Cape Town named One of the World’s Happiest Cities by Time Out!

Cape Town in South Africa has been ranked the third happiest city in the world in Time Out’s 2025 “Happiest Cities” survey, based on the opinions of over 18,000 locals worldwide. According to the well-known lifestyle publication, 97% of Cape Town residents said that their city makes them happy, earning the Mother City a top-three spot behind Abu Dhabi and Medellín.
The ranking highlights cities where people find joy in everyday life, community, and connection. Cape Town stood out for its natural beauty, cultural diversity, food scene, and outdoor lifestyle. Locals cited easy access to nature, vibrant neighborhoods, and a growing sense of optimism as key reasons why they love living there.

Time Out noted that happiness in Cape Town has been rising in recent years, reflecting the city’s unique mix of creativity, resilience, and sunshine. From mountain trails to ocean views, street markets to music festivals, Cape Town continues to offer experiences that lift the spirit - for both locals and visitors.

With its combination of natural wonder, cultural energy, and genuine warmth, Cape Town's recognition as one of the world’s happiest cities is yet another reason to visit South Africa's most beloved destination.

 

Subscribe for updates:

Subscribe to our newsletter for weekly updates, border info, road alerts, and travel inspiration for Southern Africa.  

Cape Town named best long-haul city break for UK travellers!

UK-based consumer advocacy group Which? has revealed the results of its latest survey ranking the world's best cities. This year, more than 1,500 travellers rated nearly 2,500 destinations based on food and drink, accommodation, cultural and tourist attractions, shopping, ease of getting around, and value for money. In response to overtourism concerns, Which? also introduced a ‘lack of crowds’ score to help travellers find less congested destinations.
According to the ranking, Cape Town has claimed the top spot as the best long-haul city break for UK travellers. The Mother City stands out with its vibrant culinary scene, budget-friendly prices, and rich cultural heritage, showcased in attractions like the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa and the District Six Museum. But what truly makes Cape Town unforgettable is its breathtaking natural beauty—from the sweeping views atop Lion’s Head and the rugged cliffs of Table Mountain (hike up Platteklip Gorge and ride the Aerial Cableway down) to the pristine beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay.

For travellers looking for the perfect blend of urban adventure and natural beauty, Cape Town delivers. And as European winters set in, the city’s warm summer climate—without the hassle of jet lag—makes it an even more enticing escape!

Which?'s Top 10 best long-haul city breaks:

1. Cape Town, South Africa
2. Kyoto, Japan
3. Sydney, Australia
4. Chicago, USA
5. Tokyo, Japan
6. Singapore
7. Bangkok, Thailand
8. Melbourne, Australia
9. Washington D.C., USA
10. New Orleans, USA

South Africa: Cape Town named world's best city for food 2024!

Cape Town in South Africa has been named the best cities for food in the world in Condé Nast Traveller's 2024 Readers' Choice Awards (UK edition). The Mother City got a score of 95.65%. According to Condé Nast Traveller, Cape Town is "a veritable melting pot of exceptional food" and "a sprawling city consisting of distinct corners and crevices where various tastes rule what’s devoured" [src.]. Milan in Italy was named second best city of food 2024, followed by Valencia in Spain and Tokyo in Japan. Congratulations!

The best cities for food in the world: Readers' Choice Awards 2024:
(The scores below are percentages representing overall average levels of satisfaction.)

1. Cape Town, South Africa – Score 95.65
2. Milan, Italy –  95.20
3. Valencia, Spain –  95.00
4. Tokyo, Japan –  94.78
5. Porto, Portugal –  94.48
6. Hong Kong, China –  93.94
7. Bangkok, Thailand –  93.71
8. Rome, Italy –  93.33
9. Singapore –  92.90
10. Sydney, Australia –  92.50

This city in South Africa was named the world's 2nd best city for food 2024!

Time Out, a global culture, entertainment and events magazine, recently asked thousands of locals all about eating out in their cities to rank the world’s culinary capitals in 2024. The city-dwellers were quizzed on their city’s must-visit restaurants, must-eat dishes and best-value bites and were also asked to rate their city’s food scene on both its quality and affordability. To create and rank the final list, Time Out narrowed down the selection by excluding cities with lower overall scores, and including only the highest-scoring city for each country. In a next step, Time Out asked its global network of writers and editors to for the lowdown on what makes their city an exciting dining destination in 2024, and to recommend their favourite places to eat right now. According to the magazine's list of "The world’s 20 best cities for food right now", Johannesburg in South Africa is currently the second best city for food in the world. Here is what Time Out writes about Joburg: "[...] From Ethiopian cafes in Little Addis to Nigerian and West African eats in the south of the city, you can eat your way across the continent here – though the majority of locals we surveyed recommended the city’s traditional South African delicacies, like the Sowetan kota sandwich, bunny chow and mala mogodu. [...]" [src.]

