Now our city of Cape Town is scenic enough from the ground, but from up high on a stunning winter’s day, Richard was blown away by the different view of his adopted city and surroundings. From the beauty of the mountain and the beaches of Clifton and Camps bay, where he saw whales swimming just off shore, to the majesty of the dramatic Chapman’s Peak cliff top drive and the peninsula shoreline, the trip gave him a completely new perspective of this wonderful part of the world. Flying back over the Constantia valley and its vineyards they even hovered for a few minutes over Chez Holt.

Enjoy some images of his exciting chopper ride and contact us to find our more about tailor-making your own Cape Town ride in the sky.

I can’t say I’ve ever really been a fan of baboons, they always seem a bit sneaky and untrustworthy and those teeth are a bit too long, but the one that charged onto the 18^th fairway at Pezula golf course on the cliff tops outside Knysna, picked up my friend Steve’s ball and ran off into the undergrowth, has become a firm favourite with me. Hysterical it certainly was, but more importantly I was losing at the time and after 5 minutes of trying to coax the ball back from the tree bound monkey, Steve was so rattled that he sent his next shot soaring into the undergrowth as well. Game over and I had managed to draw the match. Buy that monkey a drink!

 Steve had arrived from the UK a few days earlier on his now annual South African golf trip and having previously played nearly all the courses around Cape Town, I decided to treat him this time to five days of “Millionaires’ golf along the Garden Route”.

Famous for its scenic beauty the Garden Route drive along South Africa’s southern coastline is a popular tourist route, but over the last few years it has also become a golfers paradise, with new luxury resorts and championship courses to rival the best in the world.

It had also been three years since I last visited the area, so I was keen to see some of the new developments for myself and what better way to start than at the recently voted No. 1 Golf Course in South Africa “The Links” at the famous Fancourt Hotel Country Club.

A four hour drive from Cape Town outside the town of George, I had wanted to play “the Links” for ages and I have to say it was a mind blowing experience, but not for the faint hearted! A stunning layout with the most difficult greens I have ever played on, it was both scenically beautiful and challenging, too challenging for my game I have to admit. Although my 50ft putt for par on the hole appropriately named “Kilimanjaro” was a poignant moment. Two months earlier the real Mount Kilimanjaro had beaten my climb into submission, so this was a form of sweet revenge.

 “The Links” really is golf at its exclusive best, but as a course I think it is best left to those who can play at a good standard, for holiday golfers try it by all means for the experience, but I would personally recommend sticking to Fancourts other two excellent courses the Montagu or the Outeniqua.

After extensive renovation and upgrade, the hotel and leisure facilities at Fancourt are now up there with the best. Three quality restaurants, spa, new gym and indoor and outdoor pools make this a short stay destination for golfers and their non golfing families.

So it was goodbye to Fancourt and our next stop for two days was the coastal town of Knysna, 60 kilometres away along one of the most beautiful sections of the Garden Route drive, with the road hugging the ocean and winding its way through forest and around inland lagoons.

Our first destination was the Simola Golf and Country Estate, perched on top of the hills overlooking the lagoon, sea and the famous Knysna heads in distance. The views were awesome and even more so lazing by the pool with a cold beer in hand. We stayed in one of the spacious and elegant golf lodges and the golf course the following morning was another luxury experience.  A real rollercoaster ride of a course, it winds its way up and down the steep hillside with some stunning views and golf holes.

The 2^nd hole sticks in the mind, teeing off on top of the hill you literally aim at a fairway a couple of hundred feet below you. The course was beautiful and a great layout, but the less said about my golf the better, there was no baboon to rescue me this time!

From Simola it was just a short drive across to the other side of the valley to the über-exclusive Pezula Resort Hotel, but first a quick stop for lunch at my favourite local spot Ile De Pain Bakery on Thyssen Island in the middle of the Knysna lagoon.

Apart from the baboon incident the Pezula experience was opulence and exclusivity all the way. The location is awesome on the cliff tops above the ocean and our vast hotel suites were the ultimate in luxury.  The service was excellent and the facilities like the spa and the acclaimed restaurant make it a top location for honeymooners or a romantic getaway. The golf was pretty good too, another championship layout that winds its way around the hillside, along the cliff tops and close to the ocean. The 13^th and 14^th holes in particular that swept down toward the sea were particularly breathtaking.

Quietly toasting Mr. Baboon, whilst Steve sulked in the passenger seat next to me, our golfing journey continued with the final stop at the town of Mossel Bay and Pinnacle Point one of the newest golf resorts in the area. Already being called South Africa’s Pebble Beach it came with a lofty reputation and anticipation was high as we drove our golf cart down from the reception to the club house situated right on the cliff tops. It was soon clear what all the fuss was about, this was quite simply a staggering golfing layout and for the next few hours it was hard to keep your mind on golf as you took in the scenery around you. Hole after hole hugged the cliff tops and ball after ball disappeared into the swirling ocean below as we tried to hit a green surrounded by water.

 It was totally exhilarating and highly recommended, but when the wind blows it must be near on impossible to play and so it was almost a relief to sink that final put and walk off the course mentally exhausted.

As we drove back to Cape Town that night Steve and I both agreed we had just played four of the best courses in one of the most beautiful locations in the world and it would stay in the memory forever.

For golfing aficionados and holiday golfers alike watch out for our soon to be released golfing collection, specializing in unique golfing experiences!

With thousands of tourists pouring into Cape Town during the summer and even winter months, many want to tour the Cape to see its beauty first hand.  There are so many different types of tours available where one can see the most popular tourist sites but we found one that we just had to share with you, with an unusual and interesting twist!

Why not tour the Constantia Winelands in style on an open top bus?  Sound like your thing?

The City Sightseeing Cape Town Company, which offers tours all over the Peninsula, and is famous for its recognizable open top red double decker buses all over the world from London to New York, is launching an exciting new tour of the Constantia Winelands. Just 20 minutes from the city, the valley of Constantia is at the very heart of Cape Town’s colonial and affluent history. With beautiful mountain scenery, sprawling colonial homes with the finest Cape Dutch architecture, some of the cities top restaurants and our oldest and finest wine estates, this is one tour you don’t want to miss. There are two stops on your journey: Groot Constantia Wine Estate and Eagle’s Nest Estate.

The tour departs from the Two Oceans Aquarium at the V&A Waterfront, and then drops you off and collects from Groot Constantia.

With a commentary guided tour and stunning views of the Constantia Winelands, your adventure will start with an impressive viewing of the Cape Dutch Manor House, a cellar and wine tasting tour where you will get to see wine production in action, a unique vineyard walk and you will also have the option to eat lunch at the estate’s restaurants or order a pre-packed picnic.  Jonkerhuis and Simon’s Restaurant are well known for their authentic flavours and fine cuisine so you will be spoilt for choice!

While there we suggest you try our picks: their 2009 Gouverneurs Reserve White, the 2009 Gouverneurs Chardonnay and the 2009 Merlot. 

Your next stop is Eagles Nest where the bus from Groot Constantia makes a stop off every 35 minutes.  Here you will get to sample some of the region’s best varieties of red wine from their award winning Shiraz to Merlot and one of our very favourites, the excellent Viognier.

Whether you’re on your own or with the kids, this is a wonderful day out for everyone!  Enjoy the beauty of the Cape and its proud vineyards at leisure, while sampling some of its scenic beauty, history, fine wines and cuisine.

The Wine Tour is actually a FREE EXTENSION on the Blue Mini Peninsula Tour and also visits 13 other attractions along the way from Kirstenbosch Gardens, to Camps Bay and the World of Birds.

You can hop off and on again at any spot but for those that wish to take the Wine Tour to Groot Constantia, it is recommended that they purchase a two day ticket.

For more information on ticket prices and how to purchase them please phone City Sightseeing Cape Town on +27 (0)21 511 6000 or check out their website.

Or contact us to organize this tour for you or make any other recommendations on how to best see what Cape Town has to offer.

Happy touring!

The chosen location was Richards’s favourite course – the exclusive Pearl Valley Golf Estate located in the Winelands between Paarl and Franschhoek, just 45 minutes from Cape Town. Designed by Jack Nicklaus, the course has a real five star championship layout and has already hosted the SA open a number of times, so we were in for a real treat!

The estate is in a beautiful location, nestling in the valley surrounded by mountains and some of the regions most expensive real estate and as we teed off, temperatures were already up in the 30’s. So it was certainly a day to take the complimentary carts rather than walk and the factor 40 sunscreen was in plentiful supply.

As always the golf course was in immaculate condition and played superbly which is more than can be said for our golfers on the day. 

As we sat scorched and dehydrated in the bar afterwards with a cold beer in hand, all the talk was about the hundreds of bunkers and the lightening quick greens which caused the putting for most to be a scary experience!

An hour later showered and lathered in after sun cream we said goodbye to Pearl Valley and retired for dinner and prize giving at the nearby Freedom Hill restaurant and wine estate, just up the road.

When all the score cards were added, from a number of low scores the overall winner was our Travel Concepts lawyer Christo Veldsmen and the booby prize for most lost golf balls going to Nick Solomon from the exclusive La Residence hotel in Franschhoek.  

As we sat with a good glass of Shiraz after an excellent dinner watching the sun go down over the mountains in the distance, we all agreed that we had had a hot but hugely enjoyable day in the regions finest golf country.

And so the annual Travel Concepts Golf Day was born!

I had met Dawn a few weeks earlier through our shared love of travel blogging and she invited me out for a tasting, so always on the lookout for new and interesting places to recommend to our travelers, I went to take a look. I had to admit I was also intrigued that in a region of rapidly increasing wine making, what was making the Jorgensens “buck the trend” and go a different route?

 After less than five minutes in the company of Roger, the answer was clear, here was a love affair!

A canny ex wine maker he knew the economic reality well and whilst he still turned his hand to a few barrels of his favourite red for his own consumption, he was also an ideas man, driven to innovate and to push his talents into something new. Roger’s passion for his new calling was infectious and I was soon hooked as we walked into his old barn to be met by an assault of wonderful smells, with all sorts of strange and exotic herbs hanging from roof beams and spilling out of sacks and containers.  It was here that he spent hours a day experimenting, combining different herbs looking for distinctive flavour.

Whilst clearly out of my depth, I did find the distilling process fascinating but it finally came to that moment when it was time to stop listening and watching and time to start tasting. We retired to the stoop, with views out across the mountains and in the peace and tranquility of the late afternoon, Roger and Dawn talked (and poured) me through their range of products.

First it was the Primitive Vodka with the distinctive peppery flavours I had encountered earlier in the barn.  

Then onto the Sauvignac Brandy, which even to my heathen’s palate had a smoothness and confident quality about it. Very classy!

The Naked Lemon Limoncello was hugely adventurous and the Field of Dreams Absinthe was totally new to me, something I had never tasted before. A highly alcoholic green spirit flavoured by “grande wormwood” (another herb I remembered from earlier) anise and fennel.

Not only did they taste good, but they looked good too. All stylishly bottled and packaged thanks to Dawns branding and marketing background and their daughters’ cutting edge design skills. It was clear that this really was a family business.

Never was the word “small is beautiful” more appropriate. But whilst this distillery is still very much a cottage industry, the combined talents of the team and the knowledge of the industry and how to position the business, just make it a success waiting to happen

As I drove home later with a bottle of Rogers brandy sitting beside me on the car seat, I had a huge smile on my face and as I reflected, I realised I had just spent one of the most enjoyable afternoons I’d had for a long time.

So if you are visiting the wine lands and want to be captivated and enthralled by something different, in the company of some of the nicest people you could meet, then give the Jorgensen’s a call and arrange to stop by for a tasting.  Click here to find out more.

Conveniently located in Gardens and around the corner from our offices, we arrived and were handed a linen parcel of clothing and white Havaianas to change into. Once we were dressed in what become evident as clean and very comfortable Thai linen massage outfits, we were all whisked upstairs for our authentic Thai massages which can be loosely translated as “lazy Yoga”. The masseur slowly and gently stretches you in every direction, giving all your limbs and muscles the stretch of a lifetime and all the while encouraging positive blood flow. By simply elevating and reinventing the positive aspects of oil-free, hygienic and fully clothed Thai massage, Enmasse offers regular de-stressing for the modern world. Think of Enmasse as the sushi of massage. It’s healthy, fulfilling, relaxing and above all it’s convenient and “served” in a unique and authentic yet aesthetically appealing space.

Another very noticeable difference of this massage experience is the unique music that is played. Many spas and massages centres are often isolated and play Music Of The Southern Right Whale Vol. 2 or Forest Sounds Revisited On Pan Pipe giving the illusion of relaxation rather than any actual muscle related unwinding, which is what massage is all about.

After the hour long session, we all met downstairs in the tea room to chat about our individual experiences and who can “out-stretch” who, as well as sampling over 40 exotic teas! It was great fun to have been part of a large group as we must have tried about 8 different teas all blended in their glass teapots whilst we curled up on the sofas and took in the whole experience. Eventually though we had to tear ourselves away from the comfort of the couches and soothing teas and get back to reality. Enmasse is great for those visitors to Cape Town wanting to try a massage with a different and we also think it is perfect as a pre-wedding outing for brides and their retinue who want to bond and do something unique and fun before the wedding – oh and not forgetting the groom’s retinue too!

Every day new Travel Guides are uploaded providing independent opinions and suggestions on the best places to stay, the tastiest places to eat, the unmissable things to do, and much more. Already voted website of the year by “the good web guide” the site is visual and easy to navigate and all Travel Guides on the site are rated and reviewed by users – so the best guides always find their way to the top of the search listings.

From luxurious five star experiences to authentic and off the beaten track travels around the world it’s an inspirational library for travel enthusiasts. So when you are thinking of Africa, don’t just take our word for it, check out Simon seeks and be inspired by the adventures and ideas of real travelers who have explored and experienced this wonderful continent. We particularly like David Cawleys – cycling through Malawi and “thrills and swills in Cape Town” by Felice Hardy but keep a look out for some of our own Travel Guides from our travel adventures in Southern Africa.

Our good friend, fellow Capetonian and travel writer Vicki Sleet has also been appointed, the Simonseeks independent expert for Cape Town. She will soon be uploading her own recommendations for the best hotels, restaurants and things to do there.

We then returned to the lodge to get in to another vehicle – which was extremely noisy – to be taken up the hill to the lion enclosure. There we found 2 lazy lions in their enclosure. This was not something I would recommend and was pretty dissatisfied as both lions have been hand reared and as a visitor to Southern African, one might find it disappointing to see lions that don’t have that natural wild element to them. A big highlight after lunch was to feed the elephants. They have a male, female and very young baby elephant that have handlers that stay with them all day. We were lucky to be the only ones booked on this afternoon activity so could feed the elephant fruit to our hearts content. It was very special and something I would highly recommend. There are various places on the Garden Route where you can do this and it is fun for both adults and children. A humbling experience to feed these amazing animals where you realize how small you are in comparison!

Botlierskop is perfect for a soft game experience and it is especially suitable for young children. This really does make for a fun day activity on the Garden Route.

“After having heard so much about Origin through the Cape Town “grapevine” I could barely wait for our meeting! Once I had managed to find parking in Hudson Street I noticed only a few lonesome little tables outside the front door. I remember looking at Kim with a “Is this it?” look on my face. I was sorely mistaken. Once we walked in we were greeted with the buzz and noise that one expects from a coffee hotspot. I immediately felt at home once I walked in – the urban and industrial décor suits the brand completely whilst the aromas floating in the air literally pull you in by the collar! Luckily Hannes got there a little before us because there wasn’t a free table in sight! I was craving a strong cappuccino after having hosted a wine fuelled dinner party the night before, so Kim went to the counter and placed our order. Not more than 5 minutes later Björn Salsone, who heads up Special Events at Origin, joined us – along with our cappuccinos. To say Björn is passionate about what he does is an extreme understatement! His knowledge and noticeable enthusiasm alone made us sit up and take notice. We discussed Origin’s origin and their boutique offering for weddings and events. I was amazed to learn the unique story and concept about Origin – there is more to it than just coffee! Origin is on a mission to change the coffee culture of South Africa.

Their head quarters in Hudson Street spills over three storeys, stretches between two streets, and opens onto three outdoor areas. They’ve combined coffee roasting with a courtyard, a coffee lab with a meeting space, a professional barista school with a warehouse and a tasting room so that you can do more than sit down and sip the best coffee in Africa. Origin believes that success starts at the source. They sample, roast & taste before they buy. Importing beans that they have handpicked from all over the continent, the unbelievable selection of coffee on the menu is a testament to the fruits of their labour. They know who grew their coffee, and where, and they refuse anything but the best.

Whilst learning all this I was curious as what exactly was behind the floor-to-ceiling glass doors at the back of the coffee shop. I could see something was going on but wasn’t sure and wrote it off as offices or storage space. Björn sensed my curiosity and proposed that we move to Nigiro for a tea tasting. Another “What is going on now?” look was sent in Kim’s direction and she shrugged and followed Björn towards the glass doors. As we entered, I ate my words – again. With peaceful Asian–inspired music playing, a unique water feature on the floor and a fusion between Asian and African decor, a tranquil environment is effectively established through the use of sound, scent and carefully placed lighting. This is a calm, serene space away from the hustle and bustle of coffee shop.

Nigiro is simply ‘Origin’ spelt backwards and is a great representation of the synergy that the well established ‘coffee guys’ are hoping to achieve by having the two ‘opposites’ under one roof. Yin and yang, Origin is to coffee as Nigiro is to tea. Housing over 100 specially blended fine leaf teas, Nigiro is the top destination to enjoy the ambience and tranquillity of the ancient Eastern tea ceremony. Like one would when wine tasting, we relied on alternate senses to determine which flavours of tea were being offered to us – sight and more importantly, smell. We must have sampled about 10 different bouquets of tea, all the while our fascination with tea growing and growing. One can choose from the already extensive selection of teas provided, or ask for your own specially blended combination. We were given an Orange and Cinnamon blend as well as a green tea to sample. Both equally delicious and brewed to perfection.

I returned eagerly the next day with a friend from Durban to brag about this Capetonian hidden gem. Little did I know that Nigiro has a regular Saturday morning crowd of its own and was packed with people sampling tea, buying tea and enjoying their unique tea experience! Being in the wedding industry I have to applaud the guys from Origin for this unique marriage of tea and coffee – a brilliant concept that not only strives to educate the uneducated but also allows people to experience the best of both tea and coffee – all under one roof!”

“I recently had the pleasure of enjoying a whole new concept as far as spas and massages are concerned. enmasse is a fresh approach to the predictable spa experience and the beauty of it is that you can book a massage with practically no notice. This certainly appeals to my fast paced lifestyle where the luxury of a massage is not something that gets booked into the schedule weeks in advance. They have managed to perfectly combine the allure of authentic Thai massage with the familiarity of convenience. The perceived inherent goodness and balance of Eastern ways has always fascinated the fast-paced Occident (which means Western, you learn something new every day!). This combined with the concept of a massage being something of a treat and having an air of exclusivity, means many people, including myself, don’t indulge often enough and enmasse are changing this notion, thank goodness!

Having been seduced by the massages of the East and having traveled extensively it is their aim to bring a walk in massage experience like no other in the Western world. By simply elevating and reinventing the positive aspects of oil-free, hygienic and fully clothed Thai massage, enmasse offers regular de-stressing from the modern world. Just walk in and get taken away.

You arrive and hand in your suit and change into a clean linen outfit, the pants being a wrap concept taken from the Thai fisherman, they are exceptionally comfortable (though I struggled to figure out how to wrap them!)  After changing into your all white linen robes you head upstairs. Everyone is swathed in white, standing in stark contrast to the dark blue hue of the walls whilst cool music drifts around you as you lie down. Not the pan pipes most spas play, but rather an eclectic mix from French-inspired music through to “Jack Johnson” type songs. Extensions slide from the walls encasing you in a cocoon of your own while not cutting you off from the atmosphere, which is at once relaxed and yet strangely vibey. For a while you are taken away from the world on a tide of muscular relief. Afterwards you go down into the tea room awash with sofas and a “tea tree” containing over 40 exotic teas. You settle down and order your favourite combination or try something new. No one’s going to rush you or show you the door at enmasse, so when you are ready, you change back into your clothing and off you go.

I will most certainly be heading back there, not only for the amazing and uniqie massage experience but also for more of the caramel tea!”