a rather nice swimming pool that everyone is welcome to use – naked if you wish. They have a small selection of classic cocktails, also available in jugs and bowls – it’s all about sharing, or spending a long time by or in the pool! They also serve sushi and have a Burger Mondays special. It seems anything goes here, so brace yourself for what could become a fairly wild rooftop party!

Also read: 35 of Cape Town’s best outdoor bars and pubs

If you have a favourite cocktail spot, let us know in the comments below!

Diving is one of the most miraculous experiences a human being can have; it’s also one of the most insane, when you think about it.

Photo taken at Star Walls, Hout Bay, by Almasi Sudi.

 
I recently got my Open Water diving course at Pisces Divers in Cape Town; and although Cape Town is not known for its tropical sea temperature, I think it’s really the best way to do it. If you’re ready to take your relationship with the sea to the next level, read on to hear the things that you may find the most surprising; and why you should consider doing it in Cape Town.

1. Cape Town diving is epic

Cape Town, the place with the sharks, the place where the water on the other side actually touches Antartica, the place that is nowhere near Durban. Yes, it’s a bit cold. But here’s why it’s the best place to learn – it’s like learning to drive a car, for the first time, on a 4×4 course. Yes, it’s a bit more challenging, but it means you’re much better equipped for future experiences; and you’ll have the bragging rights forever.

2. Hand signals really matter

Of course, one of the first things you’ll learn is that the thumbs-up is very uncool – if you are enthusiastically giving everyone a thumbs up underwater, they will think you’re trying to say ‘let’s go back up to the surface, where our species was evolved to live.’ Another one, though, is that the signal for ‘problem’ is the exact same hand signal that you’d make when someone asks you how your Wimpy burger is. It’s fine, it’s not great, it’ll do, so-so. Hold your hand out flat and shake it horizontally and you’ve just told everything that there’s something wrong.

3. Don’t try to make jokes underwater

Not only because this is not a game, this is a serious situation, but also because no one will get it. You’re wearing a mask. You have no facial expressions. You look like an idiot, please stop.

4. Star Walls are incredible

Photo taken at Star Walls, Hout Bay, by Almasi Sudi.

For my last dive on the Open Water course, we went through to a site known as Star Walls in Hout Bay. Here, the cold water welling up from the depths also brought phenomenal visibility of over 25 metres; and the actual dive site is a beautiful sheer wall, dropping down to around 33 metres at the maximum depth, covered in coral and awesome marine life. We also had a chance to see an occasional curious seal whipping around to investigate us.

5. Oxygen can be toxic

At the right (or, in this context, wrong) pressure, the one thing that keeps us alive turns toxic. We’re used to breathing air, but pure oxygen is a whole different kettle of fish – and when compressed by the weight of all the water around you, it can kill you in a matter of minutes. Literally everything you think you know about life is the wrong way round.

6. Sharks are great

One of the main differences you’ll find between divers and normal people is how they discuss sharks. You know the way nature lovers feel about seeing a lion? Sharks are the apex predators of the sea, so it makes sense that seeing one in the wild is about as exhilarating as seeing a lion traipsing through your campsite. Remember that most shark attacks are a case of mistaken identity, when the silhouette of a surfer is mistaken for a seal; as a diver, your risk is much lower.

Another reason why people choose to dive in Cape Town is the opportunity to swim with cow sharks. They’re massive, curious, and not threatening to humans. They’re not always around, though, so it’s best to contact a dive operator like Pisces to find out what your chances are of meeting them before you get your heart set on it.

You’re much more likely to spot a curious seal, such as this one, when diving around Cape Town.

7. Diving will make you hungry

It doesn’t make much sense, seeing as diving is really only the process of learning to breathe slowly and using as little energy as possible. Having had the privilege of diving with actual pros, I couldn’t help but notice that they move as about as often as kelp: very seldom, and only when being propelled to do so by an outside force. But science works in mysterious ways. Luckily, there is a cafe inside Pisces Divers, where you can purchase the most amazing cheese toastie you’ve ever tasted.

8. Sometimes the worst case scenario is the best thing that can happen

I’m a big fan of being prepared. The most important things you’ll learn on your Open Water course are the worst case scenario situations: what to do if your regulator gets kicked out of your mouth, or your mask comes off, or you run out of air. That may sound terrifying, but trust me: if you are going to experience what it feels like to have your air turned off underwater, you want it to be in a pool, with a qualified instructor nearby. It means that in the very unlikely case that it happens out there in the wild open sea, you’ll be prepared.

9. It can take a lot of weight to feel this weightless

One of the main things that makes it bearable to dive in cold Cape Town water is a thick enough wetsuit; but that has consequences. Wetsuits are incredibly buoyant, which means that you’ll need more weight to make sure you aren’t bobbing to the surface like a beginner in waterwings. This isn’t a big deal when all you’re doing is flopping backwards out of a boat; but when you’re doing a shore dive and walking into the ocean, you’ll find yourself staggering down to the water like you’re giving a piggyback to a very weighty dwarf.

10. Your Open Water course is only the beginning

Before I started diving, I saw the world in terms of divers and non-divers. But that’s not the way it is at all; getting your beginning certification is like your training wheels, and once you’ve got that under your (weight)belt, a whole new world opens up. The feeling of being at home underwater is completely addictive, and suddenly you realise that your relationship with the ocean is one that can last your whole life – and it’s a beautiful journey that has only just begun.

If you’d like to begin your experience of diving in Cape Town, I can highly recommend Pisces Divers in Simons Town – a PADI Open Water course costs R5600, and includes five pool sessions, two shore dives and two boat dives.

To kickstart a bucket list, begin here…

Somewhere in South America there’s a river that slices through the forest like an aqua scythe. I’ve read that when dark falls – in the forest it’s so dark that you can’t see your hand in front of your face – the stars are reflected in its waters like the sky inverted. In daylight, it’s such an uncanny blue that it bewitches those who see it – and yet not many people know of it. I read about it in a book somewhere, the name of which I’ve forgotten, and have been searching for the source ever since. It’s one of the things I’d like to see before I die.

I think.

I’m sure you’ll agree that peoples’ attitude to a travel wish list varies vastly depending on age. In youth, it’s carefree certainty, fuelled by the belief that you’ll live forever; in middle age, it’s gung-ho precisely because of the dawning realisation that the body is changing, mostly because of its inability to consume tequila like it used to. In older age, it’s like my ancient cat Ozzie at the kitchen table: will I be lucky enough to get that delicious morsel before I keel over in furry rigamortis? In the race against time we become pragmatic: am I fit enough for a trek into the jungle? Am I beyond toileting in the bush? Will my bladder play along? And can I take the mozzies and bugs? When you’re older you’re also wise enough to know it’s often the small things that make the difference between perceived enjoyment and actual enjoyment.

Which brings me back to the bugs. When I was small a next-door farmer’s wife went to Brazil and came back with amazing holiday pictures and a few itchy bumps under her skin. One evening in the bath she gave them a few exploratory scratches and a couple of worms reared their heads, then wriggled free and went marching along the rim of the bath as if intent on colonizing the beige bathroom they’d emerged into. No amount of magical aqua river will ever make up for the trauma of that for me!

So here’s my tip for creating your own bucket list: the key to it is, know thyself. For me, if that river is in a Brazilian forest somewhere, a dream it shall remain (if I weren’t an environmentalist I might Doom, but I’ve heard that’s more of a religious experience). Then, no matter your age, turn to page 70 this minute and pick 10 of our top South African experiences to have at least once in your lifetime. Aim to do them all in 2017. Why not? As someone in middle age, I know two things for sure: one, SA’s experiences consistently over deliver; and two, when travelling, always take the bathroom stop when it’s offered.

Now, pass that tequila.

5 ways the magazine looks different this issue:

We’ve simplified

You’ll notice less clutter, more white space, simpler fonts and a lot more eye candy. After all, it’s what you come to a travel magazine for – to be inspired by the beautiful pictures.

We’ve beefed up the front section
We want to bring you the best of things to do in that month, not the most. So we’ve grown our front section and curated more.

We bring you practical food
I’ve strained my arm so heavy was one cooler bag packed for
a weekend away. Wouldn’t it be useful to know how best to travel with food? We thought so, so look out for: sandwiches that won’t go soggy, how to keep meals simple on holiday (page 51), the right way to braai, winning potjie recipes and more.

Look out for the star

Every issue holds a wealth of good-value accommodation. These are places you can stay
in for under R500 pp (some for less) AND that we think offer good value (they offer a lot for what you pay). Let’s face it, some places might be reasonable, but aren’t great to hang around in.

We give you an inside peek

A question we get asked a lot is: what’s it like to work at Getaway? We have lots of stories of trips wonderful and gone wonky. Deputy editor Tyson Jopson is an anomaly: he’s German and witty (the Doom joke in my ed’s letter is actually his, but I promise I wrote the rest). So we asked him to tell those stories in a column (page 31). It sometimes doesn’t pay to be funny here.

Read more from this story in the January 2016 issue of Getaway magazine.

Get this issue →

Our January issue features a bucket list of 45 experiences to have at least once in South Africa, a new way to experience the Wild Coast, and a beautiful beach holiday in Sri Lanka.

Sometimes it takes a visit to somewhere far to be reminded of the good things you have close to home.

Life lessons can come anywhere, even in a shoe store in Hamburg. That morning I’d hired a bike and cycled down past the botanical gardens to the Reeperbahn. I was looking for Beatles-Platz and the clubs on Grosse Freiheit where the Beatles played their first gigs, back in 1960 when Hamburg was a seedy back alley of wharves and sailors and bad tattoos and worse behaviour. Before they took up residency at The Cavern, the Beatles played at the Indra and the Star Club, and the establishments are still there. But before lunch on a weekday both their doors were locked. From the Indra I heard the distant thunk and throb of that night’s act rehearsing in the basement; if a Danish heavy-metal group called Mega-Oktopus ever become global superstars, I can say I heard them first in Hamburg. At a kebab place on the Reeperbahn, I spoke to a Turkish guy. He was four months in Germany and was hoping to become a permanent resident. It wasn’t easy, he said. There were lots of Turks around and they were helping him adjust but none of them were family. You need your family, he said.

I asked him why he had left Turkey to come so far north to this place with its long misty winters and closed faces and hard stone streets. He wanted a good life, he said. He wanted euros. He wanted to live in a place where people came, rather than a place where they left. A part of me understood what he meant. I cycled back through the tidy Hamburg streets and looked at the comfortable burghers in their smart camel-coloured coats and their quietly expensive cars, sipping their cappuccinos, reading their newspapers. It must be nice, I thought, to live in a place where so many people are comfortable, where prosperity cushions you like a padded insole in your shoe. These people are so lucky.

I couldn’t acquire societal prosperity but I could buy some shoes. The assistant was a young woman with hair like a glossy starling’s but a face that seemed incapable of changing expression. We made conversation as I did up the laces. ‘Where are you from?’ she asked, in a voice that implied she might throw herself from the window in sheer boredom if I dared to answer. Cape Town, I told her, and something extraordinary happened. ‘Cape Town!’ she gasped, as though suddenly remembering the answer to a very important question someone asked a long time ago. Her face seemed suffused in a golden glow. Her eyes widened, her eyebrows shot up. She stared. She beamed. She has always wanted to go to Cape Town. At home, she has pictures of Cape Town on her wall, and also whales. Are there whales in Cape Town? There are, right? I said not all the time. She frowned. But quite often, I said. She beamed. She dreams of Africa, she said. The sunlight. The horizons. The whales. She said she feels like she would be able to breathe there.

