Tag: tourism

Insiders View on South Africa

Pieter Erasmus,  Johannesburg


South Africa is home to a wide array of vibrant, rich cultures, each with their own deep history. The South African landscape is as beautiful as it is diverse. It has an endless abundance of natural wonders – mountains, forests, rock formations, beaches, deserts and various other geological features.

One little-known fact/trivia that everyone should know about when travelling to South Africa?

People sometimes forget that after many years of isolation it is only in the last 20 years or so that tourism has become a viable industry in South Africa. With this South Africans are still fascinated by people from other countries and there is a real interest to talk to people and find out about their cultures and countries. This makes South Africa a very warm and welcoming place to visit.

What is a must buy when in this region?

If I had to narrow it down, then I would say wine. We produce world class quality wine and at a very affordable price. Wine culture in South Africa is very accessible and not “snobbish” so it’s easy to buy good quality wine.

What is your advice to first-time travellers?

Hmmm. Come hungry! We are notorious for our food portions so you will probably leave the country a couple of kilograms heavier.

One thing to definitely pack when travelling to this region?

Sunglasses. South Africa has one of the highest percentages of sunny days per annum of any country in the world.

One activity anyone travelling to this region should not miss.

Africa = safari. So a good safari experience is not too be missed. There are many options but a proper 48-hour stay at a good private game lodge is not too be missed. Unlike some of the other African countries, safari in South Africa is accessible and the infrastructure around the lodges is excellent.

Where should anyone, travelling to this region, definitely get their picture taken?

Difficult one because there are so many spots. Most people, however, will take a picture at the Cape of Good Hope and specifically the most South-Westerly point of the African continent.

Which is the best place to get a panoramic photo?

On a clear day from the top of Table Mountain!

The best place to enjoy sunset/sunrise?

Nothing beats the sunset/sunrise in the African bush. Luckily staying at a safari lodge you will be out on safari during both these events so you won’t miss out!

The most romantic place to take a special someone to.

Franschhoek in the Cape Winelands is a beautiful small town that oozes romance. Lovely small boutique hotels and guesthouses and some of the best restaurants in the country to enjoy a romantic dinner.

The best place to have local food?

I love the African dinner experience at Gold Restaurant in Cape Town. More than just dinner it is an evening of African music, storytelling and food.

Your favourite local dish and drink that you would recommend.

For the sweet tooth, a local delegacy is called a Koeksister. Knotted dough deep fried and soaked in syrup. South Africans can have a 10-minute conversation about their favourite type of koeksister!
A favourite non-alcoholic drink is Appetizer, a sparkling apple juice which most people enjoy.

One place only the locals would know.

There are many tourist towns along the Garden Route along the main road like Mossel Bay, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay etc. However, there are some little gems which the locals keep to themselves. Nature’s Valley is a good example, a small coastal enclave with beautiful beaches, mountains and forests.

The best pub and best place to catch up for a drink.

There are some excellent pubs in the city of Cape Town. A personal favourite is called The Village Idiot in Loop Street.
For the non-drinkers, Truth Coffee in Buitenkant Street in Cape Town is widely acclaimed to be the best coffee shop in the world! Try the flat white it’s superb.

A local festival you feel more travellers should come and see.

The annual Knysna Oyster Festival normally takes place at the end of June, beginning of July in Knysna which is outside traditional tourism season for Knysna which is towards the end of the year. Great festival with art, food and some sporting events to participate in.

The things guidebooks will not tell anyone about.

The big turnaround in downtown city of Johannesburg. For years Johannesburg City had a bad reputation around safety, but there are some amazing pockets that are re-developing at an amazing rate like the Maboneng Precinct, Braamfontein etc.
Guidebooks might tell you to avoid Johannesburg City but this is no longer the case!

Is there any particular month you would not recommend travel to this region and what would that reason be?

Not really, South Africa really is all year round destination. Weather is temperate so we don’t have extreme weather or temperature fluctuations.

How would you describe South Africa in one word?

In one sentence, South Africa is Africa “Lite”. Let me explain, South Africa provides a great introduction into the continent of Africa, offering all the experiences people come to Africa for i.e. wildlife, culture etc. but wrapped up in modern, convenient travel experience.
Like a “Lite Beer”, all of the taste, less of the calories…

 

 

Pieter Erasmus,

I am 42 years old and have been in the Tourism Trade for my entire work life.

I love South Africa and I am passionate about sharing this country with the world.

 

Check out our latest package on South Africa 

Places to see in India

By Abhik Dutta

If variety is the spice of life then India surely must rank as one of the most exotic and rare concoctions ever devised by God. In the cultural and historical cauldron that makes India so special, there is unity in diversity – a saying that every child must learn at the history classes in school and one that he will swear by for the rest of his life. During your travels in India, at every step you will be faced by this diversity – in the people, the geography, history, the architecture, the language and the lifestyles of the people.

It is a land that is steeped in history; where every stone has witnessed the passage of time and has a story to tell- of 33,00,00,000 Gods and Goddesses prancing in their playgrounds, of Kings and Queens, brave warriors, faithful stallions, courage and treachery and noble deeds; of freedom fighters and Godmen, sages and saints, preachers and poets –  the list is endless.

It is a land whose parentage can be traced back to more than 3500 years. And since then various dynasties and Kingdoms have shaped its turbulent and checkered history down the ages. It is all still evident in the ruins, monuments, forts, battlefields and palaces that still reverberate with the sound of battle and distant war cries.

Geographically, India has everything that a visitor may seek. From the remote high altitude regions of the high Himalayas to the mesmeric coast that overlooks two seas and an ocean, from the fertile plains of the Gangetic belt to the arid desert in Rajasthan, India has everything. Crisscrossing the length and breadth of the country are rivers, most of which are associated with the many Gods that Indians worship today – the most venerable being the Ganges and the Yamuna. The other great rivers that flow from the Himalayas are the Indus, the five sisters of Punjab- Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej and Beas – the river Teesta that tumbles down Sikkim and the mighty Brahmaputra that flows through the North East bringing both wealth as well as destruction in its wake. In the plains, the other great rivers are the Narmada that originates in Madhya Pradesh, the Cauvery in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and the Mahanadi in Orissa to name a few.

The mesmerising beauty of the Himalayas has over the years attracted sages, explorers and adventurers alike. It is here that the Gods resided and till date this region is associated deeply with religion. The peaks and the passes continue to draw the mountaineer in search of the final climb that will give them ‘moksha’ or liberty. The pilgrims come here each year in search of peace and enlightenment. Exotic and challenging trails draw thousands of trekkers to the Himalayas that swing like a necklace from Kashmir in the West to Arunachal Pradesh in the East. The rivers attract the rafters and kayakers who wish to tame the deadly rapids. Undoubtedly, the Himalayan range is nature’s biggest gift to India. It has a vast coastline and pristine and little known beaches dot the coast. Goan beaches rake in the tourist moolah each year in the beach category alongwith Varkala and Kovalam in Kerala.

The harsh and fascinating desert regions of Rajasthan continue to be one of India’s biggest attractions. Fairy tale fortresses, richly adorned palaces and havelis and eternal love stories of beautiful princesses and brave Kings draw tourists by the thousand every year. There are jungles that reverberate with the roar of the tiger and the lion and no two of them are similar. From Corbett in the North to Periyar in the South, from Gir Forest in Gujarat to Namdhapa in Arunachal Pradesh each of them is distinct climatically, geographically and in the rich diversity of the flora and fauna.

The people of India are diverse and fascinating too. From the Gujjars in the Himalayas who rear their sheep and cattle in the bugyals (high altitude meadows) to the Adi tribe in Arunachal Pradesh, from the santhals of Bengal and Bihar to the fishermen of the Konkan coast, from the friendly Kinnauris of Himachal Pradesh to the fierce and primitive Jarawas of Andaman, each of them is unique. There are sub castes within each caste and inspite of intercaste problems, nowhere is unity in diversity more apparent than in India. The different strains of religions range from Hinduism, Islam, Christianity to Sikhism, Judaism and Zoroastrianism.

Temples, Churches, mosques can be found everywhere and as you roam the length and breadth of the country, you will be amazed to see that a temple in the North is so different from a temple in the South; that the Dilwara temple in Mt Abu has spectacular carvings and yet is so different  from the masterpieces of Khajuraho or the Sun temple at Konarak. The Golden Temple of the Sikhs at Amritsar is beautiful yet different from the lovely Rumtek Monastery of the Buddhists in Sikkim or Sanchi Stupa in Madhya Pradesh.

Great minds from Gautama Buddha to Vivekananda have influenced the cultural and religious unity of India. Great leaders from Chattrapati Shivaji to Mahatma Gandhi have struggled for Independence and fought in their own ways against colonial tyranny. During your travels you will step on their footprints and follow their tracks. At each turn you will face at least a  hundred years of history. You may hate India and despise the filth, poverty and oppressive red tape that will leave you frustrated but once you have experienced India, it is unlikely that you will remain unchanged.

To travel with us click here