South Africa Blog

The SouthAfricaBlog.co.za is open for spreading the good news about South Africa as a world class destination. The South Africa Blog is for anyone who has an interest in promoting South Africa - Travel Web Sites and Portals, Tour Companies, Hotels, Establishments Owners, Independent Travellers - anyone who has a newsworthy story or article they would like to share including new web site announcements etc. (And promote your business at the same time!).

Articles should be related to festivals, events, entertainment and travel in and to South Africa or be of general interest to local travellers. We welcome all articles related to adventure activities, sporting events, exploring the country, upcoming events, places to see, people to meet… what’s hot and happening in our cities. As long as it is about South Africa, we will publish it!

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Current Travel News from SA-Venues.com Travel News

South Africa Travel News
Travel News from South Africa by SA-Venues.com

Dassiesfontein on the N2 – if you visit one farmstall…
Dassiesfontein Dassiesfontein is a smorgasbord of THINGS. We’re talking room after room of this and that – from antique furniture through kitchen plates, clothing and shoes, to Victorian fireplaces. The venue is a veritable collector’s dream of kitsch and paraphenalia, so set aside at least an hour for your stop at this farmstall. We piled out of the car, now desperate for a breather, to stretch legs and maybe pick up a quick munch while we were at it. Immediately I sense that...

September Special Offers
Antoinette's It is almost September which means it’s probably your last chance to take advantage of the winter specials that are happening all around the country, so why not take a look at a few of the specials you can make use of this September? If these specials aren’t enough for you or you are looking for a special in a specific region then you can find more specials in our specials section. Enjoy your South African heritage this September by visiting parts of the country you haven’t...
The SA-Venues.com Blog is an SA Blog Awards Finalist!
SA-Venues Blog in Top 10 We are incredibly proud and excited that the SA-Venues.com Blog has made it into the finalists of the Top 10 Travel Blogs in South Africa. Having looked at the other 9 Top 10 Finalists, we are humbled to have made it into the top 10 as all the blogs in this category are all of a very high standard. Notably, amongst the nominees, is the blog run by South Africa’s most popular Travel Magazine (all that yummy content written by professional and very experienced...
Getting married in the Cape? Then the Banhoek Experience in the Winelands is for you
Banhoek Experience Calling all brides-to-be … If you are planning a wedding in the Western Cape, this is for you! The Banhoek Bridal Experience to be held on the 6th November 2010 at the MolenVliet Wine and Guest Estate and Zorgvliet Wine Estates, promises to be a boiling pot of creativity, with a bubbly vibe and a French street atmosphere. By keeping it exclusive, inviting only the most elite of service providers, Cape Town brides-to-be will be able to meet and consult with the...
I ♥ Lakeside because…
I ♥ Lakeside Hi, our names are Helen and Lyall from Rushton Plumbers in Lakeside which is located on the False Bay coast in Cape Town. Lakeside IS BEST KNOWN FOR … the wetlands and vlei – a bird watchers and paddler’s paradise! As you enter Lakeside, the Zandvlei trust has established a pavement garden that has not been without blooms since it was planted, and which indicates the edge of the wetlands. A quiet pathway passes a pond and there is a bench that overlooks the lovely Nature...
‘Dick and I’ at Theatre on The Bay
'Dick and I' If you are on the Theatre on the Bay’s mailing list (like I am) then you are in for a treat.  They are currently offering discounted rates (online bookings only) for their production of ‘Dick and I’. Based very very loosely on Shakespeare’s Tragedy of Richard the Third, Dick and I was first performed by Alan Committie back in 1998 and he now returns to the revised, updated text with additional humorous bits!  Although in the past Dick and I has been a one man show, the...
Whale watching at De Hoop
Whales at De Hoop Yes, Hermanus is a wonderful place to go and view the whales. That is, if you don’t mind sharing it with thousands of other people, a festival or two, and fun fair rides right on the edge of the cliff overlooking the bay where the whales come to calve. It is true that you can’t beat the town’s accessibility – it is really close to Cape Town – and as far as land-based whale viewing goes, it is undeniably one of the best. But I can’t help thinking...
Mamma Mia at Artscape Theatre in Cape Town – a review
My gran has been down from Johannesburg visiting and since my mom and I love the theatre we thought it would be a great treat to take gran to watch Mamma Mia. It was a Thursday evening and the air had a crisp bite to it, off I went to my parent’s house to fetch my mom, gran and my parent’s elderly next door neighbour for a slightly different girl’s night to what I am used to … We decided to leave quite early in order to make sure we could get there in time and didn’t need to rush the...
Thriller Concert Spectacular at Grand West in Cape Town
Michael Jackson may be “gone too soon” but his timeless music lives on forever in Thriller Live, a multi-media concert-styled celebration of the music and life of the legendary “king of pop” and the famous Jackson 5. Presented by Showtime Management and 94.5 Kfm, direct from London’s West End, Thriller Live brings the distinctive dancing and sound of many of pop music’s greatest hits to life in Johannesburg and Cape Town for limited seasons … On Thursday, 09 September 2010, this...
Mundo Vida in Umdloti – a review
Mundo Vida I spent part of the recent long weekend on the Dolphin Coast of KwaZulu Natal and had lunch on Saturday at a new eatery, Mundo Vida in Umdloti.  The theme of the restaurant is ‘world food’ and the menu ranges from a Vietnamese starter platter to steamed langoustines.  Game dishes and good old classics like pork belly are also served, as are Thai dishes like pad thai. We had booked a table on the large, covered deck and the views from here are beautiful.  Mundo Vida is a spit away...
Weekly Sports Wrap, South African sports news – 31 August
Chiliboy Ralepelle Shaky Boks prevail in nine-try thriller The Springboks fought back from a four-point deficit at half time to defeat Australia 44-31 in a tense Vodacom Tri-Nations encounter at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday night. The Boks were pushed all the way by the Wallabies in an entertaining match which yielded nine tries – five of them going to the men in green. Right-wing JP Pietersen sealed victory for the Boks with a well-taken try after the Wallabies were only six points adrift...
De Hoop – three hours up the coast, friend to whales …
De Hoop is filled with such rich biodiversity and rare species of fynbos that it is part of a World Heritage Site. All around you are proteas, ericas, restios and heather – in full bloom. The exuberance of colour in the dying sunlight – for we only reached the gate at the ...
The Summer of Love at Barnyard Theatre in Menlyn
September 1st is Secretaries’ Day and the Barnyard Theatre in Menlyn has a treat in store; tickets for their production of The Summer of Love for a bargain price of R135 per person.  The performance is at 1pm so an ideal time to take a half day (it is Secretaries’ Day after all) and enjoy lunch and an afternoon off! The release of the Beatles Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band marked the beginning of the 1967 Summer of Love and it ended with the now famous Woodstock Music Festival in the...
Discover a world of tastes and flavours at the Good Food & Wine Show Gauteng
Diarise 23-26 September now for the Spring Good Food & Wine Show at the Coca-Cola Dome in Randburg and discover a world of tastes and flavours. Experience new products and see the latest global food and lifestyle trends. Cook with the top celebrity chefs in the world at the hands-on workshops, and watch them in action at the Chefs in Action Theatre, cooking their signature dishes. The fabulous line-up of international celebrity chefs would whet anyone’s appetite: James Martin star of the...
Breakfast at Cafeen in Harfield Village, Cape Town
Cafeen I often drive past this little place on Third Avenue in Harfield Village but I haven’t yet had the chance to go in and experience it. There are always lots of cars parked outside and on a Saturday morning it looks filled to bursting with people, which is always a good sign. Last Sunday I met up with two old friends from varsity days, we had all decided that it had been to long and we needed a good old catch up of the L.G’s. So off to Cafeen it was. Thank goodness Tash had the...
Events in September
Gariep Kunstefees September brings with it the start of spring and although we haven’t had much rain this winter I am looking forward to the beauty that spring brings with her. Flowers, blossoms and a host of fun activities and events are taking place all around the country. Don’t just sit on the couch this month, make sure you get up and get going with one or more of the events this September. Don’t forget to make use of Friday 24, it’s a public holiday and quite a special one at that –...
Win a copy of Berried Treasures, South Africa’s first cookbook devoted to berries
Enter to win ... Win a copy of Berried Treasures, South Africa’s first cookbook devoted to berries! This is South Africa’s first berry cookbook dedicated to food and berry-lovers everywhere! Filled with a generous reflection of Hillcrest Berry Orchards’ irresistible recipes, complete with pearls of wisdom about growing, harvesting and enjoying youngberries, raspberries, tayberries, blueberries, gooseberries, black and red currants and much more … Myrna Robins pens the Foreword and tells...
The Gravity Adventure Festival – a weekend of adventure
Kogelberg Reserve This past weekend I left work and headed straight to a friends house to pick her up and off we headed to Betty’s Bay for a weekend of adventure. Arriving in the dark we eventually found the turn off to the driveway and in we went to our supposedly ‘haunted house’. Although we never encountered said ghost (fondly named Emily) she was frequently the topic of the weekend’s discussions and often took the blame for missing things or eaten food! Besides going for a...
Good Hope Nursery – at which we do a succulent walk, almost have tea and find rare plants
Good Hope Nursery This is a gorgeous part of Cape Town. In fact, it hardly feels like Cape Town at all and in a sense it isn’t, if you consider that it’s right on the peninsular and as far from the City Bowl as you can get and still be somewhere close to a suburb. Not that those who live in Scarborough consider their village a suburb. Good Hope Nursery isn’t just any nursery. Kudos to this crowd who have been around for the past 20 years at least – they lead the way in...
Absolute 80’s Spring Day at Broadacres Barnyard Theatre
Absolute 80's September 1st traditionally marks the beginning of spring (whether the weather plays along is another story entirely) but the Broadacres Barnyard Theatre is definitely playing along with their Absolute 80’s Spring Day R80 Special, including a free welcome drink!  That’s practically giving it away! What could be better than an evening of 80’s music?  Absolute ‘80’s takes the theme of a school reunion with the school head mistress guiding the audience of their trip down an...
Knead in Muizenberg
Knead Bakery I had read about a gorgeous place for breakfast and coffee in Muizenberg so we set aside an hour or two on Saturday morning only to find it only opened at 10am and with it being 9.10am we were forced to abandon that place and opted instead for Knead.  What a bonus that was!  I knew Knead made good breads and I was aware of the fact that one could get a pizza there but I was not aware of just how lovely it was! The Knead in Muizenberg is slap bang next door to the Empire Building...
Struisbaai or Blue Lagoon?
Struisbaai I have a very fond memory of swimming in a lagoon ten years ago. Not only found because I was ten years younger but also because the surrounding were so exquisite. Basically it was like being in The Blue Lagoon. Ten years later I may have changed, but the Blue Lagoon hasn’t. It’s real name is Struisbaai and it’s well known for the longest continuous stretch of white sand coastline in the Southern Hemisphere. It’s also only ten minutes from Cape Agulhas, the southernmost tip of...
Barge Cruise on the River at Mofam Farm
Mofam Farm During my stay at the Old Mac Daddy we were treated to a river barge cruise at nearby Mofam Farm, which is both accommodation and a ski school. The photographs speak for themselves as the water was crystal clear and reflected the surroundings with mirror-like quality. On board with us were the resident hounds of Mofam Dolce and Gabana two Labradors who thoroughly enjoy this water adventure. We were also treated to some wine and snacks, the snacks were devoured as there was a large...
The Rooi Granaat in Loxton
Die Rooi Granaat My brother and I recently spent a Sunday night in the tiny Karoo town of Loxton.  I’d done a bit of reading and vaguely remembered that nothing was open from Saturday lunch time to Monday morning (thank goodness we’d stopped in Senekal for lamb chops) but how right I was; absolutely nothing was open for those 18 hours – it was so quiet that it was actually eerie. Apart from the beautiful church there doesn’t appear to be much in this pretty, well kept, neat...
Cape Farmhouse Restaurant in Scarborough – a must for weekend lunch
Cape Farmhouse If you’re after that ‘on a farm’ feeling, surrounded by mountains, fynbos and not much else, without having to put in the miles to get there, then this one’s for you. The perfect views from the front verandah of the 250-year old farmhouse, the gorgeous under-grapevine front stoep, and the none-too-shabby food combine to make this a more than worthy family outing. Admittedly, if you live in the southern suburbs getting to the Cape Farmhouse Restaurant is...
A grand Old Mac Daddy time in Elgin
Old Mac Daddy The weather was divine. It was a beautiful winters day, with rays of sun tickling your skin with warmth while leaving the sky clear and beautiful, when I left the hustle and bustle of the city and in just over an hour’s drive and a dirt road later I saw before me glistening Airstream trailers nestled into the hillside … We had arrived at the Old Mac Daddy in the Elgin Valley. Our first port of call was to sit and relax on the deck to enjoy one another’s company and soak in...
The Horse and Mill in Colesberg
The Horse & Mill The Horse and Mill in Colesberg is a perfect local pub and probably one of the only pubs in the town. Dinner was served at our accommodation in Colesberg (the fabulous Kuilfontein Stable Cottages) on a recent stop in Colesberg, but my brother has driven the Cape Town to Johannesburg route numerous times and when doing so has overnighted in Colesberg and is now familiar with The Horse and Mill and wanted to introduce me to it … There is a seperate bar and restaurant...
South African Sports News – 24 August
John Smit Late try burst sinks courageous Boks Late tries from skipper Richie McCaw and wing Israel Dagg condemned South Africa to a heartbreaking 29-22 defeat against New Zealand at the FNB Stadium in Soweto on Saturday night. The All Blacks’ win secured them the 2010 Vodacom Tri-Nations title and sent the Springboks, who have not been able to win a match in the competition thus far, into the throes of depression. With New Zealand trailing 22-17 with just two and a half minutes remaining...
Jou ma se goema
Mac McKenzie A friend of mine shared a video about goema recently on Facebook. Since I don’t have a clue what goema is, my interest was more than a little piqued. Mostly because this particular friend of mine has introduced me to the sounds of Cape Town jazz in her own way. Her house, up until recently, was a one-stop-shop for Cape Town musicians who used her lounge for jamming sessions, and any occasion that warranted it (and a fair number of those that didn’t) would find her...
Kleinmond for history buffs and outdoor enthusiasts
Kleinmond About an hours drive from Cape Town, along the picturesque drive of the R44 is the little town of Kleinmond. Sitting between the jagged Palmiet mountain range and the Atlantic Ocean, this peaceful coastal town lies within the unique Kogelberg biosphere reserve boasting over 1600 species of indigenous plants. Although traditionally a retirement village, when holiday season hits, the town becomes ablaze with activity. With its gorgeous beaches; tranquil lagoon; fantastic hikes and...
Rock on Beethoven at Barnyard in Tygervalley
One of my gym instructors mentioned he was performing in Rock on Beethoven at the Willowbridge Barnyard Theatre in Tygervalley so I thought I would find out a bit more about it.  Rock on Beethoven is the sequel to the wonderfully popular Roll over Beethoven.  Roll over Beethoven is the longest running and most successful Barnyard Shows, which, when it ended had been watched by over 500 000 people! Rock on Beethoven is a comedy; Ludwig von Beethoven comes back to life and analyses modern day...
Scaling Steenberg Peak – a 2.5 hour circular route at Silvermine
Scaling Steenberg I must be honest and admit that we did this hike in reverse. Well, not exactly reverse, but we opted for the clockwise direction, whilst the hike, when you take the time to read the description, actually recommends that you take the anti-clockwise route in order to the avoid the rather obvious uphill slog to Wolfkop – ‘The anti-clockwise direction avoids a long slog up the Wolfkop steps’. But hey, all things being equal, we felt we got a good deal from our hike....