South African food writer Thando Moleketi-Williams, a local from Johannesburg, recommends the following foodie spots:

• Mamakashaka & Friends
  5 De Beer Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg 2000
• ARTIVIST
  7 Reserve Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg 2001
• UntitledBasement
  7 Reserve Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg 2001

The 20 world’s best cities for food 2024:

1. Naples, Italy
2. Johannesburg, South Africa
3. Lima, Peru
4. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
5. Beijing, China
6. Bangkok, Thailand
7. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
8. Mumbai, India
9. Dubai, United Arab Emirates
10. Portland, Oregon, USA
11. Liverpool, England, UK
12. Medellin, Colombia
13. Seville, Spain
14. Porto, Portugal
15. Marrakech, Marocco
16. Lyon, France
17. Sydney, Austrlia
18. Montreal, Canada
19. Osaka, Japan
20. Copenhagen, Denmark

Chef picks

• Los Angeles, California, USA
  Picked by chef Tim Cushman of Ms. Clucks Deluxe at Time Out Market Boston
• Seoul, South Korea
  Picked by Chef Reif Othman of REIF at Time Out Market Dubai
• Madrid, Spain
  Picked by Chef Michael Ayoub of Fornino at Time Out Market New York

Time Out Index 2022: Cape Town named 11th best city in the world!

Global culture, entertainment and events magazine Time Out recently published the results of its annual Time Out Index. According to the 2022 edition of the ranking, Cape Town in South Africa is the 11th best city in the world. The Mother City was rated for its good food, culture, mountains, beaches and nightlife. Top city of the year is Edinburgh in Scottland, followed by Chicago in the US, Medellin in Colombia and Glasgow, also in Scotland. Congratulations!

Time Out's top 10 11 best cities:

1. Edinburgh, Scotland
2. Chicago, USA
3. Medellín, Colombia
4. Glasgow, Scotland
5. Amsterdam, Netherlands
6. Prague, Czech Republic
7. Marrakech, Morocco
8. Berlin, Germany
9. Montreal, Canada
10. Copenhagen, Denmark
11. Cape Town, South Africa

To compile the Index, Time Out has asked some 20,000 city-dwellers across the world as well as its network of global editors, to pinpoint what makes their hometown great. While things like community spirit and resilience were two of the most important factors last year, in 2022 Time Out added extra weight to the things that make cities great places to visit as well as to live.

Time Out: Two streets in South Africa are among the 30 coolest streets in the world!

Time Out, a global media outlet that inspires and enables people to explore and enjoy the best of the city, has just released this year’s Time Out Index. As part of the global survey, Time Out asked 27,000-plus city-dwellers which specific streets they think are the coolest in the world. According to the Time Out Index, 7th Street in Melville, Johannesburg, and Main Road in Kalk Bay, a suburb of greater Cape Town, are among the 30 coolest streets in the world. 7th Street in Melville was named 12. coolest street, while Kalk Bay's Main Road was awarded the number 22 spot. Congrats!

7th Street, Melville, Johannesburg:
"cocktail in hand, a whiff of quality food in the air, the hum of casual diners and street drinkers chatting around you. There’s always a discernible buzz."

• Eat: Xai Xai Lounge (Restaurant)
• Do: Liquid Blue Cocktail Bar (Bar)
• Buy: Amateur artists line the pavement here, selling all sorts of eye-popping artworks.

Main Road, Kalk Bay, Cape Town:
"the dream spot for an afternoon mooch in the sun"

• Do: Brass Bell Restaurants and Pubs (Seafood restaurant)
• Eat: Kalky’s (Fish and chips restaurant)
• Drink: Olympia Café (Deli Restaurant & Bakery Shop)

Time Out's 30 coolest streets in the world:

