Open Streets latest event in South Africa took place on the 25^th May 2013. The ethos behind Open Streets is to promote local community pride transforming streets into areas that people can walk, cycle or even dance freely through. Open Street events now take place all over the world in over 100 cities with the latest one in South Africa held on Lower Main Road, Cape Town.

Along Lower Main Road from Main Road in Observatory to Malta Road in Salt River a diverse group of people of all age groups took part in this predominantly pedestrian event. From 13h00 to 17h00 the road was closed off to motorised traffic allowing people to stroll about, play giant chess, skateboard, walk about on stilts, play street football, do yoga or to get artistically creative on the pavements and tarmac. (more…)

Like much of South Africa the West Coast is just waiting to be explored. Far away from the hustle and bustle of city life the West Coast transports you to a world of endless sandy beaches and pretty villages. Summer days are long here and in Spring the landscape is transformed into a colourful sea of spring flowers. Typically the wildflowers will bloom from August to the end of September.

From Cape Town the best route to take is the R27 coastal route which takes you all the way up to Velddriff but the secret is to stop along the way at the numerous villages to really uncover the beauty of this part of South Africa. Although not as well trodden as the Garden Route the quality of accommodation along the West Coast is excellent with lots of self-catering establishments to choose from. (more…)

Take a lazy stroll down Huguenot Road in Franschhoek and you could be forgiven for thinking you are walking down a street in France. The pretty trees that line the pavements, the small cafes and boutique shops and seemingly slow pace of life all encapsulate life in many villages in France. The Huguenots that landed over three hundred years ago have certainly stamped their mark here. This popular town in the Cape Winelands attracts huge numbers of tourists each year and the tourist office at 68 Huguenot Road is normally buzzing with activity.

At one end of the high street lies the impressive Huguenot Monument but perhaps more impressive are the stunning Franschhoek Mountains which surround the town on three sides. Early in the morning it’s not uncommon to see the clouds falling over the tips of the mountains much like the famous ‘Tablecloth’ of Cape Town’s Table Mountain. (more…)

Here is a list of the Blue Flag status beaches in South Africa. The Western Cape has by far the most with 22 beaches, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 8, the Eastern Cape has 4 and the Northern Cape 1.

South Africa joined the Blue Flag programme 12 years ago and works hard to not only maintain the number of beaches with Blue Flag awards but also to increase the number year on year.

For the first time this year Blue Flags were also awarded to 4 Marinas across South Africa including; Royal Afred Marina in Port Alfred, Yachport in Saldanha, False Bay Yacht Club in Cape Town and Granger Bay Water Club in Cape Town.

Blue Flag beaches are an important aspect in promoting international tourism and many municipalities employ teams of people on a daily basis to clean the beaches of any rubbish or debris. Of course with so much coastline surrounding South Africa there are many beautiful beaches which don’t make the list but are no less worthy of visiting. Chatting to locals and guest house owners when you are on holiday is a great way to discover some of the best beaches to visit.

Namaqualand is a semi-arid region located in South Africa and is mainly known for its array of beautiful flowers in the early spring. The

Namaqualand in bloom in Spring

usually deserted land blooms with orange and white daisies as well as other species of flowers during certain times of the year. Namaqualand is understandably a busy tourist destination in the springtime as many tourists come to see the wildflowers. (more…)