Author: Desiree Haakonsen

Cooking tours in the Karoo offer culinary adventures for travellers to feed their inner-foodie and learn about the region’s history and traditions. Karoo lamb, fruit preserves, and baked goods immediately spring to mind when we talk about traditional Karoo foods. But there is a world of other Karoo delicacies like Skilpadjies (braaied fat parcels of […]

It only takes 7 basic colours to make a rainbow. So with 11 official languages, each granted equal status by our Constitution, it’s easy to understand why South Africa is fondly known as the “Rainbow Nation”. With so many beautiful shades, our cultural and ethnic diversity is so rich that often we as South African […]

In a recent review of Knysna Hollow Restaurant I raved about their blue cheese and chive mash that came with the rib-eye steak. It may sound like a silly little dish to rave about, but it really added a great twist to the meal and I even went as far as saying how “I’d love […]

While honeymoons are justifiable splurged upon, who has the time or money to disappear to a tropical island for a week or two of romantic revelry more than once in their lives?! More frequent “minimoons” are the latest trend in romantic getaways; short, secluded, affordable, closer-to-home vacations to celebrate engagements, anniversaries, milestones, or simply reconnect […]

Slackpacking is the luxury-lover’s answer to backpacking hiking trails. Forget about cumbersome, tightly-crammed rucksacks, sleepless nights camping on rough ground, and eating dried food from zip-lock bags. The new slackpacking Chokka Trail in South Africa’s Greater St Francis region (Eastern Cape) is fully catered and includes bed and breakfast, packed lunches, dinner at the various […]

September is National Tourism Month in South Africa. It’s more than simply trying to get bums into hotel beds; it’s about having fun and exploring, while focussing on what makes our country a worthwhile destination to do that in. South Africa is incredibly blessed when it comes to natural attractions. We have everything from sky […]

Toss the pencil and grab a pen. Get out your diary. Turn the pages to the weekend of 30 November – 1 December 2013. Now save the date for the Franschhoek Cap Classique & Champagne Festival, because you won’t want to do anything other than celebrate “the magic of bubbles” on the lawns of Franschhoek’s […]

UPDATE: SANParks Week 2015 is taking place from Monday, 14 September 2015  until Friday, 18 September 2015.  Click here for individual park details. Spring has sprung! Like fireworks, flowers are shooting up and transforming monochrome landscapes into a blaze of colour. South African National Parks (SANParks) is giving you the perfect chance to go wild and see them […]