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George Tourist Places to Visit in George, South Africa, Africa

George Tourist Places to Visit in George, South Africa, Africa

George is a city situated in the Western Cape province of South Africa, around 430 km east of the city of Cape Town. It is one of the famous holiday destinations in the southern coastline of the country, offering a large number of mix of natural and manmade attractions like beaches, museums, botanical gardens and mountains. George is located midway between Port Elizabeth and Cape Town, at 33°58′ S 22°27′ E and sprawls over a total area of 83.8 sq. km. George relatively experiences an oceanic climate with chilly winters and warm summers, while precipitation in George is far higher compared to other regions of the country, occurring highly in the winter and spring months.

History of George:

The history of George dates back to 1776 when the Dutch East India Company built an outpost with the purpose of timber’s provision. George headed towards development after it was acquired by the British at the end of the 18^th century. In 1837, George achieved municipal rights.

How to reach George?

George hosts a domestic airport with regular flights from/ to Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban. The airport is located at a distance of 9 km away from the city centre. Taxis are generally available at the airport and visitors can also consider bus for inexpensive airport travel.

Baz Bus is a well known bus company connecting George to Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. For local travel, CABS Car hire is one of the recommended options.

Culture, Food and Shopping in George:

George is a city of many internationally recognized events and some of them are as follows:

George Cheese Festival
George NBM Sevens Premier League
George Old Car Show

Garden Route Shopping Centre is a shoppers’ paradise, situated in the heart of the city. List of tourist favor restaurants in George include:

Foo Bar Cafe
Lauren’s Deli & Eatery
Old Townhouse Restaurant
Mujo Bar & Restaurant

What to do in George?

Golfing
Surfing
Swimming

What to see in George?

Outeniqua Transport Museum:

The Outeniqua Transport Museum is one of the famous tourist attractions in George, home to a great collection of steam locomotives and carriages. It is worth a visit.

Outeniqua Park:

The Outeniqua Park is a multiuse stadium, mainly used for rugby union matches. The museum has a capacity of 10,000 spectators. It will be a great half day trip for visitors.

Beaches in George:

George is a city with several world class beaches with a wide range of water sport activities, including swimming and surfing. Some most famous beaches in George are Victoria Bay, Herolds Bay, Glentana and Gerickes Point.

Golf courses:

George is a top golf destination, home to many world-class golf courses, dominated by Fancourt Golf Estate. Other landmark golf courses are Le Grande George and Oubaai.

George Museum:

The George Museum is an iconic cultural centre, which is concentrated on showcasing the culture and history of George with a large collection of historical artifacts and traditional artworks.

Other interesting places around George include:

Victoria Bay
Oubaai Golf Course
George Golf Club
Dutch Reformed Mother Church
Redberry Farm
The Old Slave Tree
Herold Wine Estate
George Botanical Garden
Outeniqua Farmers’ Market

When to visit George?

George is a year round destination, though the tour of George can be best experienced between October and May.

Accommodation options in George:

Like other South African cities, George also holds grand hospitality industry with a wide range of hotels, vacation rentals, BB and inns with different upgraded amenities to make visitors tour memorable. The prominent hotels in George are as follows:

Protea Hotel King George
Hyatt Regency Oubaai Golf Resort & Spa
Protea Hotel Outeniqua
The Manor House at Fancourt
Town Lodge George
Pine Lodge Resort George
Far Hills Country Hotel
Paradise Cove Guesthouse
Edenwood Guest House
Fairview Historic Homestead
Malvern Manor Country Guest House
Apple and Spice
Acorn Guest House
Ballot’s House Guest Lodge
Aziza Guest House

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Franschhoek, South Africa, Africa

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Franschhoek, South Africa, Africa

Franschhoek is a town belonging to the Western Cape Province of South Africa, situated around 75 km east of Cape Town, one of the three capitals of South Africa, others being Bloemfontein and Pretoria. It is famous as the Republic of South Africa’s one of the oldest towns and its winsome sceneries that draws a substantial number of tourists year round. Franschhoek falls under the Stellenbosch Municipality, covering an area of 3.3 sq. km. Franschhoek geographically coordinates with 33°55′ S latitude and 19°08′ E longitude. The Huguenot Memorial and Museum and the Franschhoek Motor Museum are the two prime landmarks of Franschhoek.

History of Franschhoek:

The first settlement in Franschhoek dates back to 1688 by 176 French Huguenot refugees, to whose the land was given by the Dutch government during their colonial rule in South Africa. Franschhoek was called by the different names in its long history, including le Coin Français and Franschhoek.

How to get Franschhoek?

Franschhoek is served by the Cape Town International Airport, with flights from Mauritius, London, Singapore, Istanbul, Doha, Durban and Johannesburg. The airport is situated around 70 km east of Franschhoek.

Franschhoek is served by no trains, but it connects many western cities of the country, including Cape Town, by bus services.

Franschhoek Wine Tram-bus and Franschhoek Wine Tram are the popular options to explore the beauties of Franschhoek Valley.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Franschhoek:

Huguenot Memorial and Museum is the heart of Franschhoek’s culture, where visitors can get the cultural features of Franschhoek from its first settlement to modern days.

