4 Articles

Journal

Long-form essays, interviews, and the wider story of South African hospitality.

Elephants at a waterhole in a bush setting

Madikwe, and the Case for a Malaria-Free Safari

Madikwe is South Africa's largest malaria-free Big Five reserve. Why it exists, who it suits, and when it's the smart choice instead of Kruger.

Justin Bale·11 min read
A spacious restaurant taken from above with a few diners

Eating in Cape Town: Notes from Someone Who Has Forgotten Half the Names

Cape Town's food scene from the inside. What it's actually like to eat here, which tourist restaurants to skip, and the unfashionable places worth remembering.

Justin Bale·11 min read
The Knysna Lagoon and Heads at sunset with mountains behind

The Garden Route: When It's Worth It, When It Isn't

The Garden Route is one of South Africa's most recommended road trips. Whether it deserves space in your itinerary depends on the trip you want.

Justin Bale·11 min read
A rustic cottage on a working farm

The Quiet Rise of South Africa's Farmhouse Stay

A skeptical look at the slow-travel trend reshaping South African hospitality, what is actually drawing people to old farmhouses with bad wifi, and whether the working farm stay is real or mostly aesthetic.

Justin Bale