Things kicked off last year where the candidates were presented to the public. Next, test drives took place before the esteemed judges. That’s when the real fun began, as each juror got the chance to drive all the nominated vehicles. One can say that the annual awards are a big deal for automakers, as a strong showing can add up to a whole lot of attention when potential owners are considering their next purchase.

The festivities came to a screeching halt by March as the coronavirus pandemic spread like wildfire. This led to the imminent cancellation of several scheduled launch events in the auto industry. With COVID-19 showing no signs of stopping, the live awards event – where the winners were supposed to be announced – was scrubbed.

Much like meetings, school classes, and more, things shifted online instead. Without further ado, we now know the winners of the 2020 South African Car of the Year Awards, including the Top Three in the finalists for each category.

2020 South African Car of the Year: Jaguar i-Pace

Since its reveal in 2018, the Jaguar I-PACE has collected nearly 100 global awards including 2019 World Car of the Year, World Car Design of the Year, World Green Car, European Car of the Year, and German, Norwegian and UK Car of the Year.

All of these titles recognise the technical excellence of the I-PACE’s zero emissions powertrain, which was designed and developed from a clean sheet of paper, in-house. Aside from being the best premium electric vehicle in the world, it’s a true Jaguar driver’s car with a combination of sports car performance, exceptional refinement, advanced driver technologies and all-wheel drive SUV usability and practicality.

A 90kWh lithium-ion battery enables a range of up to 470km (WLTP) and is capable of charging from 0-80% in just over an hour (60kW DC). The two light, compact and efficient Jaguar-designed motors generate a combined output of 294kW and 696Nm of instant torque, delivering 0-100km/h in an exhilarating 4.8 seconds.

Urban Category

The winner in the Urban Category was the Hyundai Atos 1.1 Motion. This category covers compact budget-friendly passenger vehicles that are ideal for in-town driving. Buyers of these cars typically rate practicality over luxury and performance.

Family Category

The next category – Family – is especially popular. It consists of mid-size sedans. Buyers of these vehicles expect quality, practicality and comfort –with an element of advanced handling dynamics thrown into the equation. The winner in this category was the Toyota Corolla Hatch 1.2T XR CVT.

Leisure Category

The third category – Leisure – was won by the Volkswagen T-Cross 1.0 TSI Comfortline 85kW DSG. This category covers sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs). Owners of these SUVs and MPVs enjoy the freedom of driving both on and off-road. This – combined a high seating position and flexible cargo space – makes this a popular category amongst the buying public.

Lifestyle Category

The Lifestyle Utility Vehicles Category was won by the Ford Ranger Raptor. These vehicles typically offer supreme 4×4 ability and can be either an SUV or a single or double-cab bakkie.

Premium Car Category

The highly contested Premium Car Category was won by the overall winner, namely the Jaguar I-PACE EV400 AWD SE. Buyers of these prestigious mid to large vehicles want powerful engines, luxury features and high-end trim options.

Premium SUV Category

The Premium SUV Category caters for vehicles that offer a combination of versatility, comfort, style and performance both on- and off the road. Boasting genuine 4×4 ability without low range, these vehicles are luxurious, spacious and refined. This category was won by the Mercedes-Benz GLE400d 4Matic.

Sport / Performance Category

The final category – sport/performance – was won by the Toyota GR Supra 3.0T. Whether it’s a sportier flagship of an existing passenger range or a pure stand-alone model, vehicles in this category have one common trait: superior performance. Accordingly, thoroughbred sports cars are included in this category.

In Brief

First impression Bloody hell. And: is that really what a hippo sounds like?
Staff Seemingly effortless, but passionate and utterly brilliant.
Food and drinks Way, way beyond typical Park Inn regulars.
Bed and bath Glassy, colourful, contemporary, tad bit wind-noisy.
The crowd Joburg bigwigs; Out of towners looking for a quiet homage whilst visiting the city. A lot from neighbouring cities.
In a nutshell The Park Inn of Park Inns

Set The Scene

Sitting on a corner in a upmarket neighbourhood (although not as gritty as it once used to be) on the foot of the Table Mountain, Park Inn by Radisson Cape Town Newlands is exactly that – a five-storey lodger that’s been wholly transformed into the most hip, funky and exceptionally corporate friendly,  first international hotel in the Newlands area.

What’s the story?

Reflecting the local community – Newlands’ Arts District – the hotel’s main entrance is covered in a bright but nuanced colours and curves. The furniture is up to date and nearly every piece of furniture is custom made and strikingly beautiful.

What can we expect in our room?

More pied-a-terre than bedroom, with views of the skyscrapers of downtown Cape Town, Cavendish Square and Newlands Stadium from one corner, and the intricate maze of freeways from the other. In our room, a king-sized bed gave way to a green velour bucket sofa, a posh side table and another occasional chair. The king-size bed reclined seductively into a wall mounted headboard. Opposite the bed, a built-in desk offered a place to work and its cabinet turned out to be a swank bar set-up with enough glasses for a small party. Before that, in the passage, glass doors revealed a crisp white-tiled bathroom.

How about the food and drink?

The house menu is anchored by Park Inn’s signature buffet breakfasts but the rest of the options are a best of à la carte, with favourite dishes from other Park Inn’s and a couple specific to this Newlands arm.

Anything to say about the service?

Staff were friendly and helpful (and seemingly everywhere), even when they weren’t quite sure of how things worked or where things went. It’s interesting worth noting that the hotel employs one of the largest groups of deaf staff in the world, one of the staff members told us. Big ups to Radisson!

What type of person stays here?

In my opinion, the house rules here should state no suits or ties. But anyone who works or lives in the Newlands or Kirstenbosch area would never wear a suit anyway. Park Inn generally proudly skews to a younger, cooler and more tattooed membership than Radisson’s other properties.

What’s the neighbourhood scene like?

Cavendish Square is merely two blocks away, Cubana Latino Bar is less than block beyond that and another block up is the new Tiger’s Milk. Head further north on Main Road to find the popular Hussar Grill Rondebosch serving up the best meats we’ve come to love. From there, a smattering of cafés, restaurants, galleries and shops make it easy to spend a day exploring this growing neighborhood.

Anything we missed?

The outdoor swimming pool is a little slice of heaven. The Sunny and bright terrace with unreal views of  passer-byes and mountains beyond, the pool is a relaxation haven with plush chairs and cabanas lining its perimeter.  And the underground gym is a sight to behold with Technogym equipment, TRX systems, boxing bags and more.

The #SAfricansTravelToo travel team made a comeback (we never left!) and this time around Port Elizabeth and the Easter Cape province was more than happy to be our proud hosts. With travels made possible by SA Express and Radisson Blu PE, we’ve come to learn that PE remains one of Mzansi’s distinctly down-to-earth city (and also the 2nd largest – in regards to area that is).

Whether it’s magnificent views you’re after, Dubai-like instagram pics, a craft beer experience or simply the best places to eat, it’s a city best seen on foot (most of the time) and this is how you should be spending your time in and around Port Elizabeth.

Stay

Raddison Blu at Summerstrand is a favourite as the staff pay close attention to detail, the spa is excellent and the rooms are spacious with contemporary décor – it’s a feel-good stay. Also, the hotel’s morning omelettes are the best ever.

Beyond the striking aesthetic, there's impeccable service and an exquisite on-property restaurant/bar.

Thanks for being amazing this weekend #radissonblupe! #wedotourism #myEC #adventureprovince #ECPTA #FlySAExpress #Weflyforyou #25yearsofconnections #SAfricansTravelToo pic.twitter.com/9SyIl9JG2e

— Papi Mabele (@PapiMabele) April 15, 2019

The Marine

There are penguins and then there are penguin sanctuaries. Found gliding through the waters around the remote St Croix Island, just east of Port Elizabeth, the african penguins – are drawn to the warm(-ish) water found on this coastal front. Raggy Charters Marine organises expeditions for close encounters – the curious creatures are known to swoop in, keeping a mere metre’s distance from boats and yachts alike, to interact safely (from a distance).

Eat

Bridge Street Brewery: The PE-based micro-brewery and cafe style eatery, elevates simple dishes with their creative approach to using local, sustainable ingredients. The tapas style menu naturally changes frequently, not only to retain its seasonal produce but also means that we can visit time and time again for a whole new experience. Current plates on the menu that must be tried are Bowman Cider Roast Pork Belly with apple chutney, a side of onion rings and your choice of a side and a seriously inviting set apple crumble served with Bowman Cider Sorbet. Pair all of this with their famous beer tasting board and you’re sorted!

Went Sandboarding.

Never again ???? pic.twitter.com/DcJyQLbJqO

— Papi Mabele (@PapiMabele) April 13, 2019

Discover

Port Elizabeth has plenty to discover, but one significant highlight of its permanent exhibitions for those with an interest in conceptual art is their “Route 67”. Dubbed by many as the first large great piece of art dedicated to Nelson Mandela , Route 67 consists of 67 Public Art Works symbolising Nelson Mandela’s 67 years of work dedicated to the Freedom of South Africa and includes 67 steps leading up the second largest flag in Africa. The artworks were designed by local artists from the Eastern Cape. If you’re into way more than just artistic walks, you’ll love Sunday’s River.

We traveled about 30 minutes outside of PE where we found Sandboarding at Sunday’s River. Once here they took us across the Sundays River to the sand dunes and afforded us the opportunity to sandboard for about 3 hours. Water sports follow the same principal which takes place in the river at an additional higher cost. Not just that, but they’re able to teach clients how to wakeboard and water-ski on the Sundays River.

Yhuu guys! Besideles screaming like a girl, the #adventureprovince has been nothing short of amazing. Thrilling adventure through #myEC arranged by @Lyontours

#myEC #ECPTA #SAfricansTravelToo@flySAExpress@MsLeloB @king_zimela pic.twitter.com/WPDVM2svhg

— Papi Mabele (@PapiMabele) April 14, 2019

On your way from Sunday’s River, take a short left and you’ll end up at the Addo Elephant National Park.  Home to more than 600 elephants the Addo Elephant National Park, despite having ‘elephant’ in the name, also extends right down to the ocean and currently protects some very important islands in Algoa Bay too, namely St Croix and Bird Island. We spent half a day at this majestic park followed by a hearty lunch at it’s esteemed on-site restaurant.

Out sunboarding at the Sundays River Adventures in Colchester. #MyEasternCape has a lot of hidden gems.

Celebrating #25yearsofconnections with @flySAExpress pic.twitter.com/AUAei4K5f4

— Papi Mabele (@PapiMabele) April 13, 2019

All of these excursions were arranged by Lyon Tours should you wish to duplicate ours or create your itinerary.

How epic was our #SAfricansTravelToo weekend in #myEC!?

I'm giving away 8x return flights to any of @flySAExpress destinations (excl Lubumbashi, DRC) to celebrate #25yearsofconnections. To enter, simply tell me what 2 activities did we take part in when exploring the EC? pic.twitter.com/bmxw9LPetc

— Papi Mabele (@PapiMabele) April 17, 2019

For the fourth installment of #SAfricansTravelToo, we recently took a road trip to Nelspruit, Mpumalanga. Myself and fellow traveler, Lelo Boyana had visions of frolicking in waterfalls, eating pancakes and soaking up tranquil vistas. In reality, our host Tomjachu Bush Retreat lived up to all those imaginations, minus the waterfalls.

Before we got here, however, we were searching for the perfect Mpulanaga getaway that included pictures by the infamous potholes. Sure, it was beautiful, but we  wanted something less, um, Instagrammed. And we found just that, south of the N4 – during the low season, nogals.

We planned our drive from Joburg, on a Friday afternoon after work, that goes through Alkmaar and Elandshoek, a winding mountain route through some of the oldest mountains in the world. I threw in a couple more mountain passes for good measure, because our Mercedes-Benz AMG GT C was that good to drive. 

Following the N4, the first sweeping mountain pass we found was Schoemanskloof, a well-tarred road flanked by thornveld. After a breather at Milly’s restaurant, before the Machado Toll Plaza, we meandered our way towards Nelspruit. It was pouring heavily by now. Just after 9pm we managed to reach our destination. 

Most of the farms in the area are planted with citrus (and patrolled by baboons), but Tomjachu Bush Retreat has preserved swathes of wild bush. At first glance, the farm road did little to justify the drive, but after climbing up a rugged road (you need a reasonably cleared car, but the owner was happy to offer a lift from the main gravel road), the secluded gem was a dream.

Previously an extensive tobacco farm, Tomjachu’s homestead was the perfect way to ease into a weekend away. No Wi-Fi or TV was needed – just nature and good company (although the property does offer both these facilities). Evening brought sublime colours to the valley and baboon barks echoed down the slopes.

In the morning Lelo and I were welcomed with warm hugs by the owner, Jack Fillery and his manager followed by a hearty, hot breakfast. There’s nothing more soothing than a freshly brewed rooibos tea overlooking the serene slopes, it puts life’s problems into so much perspective. For lunch, we took one of the picnic packs and resorted to a self guided trail walk which includes a stop for lunch at any one of the beautiful sites, the South Dam, on the property. Here is when you truly get to be one with nature and get the adrenaline pumping. We even encountered a few bucks along the way. Rest assured, there is no dangerous game on the property. 

After a few photo-shoot sessions by the dam, we returned to the homestead with enough time to freshen up for our Nature drive bush dining experience. 

The drive, which took roughly 45 minutes, allowed for a close encounter with a variety of game, bird species and diverse plant life, including zebra, kudu, blue wildebeest, mountain reedbuck and few nyala.

Once we had explored the surroundings, we enjoyed a sundowner accompanied by tales of the property’s history, narrated by none other than Jack, one of the property owners. Not far from our sundowner spot, we proceeded deeper into the bush to the bush lapa. Delicious canapés awaited our arrival. A three course dinner was served under the night sky with only the sounds of the trilling nightjars, and Lelo’s giggles to accompany the mood.

Sunday came and it was time to  prepare for our departure. But not so fast, as our host had one last trick up his sleeve; A guided bushwalk. Tomjachu is truly quaint and charming and the homey feel of the entire property is reminiscent of my days growing up in the Free State, but with a far more authentic feel of its own. It has hilly passes, peace and quiet, and a good dose of mystery and majestic animals. With giraffe tails swinging from side to side like soft pendulums and a pink sunset to myself, we declared our Mpumalanga bush retreat a success.

Getting There

Tomjachu advises against the use of GPS or satellite navigation systems to find them. You can download directions on their website here, according to which direction you are coming from.

Rates

You can view Tomjachu’s rates per season here 

Where I stayed

Homestead main suite; A beautifully appointed and spacious en-suite Queen double bedroom with access to the Homestead’s beautiful sitting room, pool and terraces offering an intimate and relaxed atmosphere. But there’s more on the property itself such as the exclusive Valbonne Villa, Keepers Cottage, Bush Cottage and Rock House

One of the joys of venturing off the beaten path in this picturesque country of ours  is the people you meet and the tiny gems of small towns and resorts you get to discover. And I love how, through #SAfricansTravelToo, we’ve been able to venture to neighbouring countries and tell our tales. 

The simple  beauty of driving through the Karoo in the early hours of the morning with nothing to keep you company but the dancing stars and a warm breeze. Or drinking wine deep into the night along with the co-owner of a tiny boutique B&B on the  Wild Coast as he regales you with tales as the private chef for the British royal family. Priceless times indeed! 

And its often the road less travelled that holds the secret to memorable times. Take a recent drive I did to a region slightly forgotten for those who like to venture out from the confines of city life – Lesotho. 

The history surrounding this country is limitless – no pun intended – and around each corner there is another piece of scenery that simply takes your breath away and another resort waiting to be explored. One such place is the Avani Lesotho Hotel & Casino on the edge of developing capital, Maseru. 

Established in 1979, back then under the Sun International umbrella, this hotel is one of the oldest in the region originally as stopover for pioneers as they headed north. Fortunately, we had the pleasure of travelling to the property in the new Isuzu KB – maybe not as economical but a hell of a lot comfortable for our weekend away.

And while so much has changed since those pioneer days, the beauty of the region remains intact. Sitting on my balcony, and looking past the roads and developments that criss-cross the area, one can drink from the fountain of nature as you savour the perfect back drop of the majestic mountain range. 

Lunch at #shoeshoe with @AVANILesotho ???????? … And @MsLeloB #SAfricansTravelToo pic.twitter.com/Rfs3820bII

— Papi Mabele (@PapiMabele) May 13, 2017

History books come alive as you have the chance to visit the fields where battles between the Boer, English and Basotho unfolded, either through a one-on-one with a guide or through an interactive display in the museum. There’s also horse riding and a traditional feast at the legendary Shoe shoe restaurant . When it comes to Avani, forget about chain-style hotel type accommodation, because the Avani Lesotho staff have managed to make it their own. The hotel itself pulls so much and incorporates Lesotho in its culture. 

if you keep things simple but world class, its fairly easy to do it well

Accommodation wise you have a choice of either the Avani Room (adequate for 2 adults), the Avani Executive Room (which is apparently more popular with guests and to where we resorted for our stay),  Avani Superior Room, Avani Suite and then the luxe and modern  Avani Presidential Suite. 

The staff are genuinely helpful and the food is good, down to earth tucker just like you would expect from any four star retreat. Think of lamb curry, roast beef, steaks that are guaranteed to satisfy the hungriest of appetites. Desserts are equally yummy while breakfasts also prove that if you keep things simple but world class, its fairly easy to do it well. 

Getting to Lesotho:

For #SAfricansTravelToo Lesotho, we partnered with Isuzu, for their all new KB. With cruise control activated for majority of our trip (until you reach the pot-hole struck Senekal area) we returned an excellent consumption figure of just about 7.7l/100km for a total of 501km one way.

Not even the rain can stop the @Isuzusa KB #80YearsOfReal #SAfricansTravelToo pic.twitter.com/76MDl2bhdQ

— Papi Mabele (@PapiMabele) May 12, 2017

The vehicle provides plenty of passenger space, a comfortable cabin along with its matching features one would expect from a bakkie costing in the region of R600 000. There is also excellent ground clearance for those off-road excursions you are bound to make in an area as beautiful as the Kingdom. 

So the next time you decide to take a trip down the Kingdom of Lesotho, add a night  to your journey and experience the Lesotho hospitality and nightlife. You won’t be disappointed.

I’d been excited by the prospect of a refreshed Isuzu KB since it was first announced – finally, an affordable pick-up with real-world range – but I was somewhat nervous as to how it would handle the ice palace climate of Lesotho, where you can use your back porch as a deep freeze during May, June, July and most of August.

Myself and fellow writers, Lelo and George decided that, much like skinny dipping or bare-knuckle boxing, it would be best for us to go ‘all the way’ with the KB and plan the kind of long-distance road trip that simply wouldn’t be possible in any other pick-up on the market not named after an 80s hair metal band. Here are the 5 things we learned while exploring with #SAfricansTravelToo after taking it on a 1200km highway jaunt in the ice and snow.

1. Wait A Minute – Isn’t 1200km Over The Isuzu KBs Full Tank Range?

Yes, you’re right – but also wrong, as I quickly discovered. Officially, Suzuki rates the KB at being able to squeeze a little over  600 km out of its tank before you need to fill it up, and in the real world there are some fair weather drivers who have beaten that figure. On arrival to our destination, our indicator was only two bars below the half mark. Obviously, we had to fill-up on our return. 

2. Highway Stability Isn’t As Impressive

The Isuzu KB is designed around a wheelbase that sits tall on its tires, giving the bakkie plenty of real estate to expose to brisk winter winds and not much natural stability to counter their efforts to tip the car over like a sleeping cow in a snowy farmer’s field. By no means is the KB dangerous at highway speeds, but you’ll have your work cut out for you paying attention to the steering inputs needed to maintain a straight track – particularly if you find yourself traveling over rutted pavement. 

3. The KB Is Quick

It’s no sports car, but how many affordable bakkies can reliably spin the tires if you get over-exuberant with the go-pedal? I’ll admit that cold rubber and asphalt don’t make for the best traction, but damn, the Isuzu felt strong off the line – and on the highway, too, comfortably surging past 110km/h to pass without hesitation.

The only other pick-up I’ve driven in the KB’s size that displayed a similar willingness to play is the pricier Hilux, which says a lot for the engineering benchmarks met during the KB’s design process.

4. It’s an all-rounder

This is no ‘tire and sticker’ package designed to boost your confidence and get you stuck farther away from home than you otherwise might have attempted in a regular 4×4 pick-up. Instead, the KB is a fully-engineered solution to the conundrum of how to build a truck that can balance day-to-day commuting, hauling, and towing with the desire to kick maximum ass once the asphalt disappears – and it took an unlikely partner to make it a reality.

There’s really nothing else like it, and that’s something Isuzu is heavily counting on as it courts off-road customers. We’re truly living in a golden age for four-wheeling, what with the Ranger, the Triton, the Navara, and the Amarok each offering dramatically different takes on how to have fun 600km from civilization.

That all changed recently when myself and fellow content creators, Lelo Boyana of Chica.co.za and George Matsheke, marvin.co.za decided to venture on an unrestricted weekend long road-trip to Maputo, Mozambique. The reason for the trip? It was to mark the beginning of great things, exciting things, the birth of #SAfricansTravelToo an idea that came to life when the three of us met an event and decided to explore with a cause. 

Let me explain my excitement — road trips are one of the truly lovable, completely pure thing about Southern Africas culture. Whatever else makes us gross and bad, our landscapes are beautiful, and our kitsch is the best in the world, and you can’t fault anyone for wanting to see as much of it as possible. But no one has time to go on 12 road-trips a year.

Getting There

The day we’ve been excitedly waiting for has finally arrived, I managed to take delivery of our courtesy X1 from BMW South Africa and take note of our border papers (you need these in order for the car to cross the border). The car is great, we need the ground clearance as I am told Mozambique’s road can be quite bad, a lot like ours. It must be comfortable too, seeing that we’d be spending much of this road trip in it, it needed to tick all the right boxes. The BMW X1 did. My phone and a small battery pack are ready for action at 100%. I’ve cleared all the space we could ever need to shoot a mini-series on my GoPro, and so I spend the next half-hour doing the aero equivalent of wardriving —  on my way to fetch George at his offices in Randburg. En route the buzzy Friday traffic I manage to sort out our trip route on the on-board nav system, it throws a 7-hour drive at me, but that’s okay! Exotic Mozambique awaits.

When we pick up Lelo at the Total service station on Atlas Road in Boksburg and start our trip in earnest, my hopes are realized with the thought of this actually being a reality. Here we meet with the team from Total SA too. We manage to fit in a few light snacks and refreshments right there. Their hearty welcome and well wishes with the trip are just what we needed. This is great, I think. Things cannot possibly go wrong on this adventure.

We opted to take the N12 via Boksburg going through to Emalahleni which joins the N4 – where we managed to stop for refreshments at Total Alzu –  until we reached Nelspruit. This was followed by another, final refreshment stop and driver change at the Total Melalane before we reached the border. The stop at Melalane comes handy; its perfect should you wish to pick up some essentials such as bottled water and snacks until you reach the capital Maputo. It was now my turn to drive us through the border and get us safely to our home for next two days. 

Staying in Mozambique 

It takes just about an hour to cross the Lebombo Border to Maputo, and just under two hours to drive to Maputo. Because its a world away from the skyscraping modernity of Johannesburg, we were greeted by flooded roads and unusual traffic just before 11pm. We were headed to its southern coast, here a resort and hotel zone has been created and houses Radisson Blu Maputo – of the Carl Rezidor Hotel Group – which is the first tall building you notice as you head for the coast and which played homage to us for the duration of our stay.

Truth be told, I had the wrong idea about Radisson Blu; I imaged it catered for the sophisticated American and European holidaymakers, young couples and intimidatingly rich, beautiful people dripping swagoo – as one Beyonce would call it. It’s still all that, but the group is putting more focus on giving travel savvy, modern individuals – and their families –  that genuine, inviting ambiance and 360° hospitality experience. The rooms are gigantic, in a good way, with very high callings. Giving you enough space to move about as you wish.

Once dawn, we could see how this particular residence was simply stunning, looking out over perfect lawns and palm trees to a picturesque view of the ocean with the smell of fresh coffee.

What to do 

The Radisson Blu Maputo hotel and its residence has been perfectly placed a few meters away from the buzzling city center. One could walk from the hotel to the FAIS craft market, but attractions such as the Maputo Train Station, Steel House and Historical monuments require driving around. One could get around in a taxi, which the hotel front desk was happy to arrange, but no need as we’d drive ourselves around to explore. First on our list was to find an ATM and withdraw local currency, followed by a visit to the Maputo Train Station, FEIMA (craft) Market, the Samora Machel Statue and Steel House.

At last, we drove to Macanetta Island, further north of the city for fine seafood and of course, the beach. Once there, only George had the courage to walk another kilometer to find white sand and dip his toes in the warm water. Could an island beach be any better? He uttered on his return. Well, maybe, with all the fresh seafood presented to us.  

Our lunch times were reserved for where the locals eat, with the first being at Mcanetta Island, and second at the infamous Fish Market. A modern building which stands on the shore with views of the coast on each side. There were live fish and assorted crustaceans in saltwater buckets, just waiting to be selected and put out of their misery and onto a plate. The three of us settled for one of the vendors outside and her raved prawns, fish and chips platter. 

The drive back to the Hotel was not as daunting as the drive to the island, we were back at the hotel just before 5pm, with enough time for sun-downers. For dinner, we reserved ourselves for the Radisson’s Azul Restaurant at one of their newly built residence properties. Its a fine dine establishment, with food that is to die for. 

Should you go

South Africans wanting to head this way, definitely should! Its best you visit between June and October when its still dry season (plenty of sun, clear skies and almost no rain) with not a lot of tourist traffic around. That way, you get a great blend of sight seeing and gentle white sands between your toes. Best you drive yourself to the coastal city, and get lost if you have to, but be wary of their law enforcement and always have a few Metical (or Meti-cash as locals call it) to spare

#SAfricansTravelToo Mozambique was hosted by Radisson Blu Maputo, BMW South Africa and fueled by Total SA. 

About #SAfricansTravelToo

In this fast-paced world where the thought of a weekend away or city break seems near possible, we have come together in efforts to show ordinary South Africans, like ourselves, that it is possible. #SAfricansTravelToo is aimed at creating an ultimate experience giving the people of Southern Africa an opportunity to become a savvy traveler, by affording them a chance to explore their home turf – and the rest of Africa. Essentially we are aiming at doing away with the stereotype that travel is expensive, and seen as a luxury for most. We want to instill the mindset that it is possible to travel, it is affordable and something that is well within ones reach, within the fraction of one’s budget.