I told her she should visit. It’s impossible, she said. She has a small child and a boyfriend who doesn’t work, and a mother to look after. She has duties. She has a life, even if it is a life that makes it hard for her to breathe. But one day, she said. One day. I bought the shoes and she shook my hand and asked me to send her a postcard from Cape Town. I promised her I would, and that I’d dip one corner of it in sunblock. I left the store and when I looked back she was still watching me, as though catching one last glimpse of the luckiest man on Earth.

Read more from this story in the January 2016 issue of Getaway magazine.

Get this issue →

Our January issue features a bucket list of 45 experiences to have at least once in South Africa, a new way to experience the Wild Coast, and a beautiful beach holiday in Sri Lanka.

Our January issue comes with a free wildlife calendar valued at R120!

Consider it our gift to you as you enter the new year. This fantastic free calendar that comes with the new redesigned January issue is packed with our wildlife favourite images from 2016.

 
We have also marked important dates for your consideration throughout the year such as school dates, various festivals, the Getaway Shows and many more South African events you don’t want to miss. And then of course there’s our January issue, where we’ve found the 45 most amazing bucket list experiences for every South African in 2017.

The calendar only comes with print copies of the magazine available for purchase in retail stores nationwide. Thanks to Nissan for sponsoring the calendar.

Happy new year, we hope you have an enthralling and exciting 2017 filled with lots of travel and adventure!

Read more from this story in the January 2016 issue of Getaway magazine.

Get this issue →

Our January issue features a bucket list of 45 experiences to have at least once in South Africa, a new way to experience the Wild Coast, and a beautiful beach holiday in Sri Lanka.

Clarens has it all: a cosy village atmosphere, great farm stays and statuesque mountains – and that’s where you should head, says Melanie Van Zyl.

In the south-eastern corner of the Free State, this famously flat province has a change in disposition and generously shares the sky with columns of the earth as broad as they are tall (kind of like the stereotypical farmers you’d expect of the OFM region too, come to think of it). Huddled up in the valley between these giant heights of ochre-orange sandstone, a little village called Clarens regularly charms city slickers with unique eateries, retail therapy and locally brewed beer. Named after the Clarens of Switzerland, where Paul Kruger spent his last days in exile, South Africa’s Clarens has become quite the weekend destination. It’s a common outing for Joburgers and, according to village locals, Durbanites are also taking advantage of its close proximity ‒ it’s just over three hours away from both city centres. Known (and verified by the high number of galleries) as an artists’ haven, the real charm of Clarens is that there are no franchises or big outlets. The closest Wimpy, Woolies and 1-Stop are 40 kilometres away in Bethlehem ‒ just the way it should be. Every establishment is owner-run. No restaurant is replicated elsewhere in the country; the stores are small, unique boutique outlets and, except for the Protea Hotel, so are the accommodation options.

Free tasters at Clarens Brewery.

I’m at the Clarens Brewery having a glass of the cherry-flavoured Red Stone Cider (made from cherries grown in the region). Close by, at a blanket shop that’s been in business for more than 50 years, is a colourful array of thick, woollen Basotho blankets. Then, there’s the farm-fresh eggs and butter from Bon Appetit, the little deli further along the only tarred road in town. There are no traffic lights here either. Yes, this small village sure is seductive, but with so much natural beauty in the immediate vicinity, I always choose to stay closer to the mountains instead of sleeping in the village. Artists Simon Addy and Lynne Hoyle have a home just 10 kilometres from town and they’ve opened their sweeping country house to visitors. This is a family home with heart and the love here is palpable. It’s the place for a boozy lunch with family or friends – the 12-sleeper is more than spacious enough, and the chopping-board table in the kitchen kept warm by restored Aga ovens has ‘heard’ many stories.

Simon suggests a visit to Motouleng Cave (or the Fertility Cave) as something different to do in the area. He’s got a shortcut there and as we drive across the hills he chats about our private panorama. ‘Someone once came here in winter and described it as vaal. I think it’s just as beautiful with the taupe and khaki tones that come with the cold.’ I agree. Down a steep path, below an enormous overhang, lives a small community beside a stream. There are cats and chickens, small smoky homesteads and precarious rockeries. It’s eerie. This sacred spot has been a place of worship for as long as cultural memory extends. Motouleng means ‘the place where the drums keep beating’ and the caves, or more accurately the lengthy overhangs are an important area for both traditional religions and independent Christian churches – candles are lit in the deep crevices to symbolise this. This overhanging cave is also regarded as one of the largest in the southern hemisphere and is also a place of shelter for the small village. People are summoned here (sometimes for months and even years) to learn about their ancestors or to become a practising healer, and it gets busy on weekends as many descend the trail to give thanks. I’m surprised happily that such a pocket of culture still exists.

LEFT: The sandstone cliffs just outside Clarens are famous for their glow at sunset. RIGHT: Two local women descend the pathway to the Motouleng Caves.

Each time I return to Clarens, I’m amazed by the extraordinary mountain settings and outdoor opportunities. The Rooiberge are the mountains that immediately surround the village. They shorten the days here as they cause shadows to fall across the village square a little earlier, and the sun peeps over them later in the morning ‒ the perfect light for sleeping in and making the most of your time off. Then there are the majestic Malotis further south-east, their colours spreading across the sky from pastel purples to a deeper hue of blue like litmus paper. The most unusual are the Clarens Formation sandstone cliffs, unique to the area and best experienced on the drive from Harrismith coming into Golden Gate National Park ‒ so called because the west-facing cliffs glow a glorious rust colour at sundown. The skies are sometimes patrolled by one of the most threatened birds in South Africa, the bearded vulture, which feeds on bone marrow. This clever bird has learnt to drop bones from extreme heights to crack them open. The mighty mountains are also responsible for 50 per cent of the country’s water supply and are the watershed of both the Vaal and Orange rivers. If you drive in any direction from Clarens ‒ towards Fouriesburg, Lesotho, Golden Gate or Bethlehem ‒ the farmlands and monumental peaks are breathtakingly beautiful. That’s why I always make for the mountains.

LEFT: Fairview Estates is one of my favourite farm stays in the area. RIGHT: Looking out from the stoep at Twin Towers.

Plan your trip

Getting there

Google Maps will want to take you via Bethlehem. I prefer the more scenic route (and there are less potholes). From Joburg take the N3 south to Harrismith and take the off-ramp into town. Join the N5 briefly and then turn left onto the R74. Then take the turn right onto the R712 and drive the remaining 70 kilometres to Golden Gate National Park. Once through the park, it’s an easy 20 kilometres to the village.

Do this

Walk in the Clarens Village Conservancy which surrounds the town. There are a number of trails ranging from half an hour to three. Highland Coffee Roastery on the village square sells maps for R25 (see Eat Here). 0603071489, clarensvillageconservancy.org.

Hike in Golden Gate National Park. There are seven well- marked trails ranging from 45 minutes to four hours. Most depart from Glen Reenen Rest Camp and one starts behind Golden Gate Hotel. They wind up the orange sandstone cliffs, dip into forested ravines and some will have you wading through windswept grasslands. The conservation fee is R40 per adult and R20 per child. 0582551000, sanparks.org

Explore the Motouleng Caves. The caves are considered sacred ground, so dressing appropriately is advised. R350 per person for a half-day tour. 0582561260, clarensxtreme.co.za

Picnic at De Molen Farm. This nguni cattle stud is located seven kilometres from Clarens. Take your own picnic basket and sit on the banks of the Little Caledon River for free. 0582561096, demolenfarm.co.za

Drive up to the Vulture Hide inside Golden Gate National Park. It’s perched at one of the highest points in the park with incredible views over the Drakensberg. It’s your best chance to spot the bearded vulture, and black-backed jackals tend to visit too. The conservation fee is R40 per adult and R20 per child. 0582551000, sanparks.org

Cycle the slopes around the village on a mountain bike. Clarens Xtreme has negotiated access with farmers and conservancies close by and will provide a map to the very best trails ranging from 11- to 40-kilometre routes. R250 for a half-day bike rental and R350 for full day. 0582561260, clarensxtreme.co.za

Stay here

Ridge Road Country House is a French-style farmhouse perched high on a sandstone ridge overlooking a stream and small dam, nine kilometres from Clarens. It’s surrounded by 28 hectares of indigenous grassland and is a perfect country escape with six bedrooms (sleeps 12). All have crisp, white 100 per cent cotton percale linen, electric blankets and wall heaters. The brand-new cottage nearby is just as trendy (sleeps six). R5500 a night for the house over weekends; weekday rates are R600 per person, minimum four people per night or R2400. wheretostay.co.za

Lexi’s Quirky Cottage is one of four accommodation options at Roodepoort Farm ‒ the views down the valley from the bath tub through enormous glass panes made this my favourite. The two-sleeper self-catering cabin is 15kilometres away from Clarens on a dirt road (fine for sedans), and there were complimentary rusks ready to be dunked. R400 per person, minimum two night’s stay. airbnb.com/rooms/8263054

Fairview Estates is the furthest from Clarens and one of my favourite farmstays in the area. Twin Towers is a converted grain silo that looks onto grazing alpacas, while Damn Caravan, a more intimate four-sleeper park home, rests beside a dam. Both have gorgeous decor and are great value at R380 per person and R350 per person respectively (minimum R1520 per night). 0823775222, fairviewestates.co.za

Eat here

Highland Coffee Roastery uses a freshly roasted espresso blend (the green beans are displayed on the counter) and it costs only R14 for a filter coffee. Cake and flavoured lattes are also served. I had the delicious spicy-gingerbread latte (R22). 0582561136, highlandcoffeeroastery.co.za

Clarens Brewery offers German- style food ‒ I always order the sausage bowl (R70 for two) with an assortment of relishes and freshly baked bread (from the bakery at the bottom of town). The brewery has widened its range to include hazelnut- and vanilla-infused malt drinks (the tasters are free so sample them all to find your favourite). 0582561193, clarensbrewery.co.za

Mosaic Pizzeria is great for affordable pizza (about R75 for a large) and has good glÜhwein too. The vegetarian melanzane is R70. 0582561884

Gosto has been open for a few years and never disappoints with its tasty Portuguese food and varied wine selection. Mains are from R110. 0767928189, patchamplace.co.za

Clementines is considered the local ‘spoil yourself’ restaurant and has excellent online reviews. It’s best suited for dinner. Mains start at R90. 0582561616, clementines.co.za

Bon Appetit Deli & Bistro lies beyond the village square opposite the sandstone church. Set in a lovely garden, it serves affordable breakfast (nothing over R60) and sells supplies such as fresh eggs, butter and cheese. 0798731318, find it on Facebook.

Dream of a truly wild adventure? This is one, exploring a part of an iconic river that most of the time doesn’t exist. It was beautiful, and Gerrit Rautenbach came back totally zenned out.

A Barotse Floodplain cool-down: the sun is a scorcher, the water is deep and wide, and mainstream hosts no ‘flat dogs’ (crocs).

After day one on have to work it out as they went along. The Zambezi River, 11 travellers sat around a campfire next to the quay at Senanga Safari Lodge. The day before, they had mostly been strangers. Two days before, they had started arriving in the Namibian/Caprivi border town of Katima Mulilo – some from the Cape and Pretoria, Thabazimbi and Kaapsehoop, others from Kasane and Maun in Botswana, and even one from Australia. Each had a reason to be there and a skill granting them a place on the expedition. Something like the Ocean’s Eleven. The plan was to attempt going upstream on the Zambezi for at least 600 kilometres to the Angolan border before heading back. No one has done this continuously, and the men would have to work it out as they went along. They didn’t know where there would be petrol, or fresh food or safe places to sleep. Or where there’d be ‘dragons’. Piet du Toit’s Kabula Lodge, 54 kilometres from Katima Mulilo along the western side of the Zambezi, was expedition HQ. Originally we were going to travel with two Aliboats; four of us on a 520 with a 40hp Yamaha engine and seven on the mothership – a Swamp Cruiser with 100hp. We stocked up with two 44-gallon drums of petrol and 17 25-litre containers.

This left us with a catch-22: a lot of fuel but little space for the rest, meaning we had to add a third boat, which meant the stash of fuel was looking less adequate again. Victoria Falls is about 200 kilometres south-east from where we were, but our trip was between two lesser-known waterfalls on the Zambezi: from Ngonye Falls near Sioma to Chavuma Falls up north on the Angolan border. It was planned for early April, when the water table is at its highest, covering the rapids and making the river navigable for about four weeks. Negotiating Ngonye Falls was impossible, so we trailered the boats to Sioma above the falls, where we launched and departed for Senanga and beyond. Although day one entailed a mere 87 kilometres on the river, we were on our way and the Zambezi’s Eleven were in high spirits. ‘Tomorrow we need to cross the Barotse Floodplain,’ Piet briefed us. ‘Being flooded, there might be very few islands left. Or none, as it widens to over 25 kilometres. We need to assume the first camp spot will be on the other side, about 300 kilometres from here.’

You have to trust your navigator to get you through the floating-reed maze of the floodplain.

The other challenge of the floodplain is the endless maze of channels created by rows of floating reeds. Just stick to the main channel, we were advised. But if there are six or seven channels in front of you, which one is the main one, I wondered? We could simply stick to the shore, but with the floodplain being so wide, where exactly is the shore? To make things worse, the floating reeds, well, float, constantly changing the maze, hiding the main channel. This is where Mark Smith earned his stripes. As owner of Kavango Air and bush pilot extraordinaire, navigation is his mother tongue. Also, he lives on the edge of the Okavango Delta and has been boating for decades. He managed to get us through the Barotse Floodplain without one wrong turn. (He used a Garmin Nuvi GPS with Tracks4Africa software, combined with Google Earth seven-kilometre, above-terrain imaging for dead reckoning.)

Some of the guys felt that the 10-and-a-half hours (284 kilometres) through the floodplain was too long, too much. I beg to differ. I call it the ZZZ– the Zambezi Zen Zone. At first I felt anxious about my smartphone and laptop staying behind at Kabula… The water swished, the outboard hummed. My breathing slowed. I then worried about the way ahead… Water swished, the outboard hummed. Crocs, hippos, mozzies… Then nothing but swish and hum, swish and hum. Zen and the art of motor-boating. Late in the afternoon, the geography of the river changed. It got narrower. Out of the endless water, land arose sustaining trees upon more trees. The mothership made a beeline for a gap in this green canopy on the eastern shore, to a mooring spot with a manicured green lawn. A local Lozi man appeared, greeted us cheerfully and tied up the boats. Group member Kennister Chibea, (excellent skipper, translator, guide and negotiator) also from the Lozi tribe, conferred and confirmed we were at Barotse Tiger Camp, but that owners Gerard Simpson and Graham Williams had not yet arrived for the upcoming fishing season.

Jacques Robbertze steers while Rod Alexander looks out for floating logs (not the solar panel them, keeping the barriers charged).

Jacques Robbertze, who was our exceptional hardware man, looking after the boats and outboards (at one point he removed a high-pressure fuel pump to clean dirt from the fuel in the strainer while the boat was floating midstream), knew the Barotse’s owners and got on the sat-phone to them. Soon we pitched camp. After more than 10 hours on the river, day three was declared a refuelling and rest day. Walking from the embankment uphill into Lukulu village was like walking into a Sydney Pollack movie: scorching sunlight, leafy trees dulled to grey, dust that tasted like chalk, lazy donkeys, scrawny unsymphonic chickens. Colin du Toit, a man who has crossed the Atlantic numerous times and done as many overland African trips (he’s the one who rigged an incredible three-battery system on the mothership to continuously run fridges, inverters, lights and more) came along, carrying a shopping bag.‘My contribution to help Africa,’ he explained, pulling out a fan of vegetable- seed packets. ‘I hand these out to the local church ministers or missionaries.

They’ve got more water here than all of South Africa’s perennial rivers together.’ Jacques made another call: ‘Hello, Mr Mojolo? From Vuma fuel station? We’re coming to buy fuel.’ ‘No…’ was the answer. His tanks were empty; next delivery in a fortnight. Panic set in. We had only enough fuel to get back. But we didn’t want to abort, not after coming this far. Then a young man appeared and introduced himself as the ‘petrol runner’. He had black-market petrol at 20 kwacha per litre (about R25). The official price was 9 kwacha. We haggled this way and that, but he said: ‘I have the petrol, you need the petrol. Final offer: 15.’ A bargain. Meanwhile, Piet asked Kennister to see if he could get a bottle of Lavelle brandy, Zambia’s finest. He couldn’t find any, so instead bought Jonney’s brandy, packed in a six-pack of 250ml bottles. ‘Knock out punch’ reckons the slogan. Undrinkable, but later on invaluable. From Barotse onwards, the expedition developed a rhythm – a symphony of water, village crawls, shopping sprees (tomatoes, onions, giant avos, Mozi beer, aubergines…) It was like an overland trip, just a lot more comfortable. No potholes. Or dust. Talking about aubergines, after day one I became the expedition chef. When Jacques saw these purple veggies, he warned that if I put them in the food, he wouldn’t eat it. Well, my friend, remember that thick tomato and onion relish, curried carrots and springbok wors I made the night
at Lungwebungu fly-fishing camp? The night you came back for thirds?

One more cup of coffee before heading off … breakfast on the Lungwebungu River, a tributrary pf the Zambezi,

There was one whole purple rugby ball in that stew… We did reach Chavuma, the last leg of our upstream run. Mission halfway accomplished. This is where we met the Cromhouts and Peschens on another mission, setting up a missionary station and lodge. They invited us to camp with them, but we decided to search for our own wild spot and found a huge sausage tree. We pulled in, but around the tree, not under it. A ‘sausage’ fruit weighs around seven kilograms and hangs up to 20 metres in the air. If that missile drops, you’d better be sleeping in a Saracen tank. The next morning Matt Cromhout picked us up, with our 17 containers, at the harbour and soon Chavuma’s own petrol runner was pumping petrol. We were getting good at this… Next door was Box 9 Restaurant. My nose followed a moreish smell. A mama was bent over a small smithy with a greenish broth bubbling away.
‘Hi, what are you cooking?’ I asked enthusiastically.
‘Hello, how are you?’ she answered. (I forgot – the polite African way.)
‘My name is Josephine. I am making mutete.’
‘Mutete…’ I tasted the foreign word for a foreign dish. It’s made from cassava leaves brewed with lemon juice, a dash of vinegar, some salt and pepper. The cassava plant is the wonder food of Africa. Its leaves resemble spinach, the fresh roots look like potatoes; dried and ground it’s like mealie meal.
‘We eat it with dried bream.’ She offered a fish. I mopped it through the mutete … exquisite.
‘Rosella,’ she said. ‘The English for mutete is rosella.’

The Barotse Floodplain can rise higher in certain areas, flooding homes.

Later on, I told Matt about this rosella. ‘Relish… she means relish,’ he laughed. Fuelled up, we went back to the harbour and into a big problem. The immigration officer at Chavuma was throwing his toys. Rod Alexander had left his passport at Kabula. We were trying to explain our way out of this when Piet walked over laughing, and said: ‘Hello Captain, I’ve got three passports for you. All in the name of Jonney’s.’ The officer looked at the brandy label: ‘Knock out punch’. He laughed. Cruising on downstream we passed the mission-to-be. At the mooring kids were playing in the water. Onshore, the Cromhouts and Peschens waved us farewell. This movie had a song: ‘O brothers let’s go down/ Let’s go down, come on down/ Come on brothers let’s go down/ Down in the river to pray.’ So we brothers cruised on down- stream, sleeping some nights wild onshore, other nights on our own personal islands, bathing in the river, cooking up a storm, braaiing ribs into the early morning, laughing, breathing, singing, living the Zambezi. In the end, we did 1 280 kilometres on the fourth longest river in Africa.

Plan your trip

Join the expedition

Toerboer, an adventure tour specialist, is planning to offer this trip commercially. Before that, another experimental trip is needed. If you’re adventurous, the 2017 expedition is for you at a cost of R42500 per person (a group of eight, and depending on the exchange rate and fuel price), which includes charter flights, transfers, boating, camping, meals, a reasonable amount of drinks and snacks. Excludes flights to/from Livingstone, souvenirs and other personal items. toerboer.co.za

Getting there

If you want to tackle a similar adventure on your own, SAA and British Airways fly to Livingstone from Joburg. Kabula Lodge is 200 kilometres from Livingstone on good tar roads. To drive to Barotse Tiger Camp, secondary roads (read: potholes) ‒ the R309, M9 and D792 ‒ for 500 kilometres will get you to Lukulu, with a boat transfer to the camp. Alternately, fly to Lukulu from Livingstone with United Air Charter (from R7500, uaczam.com). For Pungu Camp, drive from Lukulu via Mumbeji and Zambezi town.

When to go

The river is highest in April. May to November is perfect for fishing. The rest of the year is extremely hot.

Need to know

The Zambezi is a prime malaria area, so take precautions. Also use sunblock. The water is safe for swimming (no bilharzia), but watch for crocodiles when entering from the shore. As the trip does not pass through national parks, crocs are few and far between, but they are there. Do not expect to see a lot of animals; birdlife, however, is prolific. No permits are required for tiger fishing, but you will need to go with an operator.

Stay here

Kabula Lodge is the most accessible Zambezi lodge, hidden among gigantic trees on the river bank. Rustic wood- and-reed chalets with decks offer self-catering facilities, donkey-made hot water and solar power. From R595 for a twin; camping R115 per person. Fishing boat hire is R220 per hour for three sharing. kabulalodge.com

Barotse Tiger Camp offers the ultimate Out of Africa fishing experience. Crystal wine glasses, silverware, antique furniture and leather couches for the best G&T sundowners imaginable. Knowledgeable pros on the water guarantee a fishing trip of note. R5300 per person full board (excludes boat fuel and drinks). zambezifishing.com

Pungu Camp is the missionaries’ camp at Chavuma which opens in December. It has three campsites with hot water (R54 per person) and a two-bedroom chalet (R134 per person) with views of the river and falls. Just downriver, Ngandu Camp (R40 per person), with 10 campsites, is seasonal (May to November). chavuma.com

Lungwebungu Camp is the most remote tiger-fishing safari on the Zambezi, open in May and June only. However, it will not be operating in 2017. mutemwa.co.za

Waterfalls, abundant rivers, indigenous forests and red dunes – Niq Mhlongo fell in love with Xolobeni’s wild and ancient beauty. Photographs by Teagan Cunniffe.

