Experience the South African coast on the Blue Train

Of all the reasons to visit the southern tip of Africa, the blue train has to be one of the most magical and unique. Combining the majestic sights of the South African east coast with a mobile 5 star hotel, it offers the opportunity to experience a world of luxury, elegance and romance like nothing else. It is an all-inclusive luxury rail cruise and a fantastic getaway.

The Blue train in fact consists of two Blue Train sets.The first accommodating 74 guests in 37 suites and the second 58 guests in 29 suites. The train travels at 90km per hour, and each carries 31000 litres of water. The suites themselves are nothing short of spectacular, with each inclusive of it’s own bathroom with either shower or bath. The beds are also custom designed for the Blue train.  As night falls, the suite is transformed into a romantic boudoir of soft, glowing light and fine cotton linen. There are also two lounges on each train, high tea is served each afternoon in the main lounge, while guests can relax over a post-prandial cognac in the club car.

This is truly a journey of a lifetime for those who enjoy the finer things in life. Personal service is of the highest standards in the world. As a guest, you have a dedicated butler available to you 24 hours a day for whatever needs may arise during your stay. Be it late night snacks or laundry, it’s all there waiting for you.

After picking up the award for Africa’s Leading Luxury Train at the recent World Travel Awards function held on the 7^th July, The Blue Train proved once more why it’s considered the world’s best, by achieving yet another international award. It was voted the CONDÉ NAST TRAVELLER READERS’ FAVOURITE SPECIALIST TRAIN at the 12^th Annual Readers’ Travel Awards, held at The Royal Institution of Great Britain in London.

If taking the Blue Train from Cape Town I would recommend staying a few days extra in Cape Town to experience the city. There are many options for self-catering accommodation, such as holiday apartment rentals, or you could live in luxury in one of the many 5-star hotels in the city.

Either way the splendor of the Blue Train is an invaluable experience for anyone looking for a unique and luxurious holiday.

Visiting the Cape Wine lands

The Cape wine lands are an absolute must for any wine enthusiast. With wine farms dating all the way back to 1685, the Constantia area is steeped in History, scattered with traditional Cape Dutch Homesteads and rolling vineyards. Viticulture was first introduced to the area by Simon van der Stel, effectively the first Coloured Governor of the Cape Colony, after whom the towns of Stellenbosch and Simon’s Town were also named. His “Vin de Constance” wine soon acquired a good reputation, it was Hendrik Cloete however, who brought the Contantia name to the forefront. After purchasing the Groote Constantia homestead in 1778, his unfortified wine  made mostly from Muscat de Frontignan (Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains), Pontac, red and white Muscadel and Chenin Blanc was released to high acclaim.

Since then the farm has been sub divided into smaller units, each of which produce their own wines that are produced to the same exacting standards of Hendrik Cloete. The farm is however most famous for its Sauvignon Blanc.

Historically when referring to the cape wine lands it would include Stellenbosch, Paarl, Wellington and Franschhoek. Stellenbosch is a favourite amongst locals and tourists alike, situated about 25 minutes from Cape Town city center, it boasts unparalleled scenery and is surrounded by breathtaking mountain ranges. Stellenbosch is the second oldest town in South Africa. In its early years residents were encouraged to plant oaks, the very ones that today line the streets of the area known as “Eikestad”, which directly translated means “city of oaks”. Interestingly, some of these have even been named as national monuments.

 

There is also no shortage of quaint restaurants, coffee shops and delicatessens where one can relax and experience the town. When visiting these areas you have a wide variety of options for accommodation, be it self-catering holiday apartments or hotels, you’ll be able to find whatever suites your needs. I personally would recommend holiday apartments and plenty of time to take in the sights. Either way the Cape wine lands are a magical, once in a lifetime experience.

Bond boost for Cape Town tourism

What city in the world wouldn’t want James Bond tearing through its streets in a Bentley Continental GT, sampling its food and wine, staying in its hotels and taking sunset helicopter tours in the skies over head? A stamp of approval from 007 could be worth more than a recommendation from any travel guide or restaurant and holiday accommodation critic.

