A trip down the Garden Route is a Capetonian favorite, taking one to the popular coastal towns of Plettenberg Bay, Knysna, Wilderness, Mossel Bay and more.
Now TimeOut has included it in its list of 11 ‘most breathtakingly beautiful road trips around the world’, a fantastic accolade for tourism in the Cape. Continue reading →
Germany has announced that it is removing South Africa and its neighbouring countries from its ‘Virus Variant area’ classification from tomorrow 4 January, after having slapped a travel ban onto our region on Black Friday 26 November, the date on which our country’s scientists shared with the rest of the world the discovery of the new Omicron Virus Variant.
Now classified as a ‘High Risk Area’, tourists to our country and local residents may enter Germany without a quarantine period in Germany, on condition that they have proof that they have been vaccinated twice, or have recovered from the disease. A 72 hour negative PCR test Continue reading →
President Biden announced earlier this week by proclamation that the USA will lift its ban on travel into the USA from South Africa and its neighbouring countries from tomorrow, reports News24.
South Africa and its neighbours were banned by numerous countries after its scientists shared the detection of the new Omicron variant at the end of November.
The USA follows the UK, Australia, and a handful of other countries which have lifted their travel bans instituted against Southern Africa almost world-wide at the end of November. The European Union and Germany in particular are still holding back on lifting their travel bans.
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Welcome news on the Day of Reconciliation is that the NCCC has decided to keep the country at Level 1, despite vastly increasing Omicron variant Corona Virus cases, but it is the low numbers of hospitalizations and deaths that have allowed the current status quo.
The local news today follows the welcome news from the UK government two days ago that it was dropping eleven countries from its Red List, including South Continue reading →
The winners of the South African leg of the 2022 Great Wine Capitals have just been announced by Wesgro. Two wine estates won in two categories each.
Added to the local Awards are Tourism Ambassador Awards, not an official category in the Great Wine Capitals Global Network annual awards, but added to the South African awards only.
South Africa is one of 11 wine-producing regions of the Great Wine Capitals network. The regions are Adelaide in Australia, Bilbao and Rioja in Spain, Bordeaux in France, Cape Town and Cape Winelands in South Africa, Lausanne in Switzerland, Mainz and Rheinhessen in Germany, Mendoza in Argentina, Porto in Portugal, San Francisco and Napa Valley in the USA, Valparaiso and Casablanca Valley in Chile, and Verona in Italy. Awards are presented annually in a number of categories pertaining to Best of Wine Tourism.
The 2022 winners of the South African Great Wine Capitals Global Network Best of Wine Tourism Awards are the following:
# Accommodation: Delaire Graff in Stellenbosch – the accommodation offers opulence, views of the Banhoek Valley, a relaxing stay, a private patio, and a pillow menu.
#. Wine Tourism Restaurants : Creation in Hermanus – wine is paired to food, instead of the other way around at Creation, its latest pairing being a Canapé Pairing Menu. It also offers a Brunch Pairing, a Wine and Chocolate Pairing as well as an aromatic tea and food pairing.
#. Architecture & Landscape: Vergelegen in Somerset West – recognised for its Octagonal
Garden, the Camphor Forest, the Reflection Garden, the Sundial Garden, and the Fynbos Garden.
#. Arts & Culture : La Motte in Franschhoek – recognised for its history and curated art shows, and Cape Dutch architecture.
# Innovative Wine Tourism Experiences : Babylonstoren in Franschhoek – recognised for its wine tasting offered to visitors arriving with the Franschhoek Wine Tram, going on a cellar tour, and visit the new wine tunnel, representing centuries of wine making and storage.
#. Wine Tourism Services : Creation in Hermanus – recognised for their Voormanhuis accommodation, local art, commitment to sustainability, and sourcing locally.
# Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices : Vergelegen in Somerset West – recognised for the 20 year journey of its commitment to sustainability and rehabilitation, presented as an Environmental Tour to visitors. It is self-sufficient in water, and the meat and seafood used in its restaurants are locally sourced and ethically raised.
# Ambassador Awards, celebrating ongoing Transformation: AA Badenhorst, Paardenkloof Estate, and Dewetshof Estate.
Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein, My Cape Town Guide/Mein Kapstadt Guide Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein @MyCapeTownGuide
Restaurant Klein JAN is going from strength to strength, which is no surprise, given that it is owned by Restaurateur and Chef Jan-Hendrik van der Westhuizen. What is a surprise is that it is in the Kalahari Desert on Tswalu Private Game Reserve, miles away from anywhere.
Now Restaurant Klein JAN has received a new accolade, not for its cooking but for its beauty, being one of two South African restaurants making the 2021 Conde Nast Traveller Most Beautiful Restaurants in the World List, out of 39 restaurants in total, and accompanied by Wolfgat in Paternoster. Continue reading →
Yesterday Getaway magazine shared that Camps Bay Beach is one of the World’s Most Beautiful Beaches, according to American Travel publication Travel & Leisure.
The Travel publication described our Beach as follows: ‘Truly beautiful beaches tend to be remote-island destinations far from the urban buzz. A big exception is Camps Bay Beach, right in vibrant Cape Town’.
Camps Bay Beach rubs shoulders with 24 other beaches around the world, including Elafonissi Beach in Greece, Baia do Sancho in Brazil, Le Morne in Mauritius, Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro, Clearwater Beach in Florida, Sotavento Beach in Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands, Hanele Bay in Kauai in Hawaii, Nungwi Beach in Tanzania, Anse Source D’Agent, La Digue Island in the Seychelles, Shark Creek Beach in the Bahamas, Whitehaven Beach on Whitsundays Island in Australia, Praia de Marina in The Algarve in Portugal, and Scala dei Turchi in Sicily.
I’m very proud of my home suburb, and that I have made it my missi9n to keep the Camps Bay Beachfront clean and free of litter!
Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.whaletalesblog.com www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein @MyCapeTownGuide
The results of the 2021 Great Wine Capitals’ Best of Wine Tourism Awards have just been announced, not only the best Winery per country, but also the winners in a number of categories in each of six countries in the Great Wine Capitals Global Network. Creation Wines in the Hemel en Aarde Valley has done our country proud by winning the Country Award for South Africa. The wine estate also won the South African award in the Innovative Wine Experience category. Continue reading →
A long list of 60 countries has been red-listed for non-Business Leisure Tourism to South Africa as of tomorrow, a list that the Government will update fortnightly, it was announced by International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor this afternoon. Sadly for our Tourism industry, Tourists from our larger source markets, namely the UK, USA, France, Holland, India, Portugal, and Switzerland will not be allowed to enter our country currently. Good news for me personally is that Tourists from Germany will be allowed to visit South Africa. All visitors from African countries are welcome to visit South Africa, as are those from Asia, and from Australia and New Zealand.
A number of errors were made in the Government’s list initially, admitted to and apologised for by the Department of Home Affairs!
There is only one way to get back to South Africa from South America, and that is from São Paulo in Brazil. I decided to grant myself a little rest break in Rio de Janeiro, while I was in the country, rather than visit São Paulo, at the end of a three-month trip in Cuba and in South America. I visited the top tourist attractions and restaurants in this city. Continue reading →