For those whose travel plans have been on hold for the past two years, and now have a war chest to see some far-off — and not so far-off — climes, the FM has nailed down 10 inspired options.
So shake off the Covid cobwebs and devour this list, ranging from A for Alphonse Island to Z for the Zambezi.
Take me to the tropics
Conjure up an image of tropical paradise in your mind’s eye, and chances are pretty good it’ll look like Alphonse Island.
Gin-clear turquoise waters? Check. Waving palms with just the right amount of rustle? Yup. Unblemished coral sand beaches? But of course!
And happily, this is no Robinson Crusoe escape. For despite being a mere speck of palm-lined sand, Alphonse Island hosts an intimate boutique resort with 29 luxury bungalows, suites and villas.
It’s gloriously far-flung, but also just an hour’s flight from Mahé, the capital of the Seychelles, which is served by direct flights from Joburg.
Once on Alphonse, the world is your tropical oyster. Days can be spent fly-fishing the shallow sand flats, snorkelling with manta rays or scuba diving pristine reefs. A low-tide lunch on a sandbar is a highlight of any stay, and a fine way to discover the fresh seafood and Creole cuisine of the Seychelles.
There are boat trips to tiny Bijoutier Island to discover the rare birdlife and turtle nesting sites, or wander through the mangrove forests of St François Atoll.
Sustainability is key here, and solar power keeps the island happily off-grid, while the island conservation society centre is a mine of information about the delicate ecosystem.
It’s a castaway holiday done right, from feet-in-the-sand dining to beachfront bungalows
It’s a castaway holiday done right, from feet-in-the-sand dining to beachfront bungalows. It’s not cheap, but certainly worth every hard-earned penny.
Umhlanga goes Blu
From the Arch to the Gateway Mall, Umhlanga is the corner of KwaZulu-Natal generating the most buzz at the moment. And that buzz is about to get louder with the opening of the Radisson Blu Oceans Umhlanga in June.
The new-build hotel will offer 95 rooms and suites, all with spectacular coastal views.
There’s a pool terrace overlooking the beachfront, while the Firelake bar & restaurant focuses on open-flame cooking with a North American bent. There’s your next KZN holiday sorted.
Villas in the vineyards
Any wine-lover with a taste for Bordeaux-style blends will remember Crescendo, the flagship red of Cordoba estate in the Stellenbosch winelands.
While the Cordoba brand faded away in the late 1990s, the unique terroir of this high-lying farm on the slopes of the Helderberg remains, and today the Crescendo blend is enjoying something of a renaissance.
That’s thanks to the Oddo family, who in 2017 expanded their existing French and Italian wine investments to SA, rebranded the estate as Taaibosch and hired cellar master Schalk-Willem Joubert.
As a result the Crescendo 2018 release was, the learned folks at Wine Cellar Fine Wine Merchants said, “the most exciting new project to come out of Stellenbosch in a decade”.
Wine tasting is largely closed to the public, except for the fortunate few overnighting on the estate.
Two glorious villas offer the perfect destination for families and small groups, combining contemporary luxury with all the peace and quiet you could ask for. Garden Villa sleeps four, hidden amid gardens and vineyards, while Farsight Villa sleeps up to eight in an eyrie offering superlative views across False Bay and the winelands. Or, gather 10 friends and book the five-bedroom Manor House, dating from 1838.
Stars and flights
If you’re planning a trip to the States, it’s never been easier — US carriers are adding more direct flights to cater for growing domestic demand.
United Airlines now flies year-round to Joburg from its hub at Newark International Airport, with direct flights to Cape Town on the roster from early June. United has also applied for rights to fly direct from Washington DC to the Mother City.
And there’ll soon be more competition — which usually leads to lower fares — after Delta Air Lines, which now flies Atlanta-Joburg, recently won permission to operate a triangular service connecting Atlanta, Joburg and Cape Town. That route is mooted to launch in November 2022.
And if you fly at the sharp end of the plane you’ll be particularly pleased — United will operate its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on the route, which means you can book a more spacious Premium Plus seat or a Polaris business class berth. Delta also ups the inflight ante with its new Airbus A350-900, which boasts the award-winning Delta One Suite upfront.
All aboard
Not long ago the cruise industry was the poster child for the pandemic, as cruise ships were seen as floating coronavirus hotspots. Those days have sailed over the horizon though, and the global cruise industry — which carried nearly 30-million passengers in 2019 — is steaming back into fashion.
In March the US Centers for Disease Control dropped its health warning against cruise travel, and the industry hopes to reach pre-pandemic levels by the end of this year.
If you need an excuse to step aboard, look no further than the brand-new Norwegian Prima, the first ship in an entirely new class for Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL).
Sailing its maiden season in northern Europe this summer, Prima is, as the name suggests, a ship of firsts.
It’s home to the Prima Speedway, the first three-level go-kart racetrack at sea
It’s the first NCL ship with an outdoor sculpture garden; the first with rim-flow pools on the infinity beach deck; and it’s home to the Prima Speedway, the first three-level go-kart racetrack at sea.
Throw in 18 restaurants, a 750-seat theatre/nightclub, and an exclusive suite complex dubbed The Haven, and you have more than enough reasons to run away to sea.
Finding silence above the ‘Smoke’
Victoria Falls is a worthy entry on any bucket list, but after admiring the smoke that thunders you’ll want a quiet bushveld bolthole to soak up the Zambezi silence. That’s where Tsowa Safari Island comes in.
Set 50 minutes’ drive upstream, on the Zambian shore, this idyllic island lodge reopened recently after an upgrade and expansion. You’ll now find 16 airy safari tents pitched amid mature forest, each offering en suite facilities and private verandas overlooking the river.
The communal areas have been enlarged too, with wide decks and convivial fire pits making the most of the riverfront setting.
Fill your days with trips to the falls, game drives through the national park, or canoe safaris on the Zambezi. Livingstone himself would have approved.
Mind your manors
There’s no shortage of good hotels in Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront, but for small groups and multigenerational travellers — or those simply seeking a smaller, quieter bolthole above the madding crowds — the Manor House at Queen Victoria Hotel is a fine base for exploring the Mother City.
Forming part of the Newmark Hotels portfolio, the Manor House offers four private suites, each with its own balcony dishing up gorgeous harbour and mountain views. You’ll find little fault in the spacious bedrooms, but it’s the downright lavish bathrooms, with modern-Victorian décor, that are most impressive.
Guests enjoy access to the facilities of the Queen Victoria Hotel and the adjoining Sanctuary Signature Spa, with a concierge on hand for restaurant and tour bookings.
Aparthotels on the rise
If nothing else, the pandemic gave us a new appreciation for personal space. Cue the rise and rise of “aparthotels”, where travellers enjoy all the frills of a luxe hotel combined with the flexibility and facilities of their own apartment.
The Capital brand has made some bold moves in this space over the past few years, expanding its portfolio to include the likes of The Capital Zimbali north of Durban, which reopened in late 2021 with 154 rooms, suites and villas. It has also poured R20m into a stylish refurb of The Capital 15 on Orange in central Cape Town.
“Demand for our unique apartment-style accommodation at The Capital Mirage in Cape Town was such that it made solid business sense for us to expand in the city,” explains Marc Wachsberger, MD of The Capital Hotel group.
The Capital 15 on Orange offers 129 rooms and apartments. Bold contemporary décor and superb facilities make them ideal for corporate and leisure travellers planning a longer stay in the city.
Fine living amid the fynbos
Famous worldwide for its unique floral safaris, Grootbos private nature reserve in the Western Cape’s Overberg region has reopened its original Garden Lodge after a major rebuild.
The new lodge takes full advantage of its remarkable hillside location, and the 11 freestanding suites have been given a thoroughly contemporary makeover. Beyond the suite, there’s an all-new dining area, complete with a wide terrace overlooking Walker Bay, and a new wellness area offering three treatment rooms and a sauna.
Bravo Zulu
Community and conservation come together neatly at mFulaWozi Wilderness private game reserve, where local amakhosi have set aside 16,000ha bordering the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park.
The reserve hosts two idyllic new lodges, named Biyela and Mthembu after local clans.
At Biyela lodge, overlooking the White iMfolozi River, interior designer Michele Throssell draws on a modern apothecary theme for the 12 romantic suites, while at family-friendly Mthembu the décor celebrates warm African textures, colours and motifs. x
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.