At first glance, as I slowly guide the Renault Captur to Xolobeni, I’m not convinced about the beauty I’m soon to discover about this place. The cold, foggy July morning has made it impossible to recognise and appreciate the untamed beauty that lies ahead. The golden brown grasslands look barren, dotted with nondescript shrubs and bushes and randomly scattered mud huts and modern houses. It’s only after I introduced myself to Richard Hlongwe, who teaches English at the local Xolobeni Primary School that I’m able to begin uncovering the mystique of the area. ‘We can only talk for few minutes. I have to fetch water down by the river for the construction of my house. We don’t have water in the yards, as you can see. After that I have a trip to Bizana with my guruguru,’ he points at the white Kia van parked close by.

LEFT: Richard Hlongwe and his family drawing water from the Mnyameni River, not far from his home in Mtolani village. RIGHT: Richard Hlongwe, a teacher at the Xolobeni Primary School and my reliable guide.

I had been introduced to Richard just an hour ago by the Qaphela shopkeeper where I’d stopped to buy a drink. Richard is doubtful about the interview, but I assure him that it’s not about politics. This loosens him up a bit. There’s been a tense atmosphere in the village since Australian mining company MRC’s proposed mining of titanium in the area. The company has since pulled out, but the proposal to mine the ore lives on. All of it has sparked controversy and violence, and people’s faces are full of fear and mistrust. As we talk inside the car the sun rises with a sickly yellow lustre and clambers a few degrees above the ocean. It emits no decisive light, but introduces my eyes to the wonderful scene of the red sand dunes for the first time. ‘I was born over there, not very far from the dunes. We moved here a few years ago,’ he says, indicating his house. ‘Come tomorrow, and we’ll drive there. We used to ride bicycles along the dunes.’

As I drive back to Port Edward where I’m staying, my mind replays our conversation that lasted for over an hour. Only people like him who can afford green ‘jojo’ water tanks behind their houses can store rainwater. Everyone else draws water from the river. Only a few houses are electrified, as they can’t afford a solar system that costs between R1500 and R2 000. The small solar panels I’ve seen on a few of the houses are rented at R60 per month and can only connect to certain kinds of television sets. Besides all this, I feel a sense of satisfaction and completeness about these villages.

LEFT: Nyavini village. RIGHT: Livestock is one of the most important sources of wealth in Xolobeni.

The second time I return to Xolobeni, the sun is nice and shiny. Richard is in great spirits, and our first drive is to the Mnyameni River, where there are caves and waterfalls. This is about five minutes from his house. Here, the three caves stand in front of us like ghosts of the buried centuries. Upon entering the first cave, a kind of superstitious feeling creeps into me. My soul is suddenly wrapped up in silent wonder as I toy with the idea of writing my next supernatural novel here. But my thoughts are interrupted by Richard, who tells me his dream to build a guest house by the caves. I think it’s a brilliant idea. The place has tourism potential but it’s easy for a tourist to miss these caves, as well as the waterfall. The conflict has made locals reluctant to reveal the beauty of Xolobeni to strangers, and if they do reveal it, they do so cautiously. After about an hour we’re on our way to the red sand dunes. It’s not a comfortable trip, and it takes a long time because of the bad road. In fact, to call this a road is to unnecessarily dignify a winding track that runs through the grass, connecting one household with another.

‘We used to swim at the Kwanyana Estuary and Isikhombe River, and before I became a teacher I worked at the Campsite Lodge next to the river. It’s now closed due to the mining conflict. What this place needs are basic services such as water, proper roads and a clinic, not mines. The only clinic is at Mgungu and it’s far. The nearest towns to buy basics are Bizana and Port Shepstone. People pay R30 for a single trip to get there.’ Halfway towards the dunes a trailer is stuck, making it impossible for us to continue. We are sadly forced to make a U-turn, and as we do so a man called Mr Jali appears. He’s a traditional healer in Xolobeni and knows a lot about the endemic plants in the area.

The isikhombe red desert.

‘This is umhlondlo and we use it for stomach aches,’ he points at the creeping plant with a leaf of two colours. ‘And this is a bhulu plant to trap the lightning.’ As we drive back, Mr Jali tells me to contact him should I experience any problem in life, including infertility. Through him I learn that the majority of people here may be poor and surviving on little, but are happy with their traditional way of life. Our day ends at the most captivating place of Xolobeni, the magical waterfalls. We can’t get enough of the breathtaking scenery of the Mnyameni River plunging over jagged cliffs. The following afternoon we arrive at Mtentu Lodge. The wind blows fresh in our faces, and the atmosphere is pleasantly heavy with the scent of flowers and plants as we get out of the car. The ocean casts a kind of dreamy beauty, looking like the foundation of the universe. We are lucky that Russel Hartshorne, one of the partners of the lodge, is around to share his experiences of the area with us. He tells us how it’s frequented by people from all walks of life, hikers, cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts. Like many villagers, his concern is that the mining conflict divides this peaceful community and threatens the natural beauty that I’ve already fallen in love with.

An hour later, our host Dorcas Rattray begs me to take a solar shower. ‘I’m not implying that you’re dirty, but I want you to have the full experience of this beautiful place. If you do decide to, make sure it’s before 4.30pm.’ At 3.30pm I take the solar shower, and the experience is very refreshing. The water is nice and warm and the shower faces the scenic ocean below. After that we explore the area, walking past the campsite to the Mtentu Estuary. There are a few people at the beach, and some are hiking towards the Mkhambathi Nature Reserve across the river mouth. Before sunset we head back to the estuary again, and the incoming tide has by now covered most of the beach. A man is pushing a rowing boat with kids inside, and the sunset is spectacular as it reflects on the water.

LEFT: At Mtentu River estuary. RIGHT: Taking a sunset stroll as the tide comes in at the Mtentu River estuary.

The next day we start out at six in the morning; our appointment with Richard is at 9am. The trailer that was stuck there is gone now, and we’re able to negotiate our way between the brown grass, amadumbe fields and cattle kraals until we reach the Isikhombe red dunes. The Kwanyana Estuary looks beautiful as it snakes towards the Indian Ocean. ‘This is where I was born, next to those houses. I will introduce you to my relatives later,’ says Richard, pointing to some dwellings nearby. The red soil on the dunes is partly sandy and partly hard, and mixed with black particles. As I stand there and examine it, a feeling for which I have no name takes possession of my soul. To me the whole area seems like a seduced and jilted lover that has just said no to a forced marriage with a foreigner for the sake of retaining her beautiful identity. My soul wants to save the dunes from the abstract nature of that forced intimacy.

Richard scoops up a handful of sand. He tells us that the black particles may be the titanium that the mining companies want to explore. ‘You see, most people here know nothing about mining and what change it’s going to bring. The majority is not skilled. They think the mining company will bring their own skilled labourers and leave the community to suffer. These are free grazing lands for our cattle, goats and sheep. The mining means our grazing land is taken away, and people here depend on livestock.’ Richard’s words sink in and make me think of a superstition about the dunes that was tucked away in my mind. This area has been the centre of conflict dating back to the Mfecane era. According to popular legend, the red sands became exposed as a result of the more than 30000 cattle that were held there during the 1820s, after King Shaka’s warriors captured them from the Amampondo. Some people believed that the hooves of the captured cattle beat the ground and scarred the red earth permanently. I look at the dunes with admiration, and a catalogue of memories and emotions run through me. One is this: growing up in the landlocked township of Soweto, one of my dreams was to visit the sea one day.

Inside one of the caves close to the Mtentu River.

When I first saw it in Durban in 1993, I sat down on the beach and admired it for hours. For me it was something I could do every day, just sitting and looking at the beauty of the ocean. I remember being surprised at the locals’ lack of appreciation of the sea. Then I realised that when an amazing burst of radiance is right in front of you all the time, you may be blinded by a sense of familiarity. This is exactly what I think may be the case with the people of Xolobeni. They live in this beauty every day; perhaps they don’t recognise it. And yet, strange as it may sound, to me the mining talk has also made the community become aware of the value of their land. That’s why people like Richard want to reclaim part of it now, while it’s still possible to do so. Otherwise, he’ll be left out when the tourism boom finally comes.

As I say goodbye to Xolobeni, I think I now understand why as a young boy in Soweto I used to like Miriam Makeba’s song called Amampondo. Being in this part of the Wild Coast is like an escape to a larger, freer society than any I have yet seen. It’s like time travel to a deeper and more comprehending love and beauty than any I’ve yet known. I feel lucky to have accessed the wholeness of this natural beauty, tradition and rich history of the AmaMpondo before it changes forever.


The waterfalls (ingxangxasi), one of the captivating charms of Mnyameni River.

Plan your trip

Getting there

Xolobeni is 130 kilometres south of Port Edward, but because of road works on the R61 and the bad gravel road to the coast, expect a long journey. A 4×4 is best. Take the R61 from Port Edward to Bizana past Wild Coast Sun. Turn left at Bhekela village. The gravel road will take you towards the ocean, and you’ll know you’re in the Xolobeni district when you see the village with red dunes behind it.

When to go

The best time to visit is from March to July when there is no rain to turn gravel roads into mud tracks, and it’s not too hot.

What it costs

Our trip cost around R8 000 for the week for two people, including accommodation, food and car hire. There are cheaper places to stay than Mtentu Lodge, but it’s the most charming.

Need to know

Xolobeni is without water or electricity and most parts, including Mtentu Lodge, have no cell-phone reception. There are no big shops or fuel stations, so fill up and buy food beforehand at Port Edward or Bizana, and carry cash. Driving at night is not advisable as there are cattle, goats and sheep on the road. No fishing is allowed in the Mtentu River.

Do this

Hike in the Mkhambathi Nature Reserve, which has beautiful pockets of indigenous forest and a waterfall that falls directly into the ocean. You can also see game such as eland and zebra. The entry fee is R20 pp. You can do this with a guide from Mtentu Lodge for R50 per person. visiteasterncape.co.za, mtentulodge.co.za

The following activities below can all be booked through Mtentu Lodge:

Canoe up the Mtentu River and see the three waterfalls. The river is well known for its kingfish, which you can see between December and February, as well as loggerhead turtles and otters. To see the first two waterfalls, you can simply hire a boat (for three) and paddle up. The third waterfall, Swallowtail, requires more of a hike and a guide, but it’s spectacular (it takes half a day). Boat hire is R50, while the full hike costs R60 per person.

Ride a horse from the Wild Coast Sun to the Mtentu River estuary (about 24 kilometres) passing six villages. This is done in partnership with local villagers. From R500 per person.

Do the five-day Amadiba Explorer hike, staying over in villages and sleeping like the locals, in rondavels on the floor. It costs R4 500 per person.

Visit the waterfall at the Mnyameni River with a local guide. It costs from R350 for a group of 10 people, plus another R350 for more.

Stay here

Mtentu Lodge has gorgeous views and six cabins linked via wooden walkways. From R700 per cabin (sleeps four) and R100 per person camping. mtentulodge.co.za

Port Edward Holiday Resort has chalets that sleep two to four. From R730 per chalet. portedward.co.za

Mtentu Homestay is Siyabonga Ndovela’s beautifully kept, traditional Pondo home overlooking the Mkhambathi Reserve. R350 per person including meals. 0710084989 (or book via Mtentu Lodge).

Eat here

Mtentu Lodge offers breakfast, lunch and supper for R300 per person per day. It will provide packed lunches/picnics on request and caters for vegetarians. Tea and coffee are free. 0838053356, mtentulodge.co.za

Beach Bobbies Cocktail Bar & Restaurant in Port Edward caters for a wide range of appetites; the menu has steak and chips (from R63), seafood and pizzas (up to R55). 0393112333, portedward.co.za

For more information about how potentially harmful and unsustainable practices on the Wild Coast are evaluated and challenged, visit swc.org.za.