Handmade chocolates, antiques and handbags are some purchasable items in Franschhoek and some popular food items in Franschhoek are as follows:

Le Bon Vivant
Cafe BonBon
Cafe Des Arts
La Petite Ferme

Things to do in Franschhoek:

Wine yards tour
Fishing
Wine tasting
Visiting museum and memorial

What to see in Franschhoek?

Huguenot Memorial:

The Huguenot Memorial is a landmark attraction, dedicated to Huguenots who were immigrants to Cape Colony during the 17th and 18th centuries and now their culture is spread all over the country. J.C. Jongens was the designer of this iconic monument.

Huguenot Memorial Museum:

The Huguenot Memorial Museum near the Huguenot Monument, describes the migration history of Huguenots, with their clothes, wine making methods and other cultural features of them. It is open from 9AM-5PM (Monday-Saturday) and 2PM-5PM (Sunday). Entrance fee is R10.

The Franschhoek Motor Museum:

The Franschhoek Motor Museum is a perfect place to know the automobile history of South Africa. The museum showcases dozens of unique and well preserved motorcycles, bicycles and memorabilia setting in a distinct style.

Winelands Experience:

The Winelands Experience is a renowned tour operator in Franschhoek and conducts a wide range of tours such as scenic tours, chauffeur drives and wine tour. All are enjoyable and memorable.

Franschhoek Wine Tram:

The Franschhoek Wine Tram is really a distinct attraction in Franschhoek. It is an open air tram bringing visitors to discover the whole wine yards of Franschhoek. It will be an unforgettable experience for visitors.

Other places of interest in Franschhoek include:

Kogelberg Nature Reserve
Franschhoek Pass
Cape Town City Hall
The Castle of Good Hope
Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town

When to visit Franschhoek?

From September to March is the most popular and best time to visit Franschhoek as when the town is sunny and dry, supportive for sightseeing.

Where to stay in Franschhoek?

Like its pleasant environment, Franschhoek’s hotels are also very nice, offering cool and healthy hospitality services for visitors with a wide range of blend of modern and traditional facilities. Here are some recommended hotels in Franschhoek:

The Last Word Franschhoek
Le Quartier Francais
Franschhoek Country House & Villas
Akademie Street Boutique Hotel and Guesthouse
Protea Hotel Franschhoek
Mont Rochelle Hotel
La Residence Hotel & Villas
Three Cities Le Franschhoek Hotel
Avondrood Guest House
Vrede en Lust Estate
The Garden House
Angala Boutique Hotel and Guest House
Maison Chablis Guest House
Ashbourne House Guest House
Holden Manz Wine Estate

Tourist Places to Visit in East London, South Africa, Africa

Tourist Places to Visit in East London, South Africa, Africa

East London is a South African city, situated on the southeastern coast of the country, part of the Eastern Cape Province. Located between the Nahoon River and Buffalo River, East London holds the only river port of South Africa. East London is situated around 300 km northeast of Port Elizabeth and 640 km southwest of Durban, sprawling over an area of 168.86 sq. km. East London is popularly called as a ‘Surfing Mecca’ as its beaches are a heaven for surfers. East London is also renowned for game reserves like Mpongo Private Game Reserve and Inkwenkwezi Private Game Reserve.

History of East London:

East London was founded as a town in 1836, led by the Lieutenant John Bailie of the Royal Navy and it gained city rights in 1914. The river port of East London is the only of its kind in the country that was originally called Port Rex, around that what is today’s East London originated.

How to reach East London?

East London holds a domestic airport, served by Airlink, Kulula.com, South African Airways and South African Express with scheduled flights from Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth.

East London has a good connectivity by train to all the major cities in the country, direct trains to Johannesburg, Bloemfontein and Cape Town and visitors can also get Kimberley, Pietermaritzburg, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Mthatha from East London (by changing trains).

Bus services between East London and other important South African cities are served by Translux and Greyhound.

Culture, Food and Shopping in East London:

East London Museum is the focal point of East London’s culture, displaying the culture and history of the city with well preserved artifacts and artworks.

Shops are dozens in number in East London, including handicraft stores. Buccanneers is a recommended restaurant in East London.

Things to do in East London:

Mountain biking
Skydiving
Horse riding
Surfing
Swimming
Scuba diving
Fishing
Boating

What to see in East London?

Beaches of East London:

Beaches are the first preference of tourists visiting the city of East London. Though beaches offer different water sport activities, the most popular among is surfing, this can be enjoyed best at Nahoon Reef.

The City Hall:

Iconic building of the city, the City Hall is situated in Oxford Street, attracting a large number of tourists throughout the year for its eye-catching exterior designs. Visitors can also spot statue of the Pan Africanist leader, Steve Biko, outside the city hall.

East London Harbour:

Being the only natural deep-water harbor in the country, the East London Harbour is one of the identities of the city. There are many restaurants near harbor, of which Ballyhoo Bistro is the famous one, offering a view of the moored yachts and arranges river cruises.

The Gately House:

A national monument, The Gately House was the former residence of the mayor of East London in the 1870’s. The building features the Victorian style of architecture, will be a great treat for visitors’ eyes.

East London Museum:

The East London Museum is concentrated on showcasing the complete history of East London, including fossils found around the city and wars fought in the area, including Xhosa-British War.

List of other places of interest in and around East London includes:

Apex Predators Snake Park
Hemingways Mall
Khaya La Bantu Cultural Village
The Craft Galley
Floradale Centre
Mpongo Park Game Private Reserve
East London Aquarium
Inkwenkwezi Private Game Reserve
East London Zoo

When to visit East London?

The climate of East London is classified as humid subtropical and the best time to visit East London depends on visitors, if visit is for beach exploration, then from April to September is great.

Where to stay in East London?

Most hotels of East London are on the beach line that are relatively expensive compared to hotels in the outskirts of the city. Advance booking is recommended as the city gets over-crowded during high season. Here are some nice hotels in East London:

Premier Hotel EL ICC
Quarry Lake Inn
Premier Hotel Regent
Garden Court East London
Majestic Boutique Hotel
Blue Lagoon Hotel & Conference Centre
Hotel Osner
Premier Hotel King David
See More Guest House
Mpekweni Beach Resort
Tu Casa B&B
African Dreams Bed and Breakfast
Cozy Nest Guest House
Road Lodge East London
Southern Sun Hemingways

Beautiful Tourist Places to Visit in Durban, South Africa, Africa

Beautiful Tourist Places to Visit in Durban, South Africa, Africa

Durban is one of the prominent cities of South Africa, situated on the east coastline of the country. It is recognized as the 2^nd largest manufacturing centre in South Africa, following the country’s largest city, Johannesburg. Durban also holds one of the busiest airport of the country. Durban owns a thriving hospitality industry, with tourist favor healthy warm subtropical climate and some of the enthralling beaches of Africa. The city of Durban forms the part of eThekwini municipally in KwaZulu-Natal province, covering an area of 225.91 sq. km. The geographical coordinates of Durban are 29°53′ S 31°03′ E.

History of Durban:

The history of Durban begins with the arrival of the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama on the way of his voyage to India. However, colonization in Durban was begun by the British, led by the British Lieutenant F. G. Farewell. Durban was named after then governor of the Cape Colony, Sir Benjamin, in 1835.

Getting Durban:

The King Shaka International Airport is the airport serving Durban city, situated around 40 km away from the city centre. Other than Johannesburg and Cape Town in the country, the airport covers many international destinations like Mauritius, Dubai, Harare, Lusaka and Maputo.

Durban is well served by MetroRail and its intercity train connection extends to Johannesburg and Pietermaritzburg, served by Spoornet.

Buses are the primary options for local travel in Durban and two well known car rentals in Durban include:

First Car Rental
Europcar Car Hire

Culture, Food and Shopping in Durban:

Durban is a colorful city, with many internationally recognized events, including Durban International Film Festival and Jomba – Contemporary Dance Festival.

Some famous traditional markets in Durban are Essenwood Craft Market, African Arts Center and Victoria Street Market. For Indian dining, visitors can consider Vintage Restaurant.

What to do in Durban?

Visiting casinos
Swimming
Surfing
Snorkeling
Festival celebrations

What to see in Durban?

Durban Botanical Gardens:

The Durban Botanical Gardens is renowned as the oldest surviving botanical garden in Africa, situated at 70 John Zikhali Road. Apart from plants and flower species, the garden is also famous among tourists for its various social gatherings, including a blend of cultural weddings.

The Golden Mile:

The Golden Mile is one of the excellent beaches in Durban, located near the downtown area. It is a heaven for surfers and also offers opportunity to have fun for children with play pools and playgrounds. Hotel, bars and restaurants are dozens in number on the waterfront.

Crocodile Creek:

Around 50 km north of Durban, the Crocodile Creek is a worthy trip for all types of tourists. It is in the town of Tongaat, home to more than 7000 Nile Crocodiles as well as caiman, snakes and alligators that are allowed to see for visitors. The farm also features a waterfall, hill trails and shops with a wide range of crocodile leather goods.

The City Hall:

The City Hall of Durban is one of the major landmarks as well as tourist attractions of Durban, where visitors can find three major cultural centres of Durban like an art gallery, science museum and public library. It is in the heart of the city.

Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World:

The Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World is an amazing entertainment centre in Durban, home to South Africa’s largest casino complex as well as cinemas, a beach bar, semi-private beach and numerous restaurants inside. It is a worth visit.

Other places of interest in Durban:

Umgeni River Bird Park
Moses Mabhida Stadium
Greyville Racecourse
uShaka Marine World
The International Convention Centre
The Victoria Embankment
Mahatma Gandhi Settlement
Sahara Stadium Kingsmead
Gateway Theatre of Shopping
Kings Park Stadium

Best time to visit Durban:

Durban features a humid subtropical climate with warm and dry winters and hot and humid summers. The tour of Durban can be enjoyed best during any month between April and September.

Where to stay in Durban?

Being a world class tourist destination, Durban houses loads of top class hotels shared between all parts of the city, centered on the beach line. Some budget, mid range and luxury hotels in Durban include:

Budget: