Travel South Africa. Stay at Eco-friendly Gonana Guesthouse in Paternoster

150 kilometres north of Cape Town, on South Africa’s West Coast, you find Paternoster.

Paternoster, an idyllic town with whitewashed houses, gorgeous beaches, fabulous restaurants, pretty galleries and shops, is home to a population of less than 2,000 residents. Locals who have been fishing on the coast for generations make their living from fishing still.

Some believe Paternoster means 'our father'. Surviving shipwrecked sailors sent grateful prayers and hence the believe the town is named after these prayers. Others say it is named after beads, or even after a location in England. Only one thing is for sure, the name debate is ongoing. Paternoster remains a traditional South African fishing village, and its irresistible barefooted charm is strong. The quiet Cape West Coast town turns bustling holiday destination in the summer months, all the way into autumn, and on long weekends.

People in the times of the coronavirus crisis – Eyewitness Suzanne Benadie from Sense of Africa in South Africa

Being the not-so-secret ambassador of South Africa, I feel this natural curiosity for the country. I like to know what South Africans are up to. Suzanne Benadie who lives in Johannesburg has worked in tourism ever since leaving school in 1989. She started her career as a tourist guide. Over the years, her love of nature and conservation areas across Southern Africa grew even stronger. Today, together with travelling, the protection of wildlife and creating sustainability for locals is what she is most passionate about.

People in the times of the coronavirus crisis – Eyewitness Sabine Blehle from GoVacation Africa in South Africa

As we know life is what happens when one is busy making other plans. And life happened. Unexpectedly. Sabine Blehle grew up on a dairy farm in the South of Germany. She finished a degree in tourism and put her skills to good use at the local tourism office. Wanting to see more lead her to South Africa. All the ones who visited South Africa know that the country is the ideal place to gain more experience in tourism. Forever an admirer of the great outdoors, she planned to stay for one year. Today, South Africa has been her home for 23 years. Not shy of pursuing happiness, Sabine worked her way up all the way to the top. She started out as a consultant and is now the CEO for GoVacation Africa, a full service destination management company, specialising in inbound travel. She loves that she can share the love for South Africa with her clients. Sabine Blehle lives in Johannesburg.

Sabine Blehle - Chapman's Peak Drive

 

Bookshops recommend the best novels to transport you to their hometowns

Sitting in a bar by this swimming pool. Sipping espresso. Looking into the far distance. There is loud music playing. This is heaven for all the ones who only like music when played loud. The sky is of a bright big blue, the day is almost too hot. Right next to me sits what seems to be a large family. An elderly woman, most likely in her eighties, she is tiny and wrinkly. There are a few who could be her children, and these also brought their children along to the gathering. One of the younger couples has a baby, wearing a onesie with round ears. They take family photos. Making memories. They do it in every line-up and arrangement possible. The young dad wears a t-shirt and cap that tells everybody how much he loves Miami. I never meet the grandpa and I probably never will. (Vinales, Cuba). 

People in the times of the coronavirus crisis – Eyewitness Johann Groenewald from Tracks4Africa in South Africa

Travelling has been put on hold. In some places, travel is slowly coming back. Some countries open borders again, others not. No one knows what is going to happen next or what is best to do. The world remains in the grip of the coronavirus. Will there be a vaccine? No one knows. Will there be a cure? No one knows that either. It is still too soon to know how it all works out. Epidemiologists are still searching for answers. For now, we will have to accept that the virus is a reality. It is best to follow recommendations given by experts, like physical distancing, and thorough hand washing and wearing a face cover to protect others. It is all we know for now, and things might be different next week when there is more or again even different evidence. We need to accept that we have to be flexible these days, for now, to get on with life. What we can do is dreaming of travelling and plan trips (be it in the near- or far future).

 

Johann Groenewald from Tracks4Africa

People in the times of the coronavirus crisis – Eyewitness Annemi Zaaiman from EcoTraining in South Africa

The coronavirus crisis drags along. Life to me feels as if I had stepped into old chewing gum on the pavement. You know that feeling, of not wanting that chewing gum there but somehow not being able to get rid of it.