Northern KwaZulu-Natal is a place of big stories, and a big conservation idea has been brewing in Jozini that could make the area another of SA’s strongest drawcards, writes Sonya Schoeman. But will it happen? Photographs by Teagan Cunniffe.

We all have dreams. Most of us, though, dream small, focused on our own worlds. Going to Morocco or New York on holiday, say, or owning a little piece of heaven somewhere enviable. There are people that dream big, for their society or the world, such as Steve Biko, Mandela, Elon Musk, Ian Player the conservationist, for example, but they are rare, because a big dream is a heavy thing to carry. Then there are those who have dreams happen to them, who are, perhaps, designated. This is the case of Heinz Kohrs.

 
It’s 1968. It’s bedtime and the generators have just chugged to a halt. The night is heavy with darkness and heat and mosquitoes, as is usual in summer in this area we’ll call broader Jozini in northern KwaZulu-Natal. A small boy of German heritage wanders out to the stoep and climbs onto a riempie bed set outside for exactly such nights. The home is located below the Lebombo Mountains, on a stretch of land that will soon overlook the Pongolapoort Dam – it is being constructed. Perhaps it’s the heat that leads to fertile fantasies, but early that morning the boy wakes up, his imagination on fire from an enthralling dream: he was taking a drive with his father on the family ranch and there, miraculously, was a herd of elephant. In his dream, they came to the farm from a place high up in Africa.

Roads near Hlatikulu Forests are tough and require a 4×4 like our Mitsubishi Pajero 3.2 GLS Auto LWB, which did us proud.

Awake now, it seems to him the dream is what’s real, and reality – the ranch without elephants – is the dream. It’s 2016, 48 years later. I’m standing at White Elephant Lodge, owned by the Kohrs family and Heinz, now a vet. This is close to where the dream occurred. I’m with my brother, Kilaan, and photographer Teagan Cunniffe. The lodge is set on a rise in the landscape, and from there we can see, laid out before us like a large, irregular silver carpet, the Pongolapoort Dam. Behind it are the Lebombo Mountains, the impressive basalt ridge that reaches up into the blue sky. To the left, the range heads into Swaziland, and in front of it, the dam extends a long sliver of an arm. There, in that thin sliver of water, is a sight that sets the heart aflame: a herd of elephant. The group begins in a line, gathers its numbers into a thick, snug centre, then thins out again towards the pioneering ellie wading up ahead. There must be sixty to seventy of them. Sounds like a neat story, doesn’t it: boy has dream, dream comes true? But real life is, of course, much more messy than that. Messy, though, is in keeping with this area.

 
This place has always felt dramatic to me. It’s where I grew up, close to the reserve we’re standing on. Historically it was a struggle living here; it was a malaria area, and many cotton and sugar cane dreams ended in tears. There was also plenty of politics: it was here, in these Lebombo Mountains, that Dingane kaSenzangakhona fled and was murdered, apparently erroneously, by the Nyawo tribe, descendants of whom still live in the area. His gravesite is in the Hlatikulu Forest, close by. In 1884, the final battle between Dinuzulu kaCetshwayo and Zibhebhu kaMaphitha played out here. The battle ended badly for Zibhebhu. The area is close to Mozambique and on the Swaziland border. During apartheid, in my youth, the army presence was strong here, and it’s rumoured that a derelict building close by was used as an interrogation centre during these years. It’s the first time I’ve heard this chilling story. There are also numerous land claims pending in the area.

My brother, Kilaan, and I were returning to our childhood home to see how tourism has influenced it.

The history of wildlife here is equally brutal. In the early 1800s, the area below the Lebombo Mountains teemed with game. White hunters, with their greedy appetites, put an end to this abundance, so much so that in 1894 Paul Kruger declared an area the Phongolo Nature Reserve, the first of its kind in Africa (he had political motives, too, wanting to create a buffer). The core of this still exists today. Then in the early 1900s, wildlife was blamed for attracting Tsetse fly, the cause of sleeping sickness. It was open season for hunters, and the ensuing slaughter is mind boggling: in 1916, 25 000 wildebeest were shot; in 1939, 15 130 zebras; and in 1942, 138 529 wild creatures. Hunting in this area was well entrenched, and still is. The elephants that brought Heinz’s vision to life came from Kruger National Park, and were translocated as an alternative to culling, a story that was recorded by the BBC. You can watch this at the research centre of the farm, where guests can go ‘elephanting’ with monitor and researcher Heike Zitzer. It’s here I hear about the complexities of the situation.

This is my simplified interpretation: to move the elephants into the area meant more properties than just the Kohrs family ranch had to be brought on board. Amazingly, this was achieved, and seven farms dropped their fences to create the Pongola Game Reserve. But as time went on, different visions came into play, and an agreement had to be reached by vote. The seemingly simple plan of managing the herd’s numbers by vasectomising some bulls was frustrated. It was recommended that the area ideally could hold 35 elephants. By 2015, the herd reached the eighties, which has brought about an uneasy situation. The elephants are the reason I have come, as well as our trip down memory lane. I’m curious to see how the area has transformed.

With the ellies, this is one of the few places outside of Mana Pools where you can see a big herd from the water. It is, apparently, breathtaking. But just before we arrive, the herd wades across to Swaziland. Some people are excited – the elephants are doing something naturally that speaks to an even bolder idea that goes beyond Heinz’s dream, and that is creating a transfrontier park such as the one Kruger National Park is part of, the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park.

Sunset birdwatching on the dam with the Blevins.

The proposed Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation and Resource Area (Lubombo TFCA) would link iSimangaliso Wetland Park with a number of game reserves, private and traditional leaders’ lands. This would allow the ellies to move freely from iSimangaliso right through to Swaziland, but perhaps even eventually to Kruger and Mozambique. It would restore some of the natural migration routes interrupted by man via farming and fences and borders. Even more than that, it would – will – allow all animals to move freely, giving areas that are under strain a break, plus the blossoming of biodiversity. It would restore a natural order. It’s not hard to imagine the land beneath the Lebombo Mountains teeming with wildlife again, and the tourism that would bring to the area. Now this is a dream worth pushing!

The drought has been cruel to the area. We visit in June; it hasn’t rained in two summers and three winters. Mkhuze Game Reserve is bone dry, and the hippos of Nsumu Pan are relegated to a sad collection of muddy backs humped together into a tiny glutinous pool of mud – in a transfrontier park, they would have the opportunity to go seek water. Down on the Pongolapoort Dam, despite the water having receded, the hippos are happy.

We take two boat rides along the shore, one with White Elephant Safari Lodge in the morning, one with old familiars, the Blevins, who own the Shayamoya Tiger Fishing and Game Lodge and are avid bird watchers. On their boat we get the northern hospitality one finds readily in the area, gin and tonics, with the emphasis on the gin and banter. The shores teem with life: we see black-winged stilts, blacksmith lapwings, lesser flamingos, African open bills and spoonbills, Spurwing and Egyptian geese, grey herons, the sacred, glossy and hadedah ibis and a Goliath heron that scoops up a huge fish while being stalked by a crocodile. A guide tells us that a croc researcher concluded the dam has the fourth largest crocodile population in the world, a fact I can’t verify, but they’re indeed prolific.

I also see an African fish eagle in mid-call. I’m able to study the way it throws back its head, like a rooster, time after time. Later, we watch a pearl-spotted owlet’s comical gawk, and a white-backed vulture with her rock-star cowl rippling in the breeze. We pass a marabou stork in his undertaker’s suit, waiting patiently for death (ironically, his own; we later saw him laid out). Mammals may be struggling in the bush, but this is birding heaven. As a transfrontier park, couldn’t it be paradise?

A chill spot at the Ghost Mountain Inn where you can watch wildlife, gin and tonic in hand.

There is no shortage of industry here. The Shayamanzi Houseboats, owned by Roger Blevin, offer the experience Zimbabwe’s Kariba is famous for. Hunting is still big, but eco-tourism is gaining traction. The Senekal family has opened Africa’s first exclusively photographic reserve, Zimanga Private Game Reserve. The vision of this as a tourism hotspot is not new. As far back as 2004 there was a development proposal put forward by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry that had great visions for the area, with an emphasis on spreading the wealth to local communities. This seems to have dissipated, but community involvement is a big goal of Space for Elephants, which also aims to establish community run 4×4 and cycling routes.

It seems there are never simple answers for any region where a host of people need to make their livings off of it. But it’s no stretch to imagine how it could boom. There is experience after experience here we enjoy: the walk in the ancient fig forest in Mkhuze, led by Patrick Mathe (who turns out to be brother to the woman who cared for us as children, Nesta Mathe, which we discover when we visit her; she is now a traditional healer). We walk through massive trees alive with birdlife, while the grass dances with butterflies.

RIGHT: Zimanga, a farm converted to a game reserve, has sophisticated photo hides. LEFT: A giant kingfisher.

A few days later we drive through a run-down Jozini town – which has just had service delivery protests – to Hlatikulu Forest. The forest is wild up there, and thick and green and full of birdcalls. I’m dying to discover more, and my brother is aching to find Dingane’s grave, but dusk is falling and instead we drive back along the rough roads to take in the exquisite view high above the dam, which looks large and golden and full of possibility. Around us is a quiet, pastoral scene. Small houses with goats and chickens and dogs and more goats. There’s no lack of beauty in this area.

The folklore, when we were young, was that ghosts roam these mountains. The poor souls were warriors who were thrown off the cliffs. This is the source of the name of Ghost Mountain Inn, in tiny Mkuze town, where we book in. We visited here as children, and we’re thrilled to see it’s kept its heart, despite renovations. Craig Rutherfoord, second generation, now oversees the business.

The lounge at Ghost Mountain Inn opens out onto the pool and garden.

‘Tourism was foreign here,’ he tells us over dinner, ‘but gradually, over the last 40 years, we’ve seen a huge change in the area.’ He believes the offering exists to draw more tourists.
‘You’ll always have to fight the Kruger and Cape Town brands, but what also helps us is people struggling to find accommodation there. It’s displaced business that’s coming to us… Ultimately, it would be great to drop all fences, from Lebombo all the way through to Mkhuze. To watch elephants from the boat is unique and in summer to see them swimming is phenomenal.’

However, there is lots standing in the way of this vision. It’s a perfect analogy for the age-old fight between wild spaces and humans. Who will win? History shows probably man, but I fervently hope perhaps this one time, this dream could win. What would that mean for this place of big stories? Now that would be another one for the history books. It’d be an exquisite Southern African success story. Complicated to achieve it, perhaps. But exquisite.

Sunset at Shayamoya Tiger Fishing and Game Lodge.

Jozini trip planner

Getting there

From King Shaka International Airport, take the N2 toll road to Richards Bay/Empangeni (you’ll pay R9,50, R11,50 and R39 on the way) past Hluhluwe to Mkhuze.

When to go

Spring is a good time for this area, as is autumn. Summers average temperatures of 35°C, while winters are mild.

Need to know

There are few mosquitoes, but take repellent as a precaution. Spraying it on your shoes and socks will keep ticks at bay for tick-bite fever. There are hunting concerns in the area, which I’ve stated where relevant.

Driving

We drove the Mitsubishi Pajero 3.2 GLS Auto LWB , and were grateful for it on the dirt roads. Although most places are reachable in a family sedan, getting to Hlatikulu Forest was challenging. We had to enter the forest down a rugged cattle track, and back out was over some very rocky terrain. The Pajero, with its low-range gear options, intelligent anti-slip technology and powerful diesel engine, made light work of it. Diesel usage was admirable, considering the length of the trip and range of terrain covered; over 2 000km we filled up three times only, at around R700 a pop. mitsubishi-sa.co.za ‒ Kilaan Schoeman

What to do in Jozini

Go elephanting with Heike Zitzer. It’s like walking in the footsteps of an elephant monitor. Cost from R400 per person (free when staying at WESL). whiteelephant.co.za

Visit Phongolo Nature Reserve and Mkhuze Game Reserve. Don’t miss the Fig Forest walk (R250 per person). Entry is R40 per adult, plus R5 per person daily levy per person, R30 for children, and R50 per vehicle. Phongolo is the oldest in the country, and has black rhino. Entry R50 per adult, R25 per child, R50 per vehicle. kznwildlife.com

Experience local life at the Mkuze Country Club. Wednesday is ladies’ night. 0355731441

Take your best wildlife shot at Zimanga Private Game Reserve’s hides. From R1275 per person (SADC rates). zimanga.com

Visit Hlatikulu Forest but do so with a trusted guide. Call Jean Toucher, Safari Manager at Ghost Mountain Inn to tailor make a tour for you. We used GMI guide Bheki Jobe on another tour; he’s an excellent birder. From R180 per person. ghostmountaininn.co.za

Fish with Shayamanzi Houseboats. We didn’t do it this time, but have before. Costs for groups of six or less start at R2450 per person sharing, minimum two nights. shayamanzi.co.za

Where to stay in Jozini

White Elephant Safari Lodge‘s main lodge, where you dine, is classic, with big leather couches and a deep stoep and pool. There are eight stylish luxury tents. There’s also a charming, self-catering Bush Camp for groups, and Umkhaya Cottage, perfect for a small family. Lodge prices start at R2 600 per person (includes two eco- activities and all meals); Bush Camp starts at R4320 per night (sleeps up to 16); Umkhaya starts at R2160 per night (sleeps four). Please note: management hunting takes place on Pongola Game Reserve; hunting is not allowed on WESL. whiteelephant.co.za

Ghost Mountain Inn is one of my favourite hotels in the country. It’s well priced and stylish, but unpretentious, the downfall of many a country hotel. It’s rooted in the Mkuze community. Plus it has a good dinner buffet at R250 (also try the imfino gnocchi on the à la carte menu). Prices from R820 per person sharing, B&B. ghostmountaininn.co.za

Shayamoya Tiger Fishing and Game Lodge is set on a ridge in an exceptional indigenous garden rich in birdlife. Its height gives it a spectacular view over the dam. The cabins are wooden and private, each with an outdoor shower. The Family Suite is a winner; in fact, this is a great place for families ‒ there’s a relaxed atmosphere, a pool and many activities. The restaurant and bar offer good fare, reasonably priced too. Prices from R750 per person sharing, B&B. Please note: there is a hunting camp on the property. shayamoya.co.za

Space for elephants

This aims to re-establish lost space for elephants based on migratory routes. For more, go to spaceforelephants.com

This story first appeared in the September 2016 issue of Getaway magazine.

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Our September issue features affordable destinations around SA, great photographic hides, and a Thailand travel guide. On shelves from 22 August.

In September, I went to the other side of the Indian Ocean to visit beautiful Sri Lanka. I explored the southern coast and found a piece of paradise, before making my way up to the capital Colombo again. Then I crossed the interior of the country to the east coast so I could compare beaches using a mixture of trains, buses and colourful tuk-tuks.

A tuk-tuk streaking down a road in Colombo, close to the gorgeous Galle Face Green and the iconic Galle Face Hotel.

When I first arrived in Colombo, it reminded me of the terrifying single-lane driving in Mozambique – buses come tearing up the wrong side of the road (they drive on the left like we do in South Africa) and tuk-tuks toot their way between the big machines with enchanting bravado. There are also lorries, dogs and bicycles that fearlessly enter the fray, also uttering hoots as they go. It’s both terrifying and intoxicating.

Locals chill and fly kites here on the Galle Face Green on the coast in Colombo. It’s one of the best spots to come for an authentic meal from the vendors. The building on the left is the Galle Face Hotel.

On arrival, I decided to spoil myself with a stay at the Galle Face Hotel because of its prime location in the capital. I could stroll around the Galle Face Green like a local and simultaneously experience the rich colonial history of Ceylon. It’s right on the beautiful ocean promenade and the golden sunset view was just gorgeous. The hotel prides itself on telling the story of Sri Lanka and was built in 1984. It’s been graced by plenty of stars and has a whole room of memorabilia, which you can see on their guided history tours.

The classic colonial-style interiors at the plush Galle Face Hotel.

The view of the beach from the Galle Face Hotel at sunset.

From Colombo I then took a train up to Kandy – one of the most beautiful trips I have ever done, but that’s a story for another issue. Kandy is a very pretty town, but quite busy. I only spent one evening here as a stopover from Colombo in order to head further north to Sigiriya, but I had the morning to explore some markets and get a small feel for the place before carrying on my journey. I stayed in Hanthana House for the evening, which was a super reasonable guesthouse where they served a home-made curry for dinner of the tastiest marinated brinjal and beautifully soft potatoes with coconut.

A view of a temple in Kandy, which is the start of the hill country, where tea is grown.

Delectable mangosteen hanging in the market. I tried a few new fruits on my trip to Sri Lanka, but this flashy sweet fruit was my favourite – like a mix of banana, litchi and watermelon. Just looking at this picture makes me salivate.

From Kandy, I had to head across the interior of Sri Lanka to Sigiriya Rock and then head towards the East Coast. For this stretch I opted for a private taxi instead of a bus or train because it seemed to be the quickest way. I passed lots of smaller towns and some pretty arid regions before veering off the tarred road into farmland, where home for the next two days was a very special treehouse called Back of Beyond Dehigaha Ela, which is also home to its very own natural fish spa in a gurgling river. I had come to the area though, to see Sigiriya Rock, which is kind of like our Mapungubwe and is where an ancient kingdom used to live high up on a hill.

On the left is the beautiful Back of Beyond treehouse, which is close to the Sigiriya Rock. On the right is the main staircase that leads to the settlement on top of the enormous rock, protected by a big pair of lion paws.

Chic outdoor showers at the treehouse, which is set in a jungle-like environment.

Climbing the stairs up Sigiriya Rock. Much of the ancient facade has crumbled away, including the stairs that would have led up the top. Many other tourists were out in the sunshine to explore it too.

The view out from the staircases across the surrounding countryside – simply gorgeous! My favourite part of the visit to Sigiriya Rock was the old frescoes so beautifully painted and protected by an overhanging rock. No one is allowed to take pictures of it though.

Close to Sigiriya there is a national park called Minneriya which brings hundreds of elephants in the dry season thanks to a big dam. This was my first look at Asian elephants. It was pretty crowded though, with lots of Jeeps also doing some sightseeing. We’re really blessed with our wildlife opportunities here in Southern Africa.

From Sigiriya, I plucked up the courage to catch the bus east to a beach town called Trincomalee – the 100km journey cost me just R30, but hell we were squashed onto the bus closer than the teeth on a zipper. Just when I thought not one more person could squeeze in, the bus conductor who hung from the door frame would admit another passenger. It was quite an experience!

In Trincomalee, or Trinco as locals call it, stayed in more conventional lodging at the Anantamaa Hotel. The rooms are simple and basic, but you can’t beat the location being right on the beach and close to some great seafood restaurants. The sea was smoother to me in the east, but this is heavily dependent on the season as monsoons drastically affect the coastal conditions. I made time to try diving here at the a protected marine reserve called Pigeon Island just off the coast, which offered some beautiful exotic fish and coral sightings. The visibility wasn’t great, but it was pretty special.

The beautiful beach right next to the hotel in Trincomalee.

A dive boats heads out on calm waters at sunrise.

Dinner on the beach at Trincomalee. I was spoilt for choose and there was wide range of restaurants with tables and loungers on the beach.

I loved exploring this crazy country and am so glad I saw these special places in Sri Lanka, however if I ever go back I’d explore more of the south coast, where my trip began.

The south coast is incredibly rewarding to travel and represents the island in a nutshell with a host of incredible beaches, cultural sites like golden temples and also wildlife. Read about exactly where to go in the January issue.

Read more from this story in the January 2017 issue of Getaway magazine.

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Our January issue features a bucket list of 45 experiences to have at least once in South Africa, a new way to experience the Wild Coast, and a beautiful beach holiday in Sri Lanka.

Route 62 is one of those classic South African road trips you just have to do. For our January issue, I assembled a gang and headed out along this iconic route on two Royal Enfield Classic 500s. They turned out to be the perfect companions on a road that winds its way through the gloriousness that is South Africa’s beautiful Karoo.

Read the full story in the January issue of Getaway and check out some of the photos below.

Cruising along Route 62 after breakfast.

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT Taking a break on Swartberg Pass; hammering along Franschhoek Pass; Al trying to hail sheep just outside Ladismith; sheep answers back.

Having a little fun outside the Karoo Moon Motel in Barrydale.

Standard Friday night entertainment at the Karoo Art Hotel in Barrydale.

Riding these vintage machines over the Swartberg pass was a highlight – we wished we had more time.

Safety first on a quick photoshoot just outside Barrydale.

LEFT This old cabinet occupies a corner of the kitchen of The Cottage at Dennehof Karoo Guest House. RIGHT More trinkets (from Benoni, of all places!) at Country Store and Stay in Prince Albert.

You’ll find these old pumps and rusted signs in Barrydale.

Somewhere between Montagu and Barrydale, a lonely Karoo wind dreamed of a job as a hairstylist.

LEFT The Royal Enfield Classic 500 – newly built, retro to the bone. RIGHT Al disappears beneath a bridge in Matjiesfontein.

Inside the panty and t-shirt adorned bar at Ronnies Sex Shop on Route 62.

LEFT Quick ride-by outside Ronnies Sex Shop. RIGHT Top of Swartberg Pass, looking towards Prince Albert.

More trinkets at Die Handelshuis in Calitzdorp.

Parked beside the Nelsrivier Dam, Calitzdorp.

Skelmdraai Bend, Swartberg Pass.

LEFT Cruising beneath the railway line in Matjiesfontein. RIGHT Last light over Swartberg Pass.

We took a break at Skelmdraai Bend on Swartberg Pass to take in the view back towards Calitzdorp below.

LEFT You’re never far from an antique in the Karoo, this one held the room together at Die Handelshuis in Calitzdorp. RIGHT The breakfast atrium at Dennehof Karoo Guest House in Prince Albert.

The gang at the top of Swartberg Pass.

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT Alasdair; Kati; Tyson; and our jackets.

One way to keep the feet dry, over a flooded bridge at the bottom of the Swartberg Pass.

LEFT Huisrivier Pass bends beautifully around Paardenberg. RIGHT The road out of Calitzdorp with the Swartberg Mountains looming in the background.

Enough to keep the eye and belly busy at Country Store and Stay in Prince Albert.

Walking along the railway line in Matjiesfontein at sunrise.

Next to the Old Post Office in Matjiesfontein is this gem of a building.

LEFT The Union Jack flies above the Lord Milner Hotel in Matjiesfontein. RIGHT We stayed at the Matjies Motel, part of the same hotel, but a great affordable alternative.

LEFT The Royal Enfield Classic 500 beside Drifters Adventure Tours support truck. RIGHT We couldn’t get enough of this corner, twisting up the Swartberg pass.

Read more from this story in the January 2017 issue of Getaway magazine.

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Our January issue features a bucket list of 45 experiences to have at least once in South Africa, a new way to experience the Wild Coast, and a beautiful beach holiday in Sri Lanka.

The secret beaches and hidden coves of South Africa’s most beautiful coastline can only be reached by foot or bicycle – and for the adventurous, this opens up an epic new way to explore the Wild Coast.

Last year I tested out a new way of exploring the Wild Coast, on a mountain bike modified with extra-wide, beach-friendly tyres – a fatbike. Over five days, I cruised along miles of pristine beach, followed a twisting single track through indigenous coastal forests, and sped headlong down long grassy bluffs, with beautiful accommodation, delicious meals and great company all the way. Curious? Scroll down for a glimpse of what it looks like.

Ride the Wild Coast in 2017

For our January 2017 issue, Chris Davies joined Detour Trails on a five-day fatbiking adventure along the Wild Coast, cycling 140km from Morgan Bay to Hole in the Wall.

More trips are planned from May to August this year so grab a copy of our latest issue for the full story, or book your place directly by clicking the button below.

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Need convincing? Have a look at the photos below.

Day 1: the tour begins at Morgan Bay and we set out before dawn to make the most of the low tide and beautiful riding conditions.

We crossed the Great Kei River just after sunrise and found miles of pristine beach all to ourselves.

Well, not entirely all to ourselves – there’s a fair bit of cow-dodging when cycling the Wild Coast.

And it’s not all gentle cruising on flat beaches either. Be prepared for a bit of hoisting and carrying too.

…and river crossings. Getting the tides right is crucial to cycling the Wild Coast. Get it wrong and rivers like this require more than just wading.

Day 1 ends at Wavecrest Hotel and Spa which offers guests free sunset cruises up the Nxaxo River. This is SA’s southern-most mangrove estuary and offers excellent birding, including the crowned cranes from which the resort gets its name.

Day 2: stepping out my bedroom the next morning I was greeted with one of the best sunrises I’ve ever seen.

We had coffee and breakfast on the deck and contemplated the day’s riding ahead…

…before ferrying our fatbikes across the Nxaxo River.

There’s a special sound a fatbike tyre makes as it zips across a hard-packed beach at low tide. That sound, in that scenery, can’t not make you happy.

There’s no road access for long stretches of this coastline.

Miles and miles are accessible only to hikers, bikers and the occasional cowboy.

LEFT: A local mama displays her catch of shellfish and red bait. Foraging is illegal, but subsistence continues off the rock pools. RIGHT: Very welcome beers at Mazeppa Bay Hotel, our lunch stop on day two.

James, the local ferryman, rows us across the Qora River, asking only R12 a trip.

Day 3: dawn at Kob Inn. After a huge breakfast we hit the trail again for the longest day of the tour: 40km to The Haven Hotel.

The day sees plenty of wading and walking as the trail climbs over grassy bluffs and through sparkling streams.

At Dwesa-Cwebe Nature Reserve we climb up from the beach and follow the single track along grassy cliffs.

Short sections of the Dwesa trail are overgrown, forcing us to bash our way through tall grass and reeds.

Soft sand makes the final few kilometres to The Haven Hotel the toughest of the tour. But it’s not a race. Pushing is allowed!

Day 4: beautiful single track starts the day as we leave the beach for a bit and weave our way through the indigenous forest.

Back at the coast we stop for lunch as a pod of dolphins – about 50-strong – cruise through the waves in front of us.

Our day-four destination is Bulungula Lodge, one of SA’s top responsible tourism initiatives, which provides income for nearby Nqileni Village.

Day 5: dawn breaks over Nqileni Village as we mount up for the final day’s riding to Hole in the Wall.

Day 5 keeps mostly to the clifftops, with occasional steep descents, and equally steep climbs back up again.

Cresting the bluff we get our first sight of Hole in the Wall. Nobody wants this journey to end so we take our time, enjoying the view, before the final freewheel down.

After over 30 crossings it feels strange wading the Mpako River knowing that there is no next river to come – just a final ride past Hole the Wall to complete an incredible adventure.

Read the full story in the January 2017 issue of Getaway magazine.

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Our January issue features a bucket list of 45 experiences to have at least once in South Africa, a classic motorbike ride through the Karoo, and a beautiful beach holiday in Sri Lanka.

Welcome to a new year and a whole bunch of new places waiting to be explored. There are countless lists all across the interwebs telling you the hottest destinations and the next ‘it’ adventure. We’ve simplified these lists and found the places that appear the most (plus given it our own South African once-over given budget and political constraints) to create the ultimate travel list of places to go this year.

Because the best way to cure the holiday blues is to book another one.

1. Canada

The Bonaventure River is rated as one of the clearest and purest water courses on the planet.

Canada appeared on nearly every single list I came across on the web. There’s a good reason for that and New York Time Travel puts it perfectly on their list of 52 Places to Go in 2017, ‘All of the country’s more than 200 national parks and historic sites are offering free admission through the year, from the turquoise lakes and mountain peaks of Banff in Alberta to the rolling dunes and red sandstone cliffs of Prince Edward Island along the Atlantic Coast to the newest reserve, the glacial-rounded Mealy Mountains in Labrador’.

Need more inspiration? Read about local adventure travel writer, Jacques Marais‘ epic trip to the Gaspésie Peninsula, ‘a place of infinite beauty with an abundance of options for the active’.

Return flights to Vancouver cost roughly  R10400.

2. Rwanda

A veteran male silverback sits watch over his territory and family. A few weeks earlier he had killed another silverback in a battle for dominance. Photo by Teagan Cunniffe.

This is not a new destination to South Africans being a top spot to go and see gorillas on the mountain slopes, but there’s also more to this vibrant African country and we need to appreciate some of our local travel opportunities. Getaway’s photo editor, Teagan puts it’s perfectly. ‘Kigali was not how I imagined. For one thing, I never expected to be wandering around the streets, hitching rides on taxi-motos and feeling safe. I never expected the vibrant colours, open smiles and invites into restaurants; the earnest attempts to teach me phrases of Kinyarwandan. What I definitely didn’t expect was a sense of resilience and rebuilding, of community’.

Get inspired with her photographs of Kigali: the African city that shines.

And if seeing gorillas is still on your bucketlist, also check out the only gorilla trekking story you’ll ever need to read.

Return flights to Kigali cost roughly R4500.

3. Oman

Wahiba Sands Desert Crossing, Oman. Photograph by Hannah Moore.

Web editor Kati Auld would wager a bet that this country has never crossed your travel lists before, but then she came across this unbelievably beautiful travel video.

Watch it and no doubt you’ll also change your mind that ‘Oman is way more beautiful than expected – from the diving and ancient architecture to the towering mountain-ranges’.

Return flights to Muscat cost roughly R7000.

4. Madagascar

Madagascar Island Safaris, Nosy Be. Photo by David Bristow

Appearing on lists by the New York Times, Bloomberg, Travel+Leisure and Vogue who are we to disagree? The ecotourism and adventure paradise offers different wildlife to our own and island perfection to boot.

The photographs will show you how easy it is to fall in love with Madagascar and if you’re the more active type, see what it’s like to run in the most remote region of Madagascar.

Also, look out for Tyson Jopson’s upcoming story this year on how to tackle Madagascar by motorbike.

Return flights to Antananarivo cost roughly R7000. 

5. Germany

The Monkey Bar on the top floor of the 25 Hours Bikini hotel has a rooftop terrace and panoramic views of Berlin. Photo by Brandon de Kock.

Berlin has been a hot destination for a while now, but Hamburg’s beautiful canals have moved this city into the spotlight. National Geographic Traveller says that ‘Hamburg boasts about 2,500 bridges, more than Venice, Amsterdam, and London combined’.

Also read: Six great reasons to travel Germany by train

Return flights to Hamburg cost roughly R8000.

6. Cape Town

Well, this one needs no introduction. This gorgeous spot right in our own country tops must-visit lists around the world. Don’t know how to explore?

21 Different things to do in Cape Town

16 of the best backpackers in Cape Town

Wake up to a foodie weekend in Cape Town

26 Affordable weekend getaways near Cape Town

No more excuses.

Return flights cost roughly R2000. 

7. Portugal

Porto’s rail and tram network means getting to and around the city is a breeze, and often dramatically scenic.

The vibey capital, Lisbon, is also pretty easy on the pocket for South Africans, ‘Time your trip to Lisbon well, and you’ll be even more impressed with the setup in the city. In spring (February) or autumn (October), crowds thin, the heat eases off, and prices drop. At this time of year you can pick up a decent hotel room for €80 (R1,168) a night, but it’s really AirBnb and hostels that rule the overnight scene here’.

Return flights to Lisbon cost roughly R9000. 

8. Finland

Dogsledding Lapland, Finland. Photo by Evan Haussmann.

This year, the Finns celebrate a hundred years of independence and all the web lists reckon it’s going to be one big party – Lonely Planet says to ‘Expect everything from al fresco concerts and communal culinary experiences to sauna evenings and vintage-travel-poster exhibitions’. Luckily, according to National Geographic Traveller, there’s space for solitude too. ‘Finland’s 40 national parks, 12 wilderness areas, and six national hiking areas are sanctuaries for silence-seekers’.

Return flights to Helsinki cost roughly R8000. 

9. Sri Lanka

The view of the beach from the Galle Face Hotel at sunset.

Not only was I was surprised at how much I felt at home in this country far from SA, but it has an exotic flavour at a great price. The south coast is incredibly rewarding to travel and represents the island in a nutshell with a host of incredible beaches, cultural sites like golden temples and also wildlife. Read about exactly where to go in the January issue.

Return flights to Colombo cost roughly R7000. 

10. Mexico

Avenue of the dead temple. photo by Connor Cullinan.

People call it a monster. But this city of 21 million people is not only tame-able, it’s deeply rewarding. There’s wine, culture and exceptional diving in this crazy South American country and we know where to find enclaves and art-filled spots.

Return flights to Mexico City cost roughly R19000 

*All our flight prices are researched as if travelling for two weeks in June 2017 and departing from Johannesburg. 

Lisbon is famed for its long sunny afternoons, developing foodie scene, and beautiful beaches – and it’s one of the most affordable cities in Europe, which makes it a hotspot for South Africans. Here’s my pick of the best ways to stretch your rands – from the best time of year to visit, to the most affordable day trips from Lisbon.

Looking over Lisbon towards the 25 de Abril Bridge.

 
A special feeling descends on the Portuguese capital at twilight. The skies above the orange roofs of the historic centre turn a chalky shade of pink; in the distance the 25 de Abril Bridge sparkles after a day of statuesque suspension across the mighty Tagus River; and, for a brief moment, the streets grow hushed, as if the city is drawing in its breath in preparation for another night of quintessential Lisbon revelry.

 
Also read: Beating the budget in Barcelona

Free views in Lisbon

“Any recommendations for a decent view?” I asked the receptionist, and then cringed at the banality of my question. He smiled and stooped down to look through the window, checked his watch, and pulled out one of those tourist maps lined with ads from beneath the counter.

“We’re here,” he said, circling a small block in the heart of the historical centre with a pink highlighter. “If you go out the door and turn left,” he said, tracking a pink line along the map, “Keep walking uphill, past the church, and you’ll find a decent view.”

I thanked him and whipped the map out from beneath his highlighter. The narrow streets of the historical centre were already shaded over, and sunset was not far away.

The walk was steep and the late summer air sticky. I quickened my pace and threw all touristic grace out the window by striding up the hill with the cumbersome map in hand and a swinging camera around my neck. But after no more than 30 minutes I rounded a quiet corner and stopped in my tracks, stunned at the view that spread out before me.

The view from Miradouro do Castelo.

 
I’d made it up to the grounds outside Miradouro do Castelo just in time. In the distance was what looked like the Golden Gate Bridge, alongside Christ the Redeemer. I did a double take. Though obviously not the actual structures, I later learnt they were inspired by the originals, and they hold a surprising amount of authority in spite of the plagiarism.

All around me small groups of chattering tourists picnicked on the floor or stood looking over the railing in equal awe. Others peered at the panoramic vista through camera viewfinders or at cell phones the end of selfie sticks, and it was one of those magical moments of seemingly universal consensus where everyone within a 20 metre radius was thoroughly satisfied at the life decisions that had lead them to this moment.

Much of Portugal appears to focus on moments like these – the budget-friendly good life that needn’t cost more than a bit of physical exertion, a backpack of snacks, and maybe a glass or two of wine.

Cost-effective accommodation in Lisbon

Though Portugal’s economy may be faring better than her only neighbour, the country still represents good value for foreign travellers. The same is true for the capital, which thrives on a regular flow of tourists to keep its bars, restaurants and iconic sights afloat.

Time your trip to Lisbon well, and you’ll be even more impressed with the setup in the city. In spring (February) or autumn (October), crowds thin, the heat eases off, and prices drop. At this time of year you can pick up a decent hotel room for €80 (R1,168) a night, but it’s really AirBnb and hostels that rule the overnight scene here.

Private rooms in AirBnb apartments abound – you can pick one up in the centre for under €30; entire homes and apartments go for about double that. The hostel scene in the capital is so competitive you can stay in a hotel-quality hostel room for a third of the cost, even less if you’re willing to stay in a dorm and share a bathroom.

Affordable places to eat in Lisbon

Given the receptionist’s perfect suggestion for an afternoon walk, I decided to test his patience with what must be the most annoying guest question of all – where to find a cheap but good meal.

“The Time Out Market,” he said without hesitation, reaching for his pink highlighter once again and gesturing for my map. I grimaced at the thought of a branded market, but listened on.

In 2014, travel publication Time Out hung their name on the outer façade of the historic market hall and turned its insides into a food emporium that now sees something like two million visitors walk through its doors each year. Though on first appearances it looks like a slick cafeteria complete with long rows of tables, too many trash cans, punctuated by clattering cutlery and loud chattering, it’s actually a pretty good find. There are more than 20 restaurants represented in the hall, and most serve up fine food and drink at acceptable prices. For the solo traveller looking to pick up a quality bite to eat from popular local establishments without feeling too spare and alone, this is the place to go.

And so it was that much to my own chagrin I found myself walking through the doors of the market hall more than once. In fact, I had most dinners there, and justified it as an opportunity to sample dishes from a range of restaurants rather than commit to one, and usually for less than €10 (R146) a plate. Lazy and predictable, sure, but sometimes that’s all the weary solo traveller needs.

The tram to Belém

The next afternoon I hopped aboard a tram to the city’s Belém district. A one-way ticket costs just €2.85 (R41) if you buy it on board, and is even more cost effective if you purchase a prepaid card or opt for an unlimited 24 hour travel pass.

The tram journey to Belém is a scenic 25 minutes long, and you should board ready to stand for the full journey – even in the shoulder season you’ll be lucky to get a seat. But when you step out into the waterside touristic paradise of Belém you’ll quickly forgot about the cramped, sticky public transport ride.

Inside Igreja Santa Maria de Belém.

 
That is, until you commit to Belém’s big gimmick – queuing up with hundreds of tourists who also heard that they simply had to buy a Pastel de Nata from the famous Pastéis de Belem pastry shop. Like macaroons in Paris, or sausages in Germany, you have to be really unlucky, or a fairly profound food snob, to truly tell the difference between the most celebrated (read well-marketed and overpriced) versions and those you’ll find in most other locations.

Still, I felt an obligation to put their Portuguese pastry to the test – they’ve managed to stay in business since 1837, which should count for something. I picked up more of the bite-size pastries than I needed, found a bench in the beautiful Jardim de Belém opposite, and once again felt a wave of Portuguese positivity wash over me.

There’s a lot more to do in Belém than eat pastries, though – there’s also a good and cheap sandwich shop there called Pão Pão Queijo Queijo. But most people don’t take the shoulder jousting tram ride solely to consume food in a park, so I had a look inside the extravagant Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, and then took a casual walk along the river front to see the next big attraction – the Tower of Belém.

Though both are impressive from the outside, you can pick up a combined ticket to see their inner workings for just €12 (R175), which seems like a bargain given the gravity and beauty of the two structures. Time it exceptionally well (as in, on the first Sunday of the month) and you’ll get in for free.

Jerónimos Monastery; Padrão dos Descobrimentos; and the fishing village of Cascais

The train to Cascais

I caught another good view of the bridge and the statue of Christ from the night before from the edge of the river, and then continued west by train. There are several quaint towns and beaches to dip in and out of as you travel due west from the capital, but the train terminated in the fishing village of Cascais, so I set that as my target.

Aside from a life-size John Lennon statue perched on a bench, who I learnt with a start was actually alive and mimed famous Beatles tracks whenever a willing tourist dropped some coins into his hat (and there were plenty), a quaint harbour laden with fishing nets, and a largely unoccupied temporary theme park seemingly left over from the peak season, there wasn’t much more to do in Cascais than sit on the steps above the water and watch the sun slowly slip into the Atlantic.

When darkness fell over the small village shortly after, and an icy breeze whipped in across the waters, I stood up silently, ambled to the station and caught a train all the way back to the centre of Lisbon, completing a day that cost just a handful of Euros.

The best of Lisbon’s nightlife

Later that evening, in the interests of research, I slipped on jeans and a creased shirt and ventured into the night. It is, after all, seemingly impossible to speak to anyone who’s been to Lisbon and not hear endless tales about epic nights on the town, regardless of age or propensity to party.

Rua Nova do Carvalho offers the best and worst of the city’s nightlife. In its early days it served as an alcoholic and sexual refreshment station for weary sailors arriving at the nearby port. So to reflect on the glory days of the district I had a few beers in one-time brothel, now hip and happening bar, Pensão Amor.

Slightly higher up, in both stature and geographically, is one of the best bar-based views of the city at aptly named Park. It’s situated on the top level of an otherwise bland, multi-level urine-stained parking garage and is suitably difficult to find but worth all the effort. On the top floor you can mingle with well-heeled hipsters as you watch the sun set, or, in my case, the city lights twinkling, all set to relaxing tunes spun by the painfully hip DJ inside.

Lisbon’s Bairro Alto is still one of the city’s social focal points. This relaxed, youthful heart of the city bustles from first dark, but no-nonsense owners start sweeping lingering crowds out around 2am. At this point, those determined to make it to sunrise disperse to find a club willing to accept them in their sorry state, of which there are always many, while the rest of us trundled down the hill back home.

Of course, if you’re looking for an altogether more sombre and traditional nightlife affair, there are several Fado bars at which to let it all hang out. Emotionally, that is. This traditional form of music may have lost favour with the younger generation, but it’s as popular as ever with Euro laden tourists who go with the aim of getting a glimpse of Portuguese culture. Not me, though. I opted for what I deemed an altogether more cost-effective and authentic modern day Lisbon experience – sipping a beer out of a plastic cup while sitting on a sticky windowsill in some dive bar I’d struggle to find again, not that I’d ever really want to, until the owner told me it was time to keep moving.

Exploring Lisbon on foot, for free

The next day I tagged along on a free walking tour in an attempt to shake off the hangover and put some context to my until-then aimless rambling through the streets. There are several companies offering free walking tours in various parts of the city, and they’ll only cost you as much as you think they’re worth.

A passionate and informative guide walked me and a handful of other bleary-eyed tourists through the fascinating Alfama. It’s the city’s oldest district, and is packed full of winding alleyways and suitably intriguing charm – passers-by shouting up to second floor windows, elderly women leaning over balconies eyeing out the passing parade, ownerless dogs navigating cobble-stoned streets, and small groups of school boys eagerly swarming around footballs in the small open squares. Considering the guide showed us all this, some of the city’s best views, and spun them together with polite anecdotes for just the fiver I had in my pocket, I considered it an afternoon exceptionally well spent.

Walking through Lisbon’s Alfama district

Day trips from Lisbon

When you consider just how much there is to soak up in Lisbon and its immediate surrounds, and how vicious its hangouts are rumoured to be, it’s alarming how many day trips there are that also garner rave reviews. On the insistence of another receptionist I spent my last day in Lisbon outside of the capital – in the otherworldly playground that is Sintra.

The fairytale land of Sintra.

 
Sintra is a nearby municipality famed for castles, ruins, mansions, museums, manicured gardens and all-inclusive circular bus routes. It’s by far the most popular day trip from Lisbon and runs very close to my definition of a tourist trap, but the sheer mythical beauty of the place is enough to justify most of the exorbitant entrance fees.

“Don’t aim to do everything,” said Renate, the helpful Portuguese receptionist by daytime generous in-house bartender at night. “You’ll never cope.” She struck me as someone who could always cope, so in spite of the free beers she was supplying me with at the time I’d listened intently as she pulled out a blank sheet of paper and outlined the must-see highlights and how to navigate between them.

There are regular trains from Lisbon to Sintra that cost just over €4 (R58) for a 40-minute each way round trip. Once there, you can pick up a round-trip ticket for the tourist bus that will get you to most attractions in hop-on, hop-off style for €5 (R73).

The first stop Renate had written on my list was Quinta da Regaleira – a stunning 20^th century residence and garden that feels like it may well have been designed by Lewis Caroll. In the garden I followed precarious stepping-stones across an algae covered pond, which lead me deep into a network of dark tunnels illuminated only by distant sunlight or the occasional string of fairy lights. Just as I thought I’d walked too far into a never ending network of dark tunnels, I stumbled into a circular patch of sunlight at the bottom of an inverted tower that reached all the way back up to the surface via a spiral staircase.

I could have spent the better half of the day living out the plot of an 1800s fantasy novel in those gardens and summer houses. Time was of the essence, though, and Renate had instructed me that the golden rule to Sintra is to keep moving, and to always take the bus.

So, tempted as I was to trek to the next attraction, I hopped on the Sintra Tourist Bus. It whisked me up a steep switchback road all the way to Pena Palace. This multi-coloured structure sits high on the hills of Sintra, and would be worth the €11 (R160) entrance fee for the views of Sintra, Lisbon and its picturesque surrounds alone. But for that price you also get to explore the vast grounds, castle and walk select hallways of this one-time home of King Ferdinand II.

Sintra’s Pena Palace

Even though I’d taken all the advice and limited my visits to just the two attractions, I quickly ran out of time in Sintra and had to beat a hasty retreat back to Lisbon on the evening train.

I found Renate pulling pints and preparing for another night of typical Lisbonian partying at the downstairs bar. In spite of my weary legs, and the fact that I was boarding a budget flight to Rome early the next morning, she insisted I tell her just how right she was about Sintra. So in a decision I was to regret at 6am the next morning, I pulled up a bar stool, accepted the first of several beers slid across the counter in a plastic cup, and reflected nostalgically on my stay in one of Europe’s most captivating capitals.