A short trip out of Cape Town down the West Coast Road will take you to Darling, a quaint little farming town famous for its wildflowers, wind farm and butter. It’s also home to famous satirist Pieter-Dirk Uys, who has helped to cement the town’s reputation as a tourist destination. more

Everyone loves a good story, and when they visit Prince Albert, the little Karoo town at the foot of the Swartberg mountains, that’s what they get. Prince Albert is rich in stories, and the locals, who are good raconteurs and experts in their fields, are well prepared to tell them. more

You'll find photographs of the picturesque fishing village of Arniston adorning many travel posters and brochures. Situated on the Western Cape’s Indian Ocean coast, its incredibly brilliant blue seas and long stretches of white dunes are irresistible to local and international holiday makers. more

Mazeppa Bay really is one of South Africa’s best kept secrets. It’s a tiny village on the remote Wild Coast with one hotel, a few holiday cottages and high dunes towering over gorgeous beaches. Walk, swim, fish, go birding or just lie on the sand and listen to the surf. more

Chrissiesmeer, in the heart of Mpumalanga's’s lake district, is surrounded by 270 lakes and pans brimming with birds, butterflies and frogs. There’s even an annual frogging festival which keeps everyone on their toes. It’s full of history too, from Anglo-Boer War battles to poignant graves of lost lovers. more

Barberton is a geological mecca, luring international geologists and biologists to probe the earth’s beginnings and some of its earliest life forms. It also has a colourful gold-rush history, creative young artisans fashioning jewellery from the oldest gold in the world, and plenty of exhilarating outdoor activities. more

The white-washed thatch cottages, the ‘seasons of mists and fruitfulness’, the healing centres, the long hikes around the valleys, the weekend lure of doing nothing in a quaint mountain village and the special nature of its people all combine to make McGregor an attractive destination. more

Once you’ve see the wild spring flowers of Namaqualand, drive on to Pella Oasis, and ask the nuns to take you around Pella Cathedral, one of the most remarkable construction efforts of its time. Meet the warm, friendly people of Pella – and taste some of the sweetest dates in the world. more

McGregor is a delightful town about an hour and half from Cape Town. It is a stunningly preserved vision of 19th century architecture. The many walks, and rivers and dams for swimming make this idyll a must-visit experience for anyone who tours the Cape Province. more

Philippolis is a small town in South Africa that few locals have visited, but most recognise the name from a rusty signboard somewhere between Johannesburg to Cape Town. Philippolis was once a thriving centre of activity almost halfway between the cities, but today it's a quiet retreat from the hubbub. more

In Smithfield, a southern Free State town, there is a man who listens to outer space. One day he might meet an extra-terrestrial – or not. As far as Henk Swanepoel is concerned, his UFO Research Centre is an essential listening post for signs of extra-terrestrial life. more