Lekgowa by Tony Harding – Book Review
Lekgowa stands alongside Antjie Krog’s recent text, Begging to be Black, as a powerful contribution to the complex and fraught discourse about identity in the ‘new’ South Africa.  At the same time, the text’s intensely personal nature makes the challenges it poses to received ideas accessible and direct.  It will certainly appeal to any adult, thinking member of South African society, particularly descendants of the original colonizers who are currently embroiled in political change and...
Rosendal – the “new” Clarens?
Rosendal, Free State I’d heard that Rosendal is the “next” Clarens and seeing as we were en route from Ficksburg to Clarens and Rosendal is only a teeny bit off track we used this as our opportunity to pop in and see the village for ourselves.  One is greeted by a fairly large ‘map’ of Rosendal when arriving but to be honest we drove down a dusty track and thought to ourselves ‘what the heck is all the fuss about’ – in fact we couldn’t even find a shop of any kind!  We...
Win a Break at the Hartbeespoort Dam
WIN a romantic 5-night midweek break for 2 at the 4-star graded Cocomo Guesthouse and Conference Centre at the Hartbeespoort Dam, in the North West Province of South Africa. The peace of the hills and valleys surrounding the dam and the charm of the surrounding countryside, make this a place to restore the soul. Cocomo Guesthouse is an elite, upmarket and contemporary styled guesthouse and conference centre, offering high quality personalized and individual service. Each room has its own...
Cape Town & Western Cape Markets – When & Where to find them
Earth Fair Market I’m a big fan of a food market and have decided to try and make more of a concerted effort to purchase fresh vegetables, bread, flowers and in some cases even meat and fish from our local market (the thoroughly divine Earth Fair Market in Tokai). I popped in for the markets 1st birthday on Saturday and bought our weekly veges; two aubergines (one of them the size of a semi deflated rugby ball!), a bunch of leeks, carrots, celery, spinach, courgettes and mushrooms.  All of...
Keep Flying Campaign In Guinness World Attempt
Keep Flying!! The Keep Flying initiative – together with initiator Draftfcb South Africa, Vodacom, the International Marketing Council of South Africa, Lead SA & SuperSport – will attempt to set a new world record at the Springbok-All Blacks Trinations clash on Saturday August 21 at FNB Stadium in Soweto. The record attempt – 90 000 South African flags in one venue at one time – has been lodged with Guinness World Records, the ultimate authority on record-breaking achievement...
Winner 2 Nights for 8 People at the Luxurious 5-Star Graded Addo Afrique Estate
CONGRATULATIONS to Gaynor Daniels of South Africa who has won a 2 night stay for up to 8 people at Addo Afrique Estate private game reserve, located in the malaria-free Greater Addo area of the Eastern Cape, overlooking the Addo Elephant National Park. The prize includes self catering accommodation for up to 8 people sharing for 2 consecutive nights at Addo Afrique Elephant Lodge, and butler service. Gaynor, your voucher is on its way. Please contact Addo Afrique Elephant Lodge to...
Kogelberg Nature Reserve – world’s greatest biodiversity hot-spot?
Kogelberg Reserve Just outside Kleinmond, about an hours drive from Cape Town, is the Kogelberg Nature Reserve. Lying within the southern stretch of the Hottentots Holland mountain range, this reserve has remained secluded and unspoilt. With high mountain summits, sharp kloofs, valleys and numerous tributaries of the beautiful Palmiet River, the Kogelberg Nature Reserve will enthrall even the most intrepid traveller with its remote wilderness. Home to over 1654 plant species, the Kogelberg...
‘Music in the City’ concert at UCT’s Hiddingh Campus on 22nd August
If you have a few hours free on Sunday and are in the mood for a bit of culture make your way to UCT’s Hiddingh Campus for ‘Music in the City’ with David Earl and the Odeion Quartet. This will be the University of Cape Towns Gordon Institute for Performing and Creative Arts second Music in the City concert and features the Stellenbosch–born, internationally renowned pianist and composer David Earl, guest cellist Marian Lewin and the Odeion Quartet. Mr Earl who studied at Trinity College of...