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…

Vast stretches of sugar cane may have given way to retail development and exclusive housing estates, but KZN’s Umhlali maintains its appeal with great foodie haunts and things to see and buy…Tracy Gielink[wp_gmaps lat=”-29.482419″ lng=”31.233358″]Best for casual dining MANGE TOUT (98 DUNKIRK ESTATE, 1 SALT ROCK ROAD, SALT ROCK, 032-525-7803) Essentially a club house for eco-estate dwellers, Mange Tout is also a superstylish respite for outside diners. The sign of civilised society is an all-day breakfast with chef-patron Jacqui Rey’s classics such as Eggs Benedict or scrambled eggs with truffles. Light lunches include homemade fish cakes with Hollandaise sauce, while…

Majestic scenery and hearty food make Switzerland a mustsee destination RICHARD HOLMESThe diminutive Asterix may have been from an indomitable village in Gaul, but – on a cