Restored and refurbished, Maputo’s Polana shines again…By Rosanne Buchanan[wp_gmaps lat=”-25.969157″ lng=”32.597723″]THE PLACE The Polana has always been an icon representing an old-fashioned sense of glamour and world-class sophistication, but over time most would agree that it had become run down. Some say a casino (no longer operational) attracted a seedy element, but after a two-year closure and a whopping $25-million revamp, the hotel has had a facelift that is modern and contemporary, yet still captures a hint of colonial elegance. The original hotel was built in 1922, designed by world-famous architect Sir Herbert Baker in the Palace Style. It is…

These days there’s more to this corner of the Cape than just sunny vineyards, French flair and bubbly…By Clifford Roberts[wp_gmaps lat=”-33.913591″ lng=”19.134235″]Taste chocolate, ride horses, visit a microbrewery, tour gardens and taste wine – there’s always plenty going on in Franschhoek. However, new additions to the established fine food and wine scene in SA’s self-proclaimed Gourmet Capital are the reasons why so many fans keep returning. BEST FOR CELLAR DINING Haute Cabrière, the renowned mountainside cellar restaurant, now has a new outdoor terrace with magnificent views, instituted as part of a makeover. Crisp white linen, chandeliers and artwork have brightened…

Thonga Beach Lodge is an eco-friendly gem on an unspoiled beach along the northern KwaZulu-Natal coastline, with sublime swimming bays and snorkelling reefs, and white sand as far as the eye can see By Rosanne Buchanan[wp_gmaps lat=”-29.446773″ lng=”31.223145″]WHERE: The Elephant Coast, Maputaland (about 25km north of Sodwana Bay) GETTING THERE: It is an eight-hour drive from Johannesburg or a flight to Durban followed by a three-hour drive. BEST-KEPT SECRET: The main wow factor is the lodge’s remote setting. You park at the local nut factory and then it’s an hour’s transfer drive. Signs that greet you as you drive through…

Explore the endless vistas of the Great Karoo and be rewarded with spectacular scenery, history and food INGRID CASSON[wp_gmaps lat=”-31.985948″ lng=”22.000809″]Samara Private Game Reserve A three-hour drive north of East London in the Eastern Cape, Samara Private Game Reserve reveals a part of the Karoo that’s seldom seen. Fed by a deep, winding river, the reserve’s spectacular violet mountains are home to plenty of game, especially cheetah, which the lodge staff vigorously protect after losing many animals to swelling farmlands around them. Samara’s Karoo Lodge is a grand, single-storey homestead with a huge wraparound veranda and lawns reaching right up…

Victoria Falls remains one of Africa’s most impressive attractions Anna Montali[wp_gmaps lat=”-17.92423″ lng=”25.846446″]It was a hot and beautiful day when we landed at Livingstone Airport in Zambia and even though the building is somewhat outdated, it left us comfortable in the thought that we were still in Africa. It’s just a short distance to the bridge that crosses over the Zambezi River into Zimbabwe, where we would be staying for a few days. Driving slowly over the bridge you could hear the rumbling noise of the water plummeting down into the gorge below and, if you looked closely, you could…