Most of us cannot travel right now. Ever since 1998 I travel to South Africa once a year, there might be one year in between when I did not go. I love the wide-open sky, the endless and often lonesome roads, the bush, the wildlife, drinking Rooibos tea at farmstalls. I love the smell of the ocean and beach walks. I love the strong wind in Cape Town, as well as the restaurant scene, the design, the atmosphere, and my little friends, the penguins.

People in the times of the coronavirus crisis – Eyewitness Ryan Larkman from Cape Canopy Tour in South Africa

Are you a tree hugger and forest lover? Do you like to be in the woods? Do you love the great outdoors and thrive on hearing the wind travelling through the trees? Read on, I bet you are going to love this story, and the thinking, of this passionate forest lover. There is no denying it. The coronavirus crisis holds the world in its grip still. Many people claim the measures introduced by their governments are

People in the times of the coronavirus crisis – Eyewitness Jan Bester in South Africa

 

The world cannot travel right now. South Africa closed her borders for tourists. News updates come in faster as lightning in a South African summer storm. Health experts research tirelessly to get us as fast as possible through this. The situation is dreary, awful, and to most probably heavily frightening. We live in hectic times. Sharing stories and knowing that no one of us is alone in this, helps.

People in the times of the coronavirus crisis – Eyewitness Bheki Dube in South Africa

Cape Town. Durban. Johannesburg. All popular places to visit in South Africa. The world cannot travel right now. South Africa closed her borders for tourists. We get fresh news every day. The coronavirus situation changes all the time. As soon as there is news about the latest research, we get to hear about it. There is enough information out there to be prepared for this situation. The situation is sad, tragic, and true, also scary. No one does really know what to do next, as the situation changes constantly. We live in exciting times. It helps to be spontaneous enough to adapt to change.

We cannot go to South Africa right now, but we can ask the locals about their country.

Archive photo Bheki Dube

People in the times of the coronavirus crisis – Eyewitness Teresa Da Mata in South Africa

Knysna sits between George and Plettenberg Bay on the Garden Route in the Western Cape Province. The town is easy to reach from Cape Town. It only takes five to six hours. A place with a backdrop as glorious as you would find it in any award-winning TV travel documentary. It has been awarded “South Africa’s Favourite Town” several times. I am not exaggerating when I call Knysna picture-perfect. “Place of Wood” in Khoisan. With its lagoon, the ocean, and the forest, it has a rich history and heritage and is one of South Africa's oldest towns. 

People in the times of the coronavirus crisis – Eyewitness Vivian Kleynhans in South Africa

South Africa is such a beauty. There is so much to see, experience, learn, smell and taste. You find one thing, and you start dreaming of the next. Once you see her, you cannot stop travelling to and through South Africa. One always wants more. South Africa is a country of remarkable loveliness. Her people. Her colours. Her scents. South Africa is one of the most heavenly places and travel destinations one can visit. And then there is her biodiversity. Go on a road trip through the nine provinces of the country. You will travel through eight different biomes. One word: gorgeous.

Sustainable travel - The Fashion Revolution - Support local designers

Do you travel a lot? Do you love to get free stuff? Do you think if something isn’t free it should at least be inexpensive? We all have said this at least 100 times in our lives “You have to visit XY, it is so cheap”.

When hunting for these super cheap things, we should not forget at what price that comes. Just think of all these markets with rows and rows of stalls selling t-shirts for 1 Dollar. Have you ever asked yourself what it might cost to produce a t-shirt? There are designers, producers, vendors, and what about the cost for cotton, thread, and dye? Do you value people, the environment, and creativity? I do. What do you think? Next time when you are about to buy a cheap t-shirt, will you walk on and not buy it for 1 Dollar? We might not change the world today, but she might become a better place in the future. We all can act responsibly when travelling, one tiny little step at a time.

Travel the World: A few of the most beautiful libraries

Updated: January 2025.

 

Endless rows of bookshelves with kilos if not tons of books. Libraries are an ode to lifelong learning; they are temples of education. On a city trip, libraries are ideal places to spend some quiet time. The amazing atmosphere one experiences, when surrounded by books amplified by stunning architecture, is an exquisite experience. Follow me around the world. If you are a curious traveller, a bookworm, and a fan of architecture, you are going to want to visit all these magnificent libraries.

Films to watch before you visit South Africa

Nothing in this world is easy. South Africa certainly is hard to understand. True, you travel to Cape Town, you travel to Kruger National Park, and you find nice people and exciting wildlife. You can go home and remember it as that lovely place it is. There will be so many questions nagging you. When we visit a place, we like to understand what is going on. We read the papers and facts but also fiction, prose, cookbooks, and all there is to grasp what makes a country. Another good way to get a better idea of places is to watch a film about it.

 

Travel the World - A few most beautiful bookshops

Book Vibes Only. If you like to travel and if you like reading, check out what comes now. Books are like friends. I find non-readers highly suspicious. Why would one want to miss out on all these stories?

TravelChatSA: – 1000 reasons to visit South Africa

So far, I have written a few articles about South Africa, these all give you plenty of reasons to visit South Africa. There certainly so many more reasons to visit than the ones I give in my articles. The country has so much to offer. Tourists leave home in search of a wonderful place to get lost. No matter what you are searching for, South Africa is the place where you will probably find it. South Africa is such a beauty. There is so much to see, experience, learn, smell and taste. You find one thing, and you start dreaming of the next, and you can’t stop travelling through South Africa. You long for more.

TravelChatSA: – Travel Etiquette

It is a minefield. Every country unquestionably has its customs and set of rules.This chat is not about that.

TravelChatSA: Apartment Style Travel in South Africa

We talk about Apartment Style Travel in South Africa on #travelchatSA. Come along to chat. Everyone is Welcome. The more the merrier. There are certainly thousands and thousands of rental options all over the world and lots of them in South Africa. What are we dreaming of as tourists, how can we respect locals, and where should we travel to next?

TravelChatSA: Apartment Style Travel in South Africa - Questions

TravelChatSA: Green South Africa -Travelling Green

South Africa is a country of exceptional beauty. Her people, her colours, her scents make her one of the most sublime places and travel destinations ever. One of South Africa’s most significant drawcards is her biodiversity. How phenomenal is it, that if you go on a road trip through the nine provinces of the country, you will travel through eight different biomes? These are various ecological life zones, that have the same geography and climate, and in which plants and wildlife form an ecosystem. It is of interest to all of us to preserve the abundance we have in this world.

TravelChatSA: – National Lighthouse Day – Lighthouses of South Africa

There are many situations ships fear when getting near land; ground contact, stranding, collision, dangerous reefs, unknown headlands and coasts. As far back as in ancient times lighthouses guided ships. With the construction of more and more lighthouse structures at the turn of the 17th-century, it became somewhat easier for ships to reach the safe harbour. Thousands and thousands of seafarers owe their lives to them. These days, more modern navigational equipment as radar and satellite-based navigation systems are used. They are surrounded by a particular atmosphere and are distinctive features on coastal landscapes worldwide.

Most lighthouses are so well-known landmarks and favoured photo opportunities, that tourists seek to visit them and would plan their travel itineraries accordingly. Some lighthouses can be visited, are exhibition spaces, or even offer coffee and cake at on-site cafés. The biggest drawcard is, of course, having a viewing platform. Who doesn't like a spectacular view? Lighthouses give us a sense of security; they serve as a guide and are an oasis of calmness. Lighthouses are inspiring, offering their help, expecting nothing in return. Lighthouse structures give every oceanside panorama a magical touch. We all know this feeling of looking at a lighthouse, calling to mind its long history, and promptly daydreaming of adventurous travel stories.

In the United States, lighthouses are celebrated on August 7, to commemorate the signing of the Act for the Establishment and support of Lighthouse, Beacons, Buoys, and Public Piers by the U.S. Congress in 1789. 200 years later, that same congress decided to designate August 7 as the National Lighthouse Day. Every year come 7th August South Africa also celebrates National Lighthouse Day. Come and join us on Twitter to chat about lighthouses of South Africa. Everyone is welcome. The more the merrier.

Let us talk about the "National Lighthouse Day – Lighthouses of South Africa" on #TravelChatSA.

Here you can already find the questions we are discussing during the chat.