1. Smith Street, Melbourne
2. Passeig de Sant Joan, Barcelona
3. South Bank, London
4. San Isidro, Havana
5. Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles
6. Witte de Withstraat, Rotterdam
7. Rua Três Rios, São Paulo
8. Haji Lane, Singapore
9. Rua Rodrigues de Faria, Lisbon
10. Calle Thames, Buenos Aires
11. Krizíkova Ulice, Prague
12. 7th Street, Melville, Johannesburg
13. Cat Street, Tokyo
14. 30th Avenue, New York
15. Levinsky Street, Tel Aviv
16. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago
17. Gran Vía, Madrid
18. Calle Ocho, Miami
19. King Street, Sydney
20. Rua de Miguel Bombarda, Porto
21. Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City
22. Main Road, Kalk Bay, Cape Town
23. Alserkal Avenue, Dubai
24. Rue Tiquetonne, Paris
25. Mariannenstrase, Berlin
26. Calle José Gálvez, Lima
27. Seaport Boulevard, Boston
28. Jægersborggade, Copenhagen
29. Allen Avenue, Lagos
30. Star Street, Hong Kong
    

Survey: The most expensive cities in Southern and East Africa 2020!

Global transportation service Hoppa has released its report into the most expensive vs cheapest destinations for 2020. The annual survey is taking a look at 100 destinations worldwide to find out which holiday destinations are most affordable and which are exorbitantly pricey. Criteria include average hotel prices per night, taxi fares, and meals for two, along with the cost of unexpected medical costs and average currency exchange rates. Flight prices were excluded. According to Hoppa's findings, Grand Cayman (a British territory) ranked as the most expensive location in the world, where costs total £459.58 per day, while Antalya in Turkey is the cheapest destination with a total cost of £63.79 per day. Seven cities from Southern and East Africa also made the list. Johannesburg in South Africa ranked as the 60th most expensive city in the world and the most expensive city in Southern and East Africa, costing international travellers £134.37 on average. Kampala (GBP130.11) in Uganda is the second most expensive city in the region and the 66th most expensive city in the world, followed by Dar es Salaam (GBP112.96 | #3, #78). According to the survey, Cape Town in South Africa is only the 5th most expensive city in Southern and East Africa and the 81th most expensive city in the world.

Photo by Keenan Constance on Unsplash

The most expensive cities in Southern and East Africa 2020:

1. (60) Johannesburg, South Africa - GBP134.37 (4th cheapest cocktails in the world - GBP3.47)
2. (66) Kampala, Uganda - GBP130.11 (cheapest beer in the world - GBP0.88)
3. (78) Dar es Salaam, Tanzania - GBP112.96 (2nd cheapest beer in the world - GBP0.95)
4. (80) Gaborone, Botswana - GBP111.31 (7th cheapest beer in the world - GBP1.20)
5. (81) Cape Town, South Africa - 110.12 (3rd chapest cocktails in the world - GBP3.43)
6. (82) Port Louis, Mauritius - 108.72 (5th cheapest hotel rates in the world - approx. GBP26.00)
7. (98) Nairobi, Kenya - GBP75.23 (cheapest hotel rates in the world - approx. GBP17.50)

Telegraph Travel Awards 2019: Cape Town has scooped the Best City Award for the seventh consecutive year!

For the seventh consecutive year, Cape Town in South Africa has scooped the Best City Award in the 2019 edition of one of Britain's most comprehensive, wide-ranging and reliable reader travel surveys, the annual Telegraph Travel Awards. Over 39,000 readers of the "The Telegraph" took part in the survey and voted for their favourite travel destinations. Vancouver in Canada and Kyoto in Japan are this year's runner-ups. Congratulations Cape Town!

Telegraph Travel Awards 2019 - The Best City Award:

1. Cape Town
2. Vancouver
3. Kyoto
4. Sydney
5. St Petersburg
6. Singapore
7. Venice
8. Luang Prabang
9. Sevelle
10. New Orleans
11. Havanna
12. New York
13. Bagan
14. Florence
15. Istanbul
16. Rome
17. Dubrovnik
18. Tokyo
19. Krakow
20. Buenos Aires

Cape Town is one of the World's 50 most beautiful cities!

The largest Canadian-based online travel company, Flight Network, has published a comprehensive list of the 50 most beautiful cities in the world. Based on the opinions of a 1000+ travel writers, travel bloggers and travel agencies (including us!) from all around the globe, Cape Town in South Africa is the 7th most beautiful city in the world. Winner of the survey is Paris in France, followed by New York City in the US and London in the United Kingdom. Venice (#4) in Italy , Vancouver (#5) in Canada, Barcelona (#6), San Francisco (#8) in California, Sydney (#9) in Australia and Rome (#10) complete the list top 10 list. Congrats Cape Town!

Cape Town is a blend of distinct cultures and people groups, making it one of the most multicultural cities in the world. Thanks to its beauty, it also attracts a lot of foreign expats and immigrants as well, making it even more diverse. [src.]

Time Out Index 2019: Cape Town is "one of the best cities in the world"!

Global culture, entertainment and events magazine Time Out recently published the results of its annual "Time Out Index". According to the 2019 edition of the ranking, Cape Town in South Africa is the 12th best city in the world. The Time Out Index is based on the actual experiences and opinions of tens of thousands of people surveyed around the world, as well as the views of local experts who know their city like no one else.

Most visitors to South Africa come for safaris, and Cape Town doesn’t really cater to that taste – but don’t overlook this instantly likeable and captivating city. Nine out of ten Capetonians agree that their city is beautiful, with Table Mountain forming one of the most stunning urban backdrops in the world, and few other cities can offer mountain hiking, lazing on a beach, and checking out a vibrant food and drink scene all in one day. Lizzie Williams [src.]

In partnership with Tapestry Research, Time Out interviewed almost 34,000 anonymous city-dwellers about food, drink, culture, nightlife, community, neighbourhoods, overall happiness and other factors, such as their city's beauty, affordability and convenience.

The world’s best cities right now, according to the Time Out Index 2019:

1. New York
2. Melbourne
3. Chicago
4. London
5. Los Angeles
6. Montreal
7. Berlin
8. Glasgow
9. Paris
10. Tokyo
11. Madrid
12. Cape Town
13. Las Vegas
14. Mexico City
15. Manchester
16. Philadelphia
17. Barcelona
18. Buenos Aires
19. Lisbon
20. Washington DC

Survey: Durban has Africa's second best quality of living 2019!

According to the 2019 editon of Mercer's annual Quality of Living survey, Durban (global ranking #88) in South Africa has the second best quality of living in Africa, followed by Cape Town (#95) and Johannesburg (#96). Windhoek in Namibia came in on 7th rank, followed by Gaborone in Botswana on 8th position and Lusaka in Zambia on 9th position. Port Louis (#83), the capital city of Mauritius, is the city with the best quality of living in Africa 2019.
The Mercer Quality of Living Survey 2019 ranks 231 cities on quality of life. The data for the 2019 survey was analysed between September and November 2018. Mercer evaluates local living conditions in more than 450 cities surveyed worldwide. Living conditions are analysed according to 39 factors, grouped in 10 categories. Kudos @ Mercer!

African cities ordered according to the Mercer "Quality of Living"-Rankings 2019:

1. #083 (global rank) Port Louis, Mauritius
2. #088 Durban, South Africa
3. #095 Cape Town, South Africa
4. #096 Johannesburg, South Africa
5. #114 Tunis, Tunisia
6. #117 Rabat, Morocco
7. #124 Casablanca, Morocco
8. #131 Windhoek, Namibia
9. #141 Gaborone, Botswana
10. #150 Lusaka, Zambia
11. #163 Dakar, Senegal
12. #165 Accra, Ghana
13. #166 Libreville, Gabon
14. #172 Kampala, Uganda
15. #177 Cairo, Eqypt
16. #179 Banjul, Gambia
17. #181 Blantyre, Malawi
18. #182 Cotonou, Benin
19. #183 Maputo, Mozambique
20. #185 Algiers, Algeria
21. #186 Nairobi, Kenya
22. #189 Djibouti, Djibouti
23. #191 Kigali, Rwanda
24. #197 Douala, Cameroon
25. #198 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
26. #199 Luanda, Angola
27. #203 Lome, Togo
28. #208 Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire
29. #209 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
30. #210 Harare, Zimbabwe
31. #212 Lagos, Nigeria
32. #213 Abuja, Nigeria
33. #214 Antananarivo, Madagascar
34. #216 Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
35. #218 Tripoli, Libya
36. #218 Niamey, Niger
37. #220 Bamako, Mali
38. #221 Nouakchott, Mauritania
39. #222 Conakry, Guinea Republic
40. #223 Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
41. #224 Brazzaville, Congo
42. #226 N'Djamena, Chad
43. #227 Khartoum, Sudan
44. #230 Bangui, Central African Republic

click here for the full list and additional information >>

Telegraph Travel Awards 2018: Cape Town has just been named "greatest city on Earth" for the sixth year in a row!

For the sixth consecutive year, Cape Town has scooped the Best City Award in the 2018 edition of one of Britain's most comprehensive, wide-ranging and reliable reader travel surveys, the annual Telegraph Travel Awards. Over 45,000 people took part in the survey and voted for their favourite travel destinations.

Top 10 cities in the world as voted by the Telegraph Travel Readers (UK):

1. Cape Town
2. Tokyo
3. Vancouver
4. Seville
5. Sydney
6. New York
7. Venice
8. Florence
9. Rome
10. San Francisco

South Africa was voted second most favourite country in the world by the readers of the Telegraph, after the country was voted third in the previous four Telegraph Travel Awards.

Survey: Durban is South Africa's most liveable city!

According to the 20th edition of Mercer's Quality of Living ranking, Durban is the most liveable city in South Africa, the second-most liveable city in Africa and the 89th most liveable city worldwide. Cape Town was placed second in South Africa, second in Africa and 94th in the world while Johannesburg was placed third in South Africa and Africa and 95th worldwide. Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius, is Mercer's most liveable city in Africa and the 83rd most liveable city on a global scale.

The 20th edition of the Quality of Living report provides a separate ranking on City Sanitation, which analyses cities' waste removal and sewage infrastructure, levels of infectious disease, air pollution, water availability and quality. According to the results of the ranking, Durban has the best city sanitation in South Africa, the second-best in Africa and the 73rd best in the world.

By comparing the Quality of Living rankings since the very first report in 1998, Mercer found out that Maputo in Mozambique had the highest increase in quality of living over the last 20 years in Africa.


Mercer's 2018 Quality of Living Ranking from Mercer on Vimeo.

The top five cities in the 20th edition of Mercer's Quality of Living ranking are Vienna (Austria), Zurich (Switzerland), Auckland (New Zealand), Munich (Germany) and Vancouver (Canada).

Mercer's authoritative survey is one of the world's most comprehensive and is conducted annually to enable multinational companies and other organisations to compensate employees fairly when placing them on international assignments. In addition to valuable data on relative quality of living, Mercer's surveys provide hardship premium recommendations for more than 450 cities throughout the world; this year's ranking includes 231 of these cities.
Mercer is the world's largest human resources consulting firm with more than 20,500 employees in 40 countries. Headquartered in New York City, the company operates internationally in more than 130 countries

Telegraph Travel Awards 2017: Cape Town has just been named "greatest city on Earth" for the fifth year in a row!

For the fifth consecutive year, Cape Town has scooped the Best City Award in the 2017 edition of one of Britain's most comprehensive, wide-ranging and reliable reader travel surveys, the annual Telegraph Travel Awards. Almost 90,000 people took part in the survey and voted for their favourite travel destinations and companies. 

2017 Telegraph Travel Awards - Top 10 Cities:

1. Cape Town, South Africa (=)
2. Vancouver, Canada (=)
3. Tokyo, Japan (+2)
4. Venice, Italy (-1)
5. Sydney, Australia (-1)
6. New York, USA (=)
7. Seville, Spain (+2)
8. Florence, Italy (+5)
9. San Francisco, USA (-2)
10. Rome, Italy (=)

btw - South Africa was voted third most favourite country in the world for the fourth consecutive year by the readers of the Telegraph! Congratulations!

Sleeping in Airports: Cape Town International Airport named best airport in Africa 2017!

According to Sleeping in Airports' annual survey, the top three airports in Africa in 2017 are located in South Africa. Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town was named best airport in Africa, followed by OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg and King Shaka International Airport (DUR) in Durban. Kigali International Airport (KGL) in Kigali in Rwanda and Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) on Mauritius rounded out the top five airports in Africa. 

Sleeping in Airports' Top 5 Best Airports in Africa:

1. Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town, South Africa
2. O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg, South Africa
3. King Shaka International Airport (DUR) in Durban, South Africa
4. Kigali International Airport in Kigali, Rwanda (KGL)
5. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport on Mauritius (MRU)

Sleeping in Airports' Top 5 Worst Airports in Africa:

1. Juba International Airport (JUB) in Juba, South Sudan
2. Port Harcourt International Airport (PHC) in Port Harcourt, Nigeria
3. Murtala Muhammed International Airport (LOS) in Lagos, Nigeria
4. Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
5. Bole International Airport (ADD) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
   

The Guide to Sleeping in Airports provides traveller generated airport reviews and airport guides for more than 1,100 airports around the world. Its annual "Best" and "Worst" Airports survey rates the world's airports on a variety of air travellers' experiences, and serves as a guide for what the travelling public can expect during their airport sojourns.

online flight booking on TravelComments.com >>

Cape Town named "Best City" in the 2015/16 Telegraph Travel Awards!

For the fourth consecutive year, Cape Town has scooped the Best City Award in the 2015/16 edition of one of Britain's most comprehensive, wide-ranging and reliable reader travel surveys, the annual Telegraph Travel Awards. More than 75,000 people took part in the survey and voted for their favourite travel destinations and companies. In the Best Country category, South Africa won third place.

The Telegraph lists the following reasons why Cape Town won the award:

• the brooding Table Mountain is too recognisable
• the beach resorts of Camps Bay too enticing
• the history which swirls around the metropolis, reaching its dark zenith on Robben Island, too absorbing.
• mid 20s Celsius as Europe is going through winter
• just two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time
• gateway to the Cape Winelands
• gateway to the road-trip joys of the Garden Route

Cape Town named "Best City" in the 2014 Telegraph Travel Awards

Cape Town was named "Best City" in the 2014 edition of the most comprehensive, wide-ranging and reliable reader travel survey in the world, the annual Telegraph Travel Awards. More than 90,000 people took part in the survey and voted for their favourite travel destinations and companies.

The Telegraph lists the following reasons why Cape Town won the award:

• you can surf the Atlantic
• you can climb mountains
• you can eat in Michelin-starred restaurants
• you can stay in both historical and super-hip accommodation
• you can indulge in wine tours and still find time to relax on the beach (with or without penguins).
• 2014 World Design Capital
• an English-speaking destination that offers sun, sea and culture in one place – and all just 11 hours’ flight away, with no jetlag

Here's the full list of the World’s Best Cities from the Telegraph Travel Awards:

1. Cape Town
2. Vancouver
3. Venice
4. Sydney
5. San Francisco
6. New York
7. Tokyo
8. Rio de Janeiro
9. Florence
10. Rome
11. Istanbul
12. Barcelona
13. Seville
14. St. Petersburg
15. Krakow
16. Melbourne
17. Boston
18. Hong Kong
19. Berlin
20. Vienna

Condé Nast Traveler (USA) readers voted Cape Town the #1 city in Africa & #2 in the World!

The U.S. luxury travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler recently announced the results of its annual "Reader's Choice Awards" survey, through which the magazine names the world's best cities, islands, hotels, resorts, cruises and airlines based on its readers experiences.
Cape Town in South Africa became second in the Top Cities in the World ranking and was voted the Top City in Africa. Knysna, located on the Garden Route, became second in the ranking of Africa's top cities. The Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve in the Kruger National Park was named the 6th best Hotel/Resort in World and the best Resorts & Safari Camp in Africa. The best Hotel in Africa is, according to the readers of the Condé Nast Traveler magazine, the Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa in Cape Town, followed by the Cape Grace, also located in Cape Town.

Okavango Delta: at least 11 wildlife species are in serious decline

According to an article published in the online edition of the South African Mail & Guardian, the wildlife population in the Okavango Delta in Botswana is under serious thread.
The Botswana Department for Wildlife and National Parks and Michael Chase and Kelly Landen of Elephants Without Borders found out that at least 11 species in the Delta are in serious decline. The scientists of Elephants Without Borders compared aerial surveys dating back to 1993 with recent surveys undertaken by them and found out that:

• wildebeest numbers have shrunk by 90%
• giraffe numbers have shrunk by 65%
• tsessebe numbers have shrunk by 83%
• lechwe numbers have shrunk by 58%
• zebra numbers have shrunk by 53%.
• warthog numbers have shrunk by about 80%
• roan antelope numbers have shrunk by about 80%
• ostrich numbers have shrunk by about 80%

Michael Chase and Kelly Landen also found out that from 1999 to the present the running average for total species decline is about 61%.
It appears unclear what exactly is causing the catastrophic decline, but it seems that the shrinking numbers of wildlife in the Okavango Delta is a result of "a complex mixture of local causes", including human encroachment, game fences and poaching. Another factor could be fire. Much of the area surveyed in the late dry season of 2010 was burning.

Plettenberg Bay voted the friendliest holiday spot in South Africa

South African budget airline kulula.com surveyed more than 1500 people from across the country, who were asked to vote for their friendliest destination. According to the survey, Plettenberg Bay is South Africa's friendliest holiday spot, followed closely by Ballito, the Drakensberg, Knysna and Camps Bay.



Travellers visiting Beaufort West, Tulbagh and the Bluff (Durban) shouldn't expect too much as the three are marking the country's unfriendliest spots in the survey. The Western Cape came out tops as the friendliest province of South Africa.