The new Bond novel “Carte Blanche” sees the world famoussecret agent chasing the next super villain through Cape Town. The author of the 37^th Bond instalment, Jeffrey Deaver, has been visiting Cape Town for the last ten years he says he has always loved South Africa.He wanted to keep to the Flemming tradition of placing Bond in beautiful exotic locations; Cape Town fitted the bill perfectly. It contains all the high class attractions that Bond enjoys alongside the rugged outdoor beauty that makes for an exciting action novel. Several notable wine estates get a mention as 007 imbibes local wine as well some local dishes. Restaurants are referenced without being named and tourist attractions in and around the city make appearances. Wines that get the agents nod of approval include, Rustenberg Peter Barlow Cabernet, Graham Beck Cuvee and Cape Three Ladies. He also samples Zulu beer and sosaties with yellow rice at a restaurant in the Bo-Kaap.

Although there is nothing official being said it seems that there could be movie in the pipelines, parts of which will undoubtedly be filmed in the Mother City. The novel is a massive boost for Cape Town tourism and Cape Town holiday accommodation which is naturally struggling to replicate last year’s world cup tourism numbers. A film would create priceless marketing for Cape Town. Bond films are known for their ability to stand up to the rigors of time nearly as well as the ageless hero himself. The films are watched for generations after production and are generally considered classics with only a few ever been left on the scrapheap of filmic history. This means that a Cape Town based Bond film could potentially provide decades worth of exposure for Cape Town and a serious boost to the Cape Town holiday accommodation sector.

On the back of a very successful football world cup this type of exposure is priceless for the city which has naturally seen a drop in foreign visitors based on figures from last year this time. A large amount of tourism related business was started for the world cup and the predicted revenue it was going generate in its aftermath, while it might still be too early to monitor the long term effects the world cup had on tourism in Cape Town. There is little doubt that the overall effects have been positive. Despite that Cape Town holiday accommodation was left slightly disappointed by initial predictions, the knock affect and word of mouth recommendations that will come from those who enjoyed a successful world cup in Cape Town is unparalleled by any marketing strategy. The publicity received from a James Bond novel will mirror and grow this success.

South African Road Trips

Road trips have always been a popular way to travel but recently they have become more popular than ever with both locals and foreigners making plans and researching to travel around South Africa. Locals pack up their cars and full up with petrol before hitting the roads bright and early in the morning, however foreigners are faced with a transportation problem. The answer to that is of course car hire. South Africa is one of the most tourist friendly countries in the world; with beautiful landscapes, and a well-maintained infrastructure and road network to travel along, tourists will find few better ways to discover a new place.

Self-drive holidays are becoming one of the best ways to discover a new place. They offer you the independence and freedom to go from one place to another in your own time, stopping off when you feel like it and not having to worry about holding a tour party back. During the festive season and summer months, South African roads burst with life and excitement as locals and tourists alike drive to seaside towns, holiday houses and away from their busy lives in the city. The roads are well looked after with speeding cameras and traffic cops ensuring that the law is upheld and everybody is safe.  Travelling long distances in a vehicle can often be uncomfortable, however you can guaranteed the perfect car for your party and needs by choosing you own vehicle through car hire.

South Africa is the perfect destination for any traveller. With nine provinces to choose from, each bursting with activity, towns and beautiful places to stay, you can be sure that you can find the perfect holiday in the sun that you’re looking for. The best way to truly experience and discover South Africa however is to road trip through it: Some of the most popular self drive tours in South Africa are Cape Town to the Garden Route, Johannesburg to Kruger National Park, or Johannesburg through the Karoo to Cape Town. Although these journeys may take several days they’ll show you South Africa in its true form and will be an adventure you’ll never forget.

Self drive tours are both convenient and liberating. Although travelling with a tour group has its benefits, being able to explore a country in your own time and with a select group of people is an experience you’ll be sure to remember and treasure for a long time to come. By planning your own trip, you’ll be able to choose where you want to stay in advance, booking your own accommodation and skipping the destinations that don’t particularly interest you.  Road trips are holidays in themselves: when taken slowly with stop offs along the way and time set aside for spontaneity and relaxing along the way, road trips can be a rewarding and very enjoyable experience.

There are many reasons why people explore South Africa, and for those that do not have their own vehicles, they’ll need to use car hire. South Africa is an easy country to travel though with many beautiful towns to stop off at, and many mountain passes and seaside roads to travel along that will leave you enchanted. Touring the country in your own vehicle is convenient, allows you to choose your own accommodation and activities, and gives you the opportunity to explore South Africa at your own leisure.

Why You Should Hire a Car in Cape Town – The Reasons

A holiday in Cape Town is one of the most highly sought after vacations in the world. To explore everything that the Cape has to offer, most tourists are advised to use a Cape Town Car Hire company. This can either be done on arrival at Cape Town airport or can be organised through a hotel. The Western Cape is arguably South Africa’s most attractive province, with majestic mountains, sea views and quaint towns to be enjoyed; by having their own car tourists can explore the region in their own time and leisure, stopping to see things that interest them and staying longer in the areas that they enjoy.

Although the city bowl has many tourist attractions and sights that will interest tourists, when venturing outside of the city’s perimeters one starts to get a true sense of the magnificent beauty that the Cape has to offer.  Whether you choose to travel half an hour or six hours, you can be sure that your journey will be worth it.

Cape Point is the Southern-most tip of Cape Town and is surrounded by the Atlantic and Indian Oceans as well as the Cape Point Nature Reserve. If you are holidaying in the Cape, this is one of the “must see” places on your agenda.

The Cape Winelands are about an hour outside of Cape Town and have enticed tourists to taste its wines and explore its vineyards for decades. Set in Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl, this region is the centre of South Africa’s wine industry, producing hundreds of sought after wines a year. If you hire a car in Cape Town you’ll be able to drive yourselves there and spend an enjoyable day in the sun, tasting wines and cheese whilst enjoying the general splendour of the area.

The Garden Route is one of the Western Cape’s biggest attractions, and if tourists hire a car in Cape Town they can drive themselves along it, soak in the lazy atmosphere of the seaside towns, and stop and stay nights at the places that catch their attention. Hermanus is one of the most popular tourist towns along the Garden Route as it is only two hours outside of Cape Town and is renowned for its incredible whale watching. Many tourists visit the town for the day or weekend, and leave with a new perspective on the Cape, having seen some of its wildlife, flora and having driven the beautiful scenic road that leads to the town out of Cape Town.

Businessmen who hire a car in Cape Town are able to get to their meetings on time and then spend an hour or two exploring the beauty in the Cape. Having their own vehicles ensures that they can get from their hotels to the meetings in time, be able to drive their colleagues or clients to venues, and are able to use their free time to see some of their beautiful surroundings.

Whether you’re here on business or pleasure, hiring a car in Cape Town is an absolute must if you want to be in control of your trip. Not only will you be able to stick to a schedule and get to where you need to be, but you’ll also be able to explore and discover some of Cape Town’s unique and stunning sites. Having your own transportation in Cape Town enables guests to have the trip they’ve been wishing for and allows them the freedom to be in control of their time spent in the Cape.

Driving around in Johannesburg

Johannesburg Airport is one of the busiest airports in Africa, with hundreds of planes and travellers departing and arriving every day. Johannesburg is the capital of South Africa and is one of the wealthiest cities in Africa. Being Africa’s business capital, many of those arriving are here on business trips. Many locals travel to Johannesburg annually to visit family, looking for jobs, for weekends away, or to participate in the cities festivities.

Since being established, Johannesburg has been known as the City of Gold. This is the business hub of South Africa, where all the big name companies have made their homes. And despite the poor employment rate in South Africa, Joburg maintains a steady growth rate with companies expanding and buildings going up where ever you look. Since the 2011 Soccer World Cup, public transport has also improved in the city however it is often unreliable and sometimes unsafe. Private taxis are expensive, public ones are hazardous and dangerous, and the buses are often running late, striking, or overcrowded. Upgrades have been done to some of the trains but the fact of the matter is that to get properly around Joburg having one’s own car is the best option: the reason why many turn to car hire.

Johannesburg Airport has recently become a part of the rapid transport system route, and although this has made travelling to and from the airport easier for some, for many the transport is limited in that it can’t take them to where they exactly want to be. There are also often long queues and waits to get onto a bus, making business men with tight business schedules turn to car hire. Johannesburg Airport can cater for their vehicle needs with several car rental companies based directly past arrivals. For business men and tourists on short holidays in the city, car hire is the most viable option to get you from A to B on time and without too much hassle.

Many tourists looking to travel around South Africa opt to use car hire. Although there are many tours available to visitors, many would prefer to explore South Africa within their own schedules, limiting their travelling party to those they know well. By having their own vehicles they can take their time driving and can stop off at points of interest along the way. Although sometimes getting to destinations can be a long journey, if you’re willing to drive the distance and spend the time in the car, this is one of the most incredible ways of seeing the country.

Regardless of the length or intention of your stay in Johannesburg, the best transportation on offer to you is without a doubt car hire. Johannesburg Airport conveniently has several companies which you can rent a car from and who will make your stay in the city much easier. Public transport in the city is difficult to use and won’t take you directly to your destination; by hiring a car you ensure that you’ll get to where you want to be and when. If you are on vacation in South Africa and Johannesburg is your starting point to a self-driven tour of the country, hiring a car will enable you to have the adventure you are looking for whilst touring this beautiful country.

Get Around: Use Car Hire

When planning a holiday the last thing you want to worry about is transport. Cape Town is one of the most tourist friendly countries in the world, with beautiful sights and convenient accommodation. But the unfriendly truth is that South Africa has an unreliable public transport system which makes it difficult to get from A to B, which luckily can easily and quickly be solved through car hire.

Cape Town airport receives thousands of tourists a day. Many of them rush into the arms of family members and loved ones, being swept home in their own cars. But for the tourists and businessmen who don’t have contacts in Cape Town who can personally drive them everywhere, the best answer to the transport problem is simple: car hire. Cape Town airport has several car rental companies, each being able to offer a quality rental car experience to their customers. Regardless of how long you intend to stay in the city and what your travel plans are, one of the car rental companies will give you the perfect vehicle for your Cape Town experience.

Cape Town Airport Car Hire is convenient and quick. After a long flight, queuing for luggage and a battle through customs, the last thing you’ll want to do is go through a long process of hiring a car. If you contact a company in advance, you’ll just need to sign for the keys before quickly being on your way to your hotel. When you hire a car, it’s important to anticipate how much driving and time you’ll spend in the vehicle. Also, you need to take into account how many people and how much luggage needs to fit into the vehicle and how much you’re willing to spend on it. Once you’ve covered the basics, you can have fun and choose a car that you fancy “test driving” for a couple of weeks.

If you’re planning a holiday to Cape Town, you need to plan ahead or use car hire. Cape Town Airport has many companies offering car rental and by hiring from one of them you can be sure your holiday will have a good start. Whether you need a car for a short business trip, week long holiday, or month long road trip of Southern Africa, hiring a car will be the most convenient and easiest way to get around.

Hiring a car for your stay in Cape Town is one of the best ways to get around the city and peninsular. If you’re here on a short business trip or several month long vacation, you can be sure to find the perfect car to get take you places. Cape Town is one of the most beautiful and exciting cities in the world; incredible views, sight-seeing destinations and tourist attractions welcome visitors to enjoy them, and even though the city lacks a reliable transportation system and guests need to pay a little extra for a private vehicle, one should not be discouraged by this. Having the freedom and wheels to discover the Cape will be a truly amazing experience, never to be forgotten.

The Road to Everywhere, Rent a Car in South Africa

When wanting to see a beautiful country it is important that you rent a car in S.A and do it in comfort and not the cramped confines of a slow moving bus that needs to be shared with complete strangers. When you rent a car in South Africa you rent the freedom to experience the largest road network in Africa. From the majesty of the Drakensberg to the desolation of the West Coast the only way to experience it in comfort is from the seat of the car you rent in S.A. When you rent a car in South Africa you give yourself the freedom to stop when you want to stop. Whether it’s spotting a whale while driving through Hermanus or experiencing a sunset while driving down the West Coast the decision to stop and have a look is yours. It needn’t be left in the hands of a bus driver or a train schedule.

When you don’t rent a car in S.A and choose public transport you miss out on the sleepy towns of the Karoo where time stands still and the tourist track doesn’t tread. When you rent a car in South Africa you get the ticket that’ll take you off the beaten track. Whether it’s the roadside farm stall where you stop for fresh coffee and koeksisters and end up staying all afternoon or the 24hr petrol station where you receive important tourist advice from a friendly local, there are many things in this life that you’ll only ever see when you rent a car in S.A.

South Africa is a country of paradoxes some of which need to be savoured, some of which need to be viewed via the mirror of a fast moving rental car. At least if you rent a car in S.A you can make this decision for yourself. You might be the type of person who wants to stop the car, get out and watch the spectacle of a building thunderstorm over the Karoo. Alternatively you might wish to drive the car that you can rent in South Africa and get out of there to the sunny coast of Cape Town. No matter which type of person you are when you rent a car in S.A you can be your own person, choosing your own adventure. Rent a car in South Africa and have the ability to move where and how you choose, in the most beautiful country in the world.

Cape Town named #1 destination by Trip Advisor

Trip Advisor, the premier travel website recently released it ranking for the top 25 destinations in the world as voted for by international travellers and users of the website. Cape Town was ranked number one above destinations such as Sydney and MacchuPicchu, which were in second and third respectively.What it says about the hospitality of Cape Town holiday accommodation is as important aswhat this meansfor the future of the Cape Town tourism industry. It is important to note that the poll questioned people about their most visited destinations as well as the places they would most like to visit. This way the poll measured both hospitality and desirability. This speaks volumes for the state of Cape Town holiday accommodation as well as attractions and services.

This good news comes on the back of what many operators felt was a fairly average summer season after many Cape Town holiday accommodation owners experienced a spike during the World Cup last year. Many of the holiday accommodation operators were hoping for another spike caused by the word of mouth advertising spread by those that visited during the July period. Cape Town holiday accommodation facilities felt that these expectations weren’t met.

Of the Cape Town holiday accommodation owners polled by Cape Town Tourism 44% felt that the 2010/2011 season failed to meet its expectations with the majority of these reporting occupancy numbers of between 51 and 80 per cent.

This result has also come only days before the Tourism Indaba which is considered one of the top 3 industry related events in the world and the largest of its kind in Africa. Industry leaders will be using this event to ride what ripples are left of the 2010 World Cup and politicians will be using the platform to show the sceptics that the Fifa event was not the waste of money many tax payers felt it was. It may be too early to say whether or not the results of the poll are a direct result of the World Cup, one would need to look closer at the poll and which demographic answered it, it should also be noted that Cape Town has always hovered around the top of this poll so it is no big surprise that it has finally been ranked number one.

Whatever the cause though one can be sure that this is good news for Cape Town holiday accommodation owners and tourism operators. It indicates that those that have visited had a positive experience and would recommend it to friends and family, which as any marketer knows is the most powerful form of marketing. This is a powerful endorsement of the government’s tourism ministry, the Cape Town local council and services, Cape Town tour operators and Cape Town holiday accommodation.

“These awards honour the world’s best destinations as decided by those judges that really matter – travellers themselves,” Emma O’Boyle, TripAdvisor spokesperson.

Camper van South Africa

The camper van holiday is deeply rooted in the South African national identity, although it is commonly thought that caravanning is the predominant pastime of the British and motorhomes are the vehicle of choice for Americans one only needs to look back to the great trek to realise that a holiday involving camper van hire in South Africa is a natural passion for our nation. The great trek involved a group of individuals desperate to get away from it all; they packed their belongings into the equivalent of a camper van or caravan and hitched it up to the equivalent of a car, an ox, and headed off into the South African wilderness. Now this may be a bit of a humorous stretch on reality but the fact remains that camper van hire in South Africa is a perfect way to take a family holiday. With vast number of camp sites and caravan parks dotted around areas of interest to keep the whole family occupied.

South Africa’s roads, despite the bad press, are for the most part ideally suited to towing caravans or driving camper vans and motorhomes. They are wide and tarred as well as giving easy access to all major centres and tourist attractions. The vast plains and outdoor spaces lend itself to camping and camper van hire in South Africa.

Family holidays of any type, although especially on the road, can be stressful affairs, what with making sure everything is packed and that young kids have things to keep themselves amused. When on the road for extended periods of time tensions are compounded by the close proximity that a car forces everyone into. This can be somewhat alleviated by camper van hire. South Africa offers many distractions for the travelling family unfortunately the road trip to these destinations is an unavoidable part of a family holiday. Camper van hire is one solution as it offers more space and more distractions for two or three small children. This is however only one of the benefits of motorhome rental in South Africa.

South Africa boasts not only some of the most beautiful scenery in the world but also world class game reserves all with excellent camping and caravanning facilities. For overseas visitors camper van hire in South Africa is an excellent option, not only does it give you the freedom to move from place to place without being tied to a tour group, it frees you from having to book expensive hotels and guest lodges in advance.  Camper van hire in South Africa is the perfect option for couples or families that want to travel without any set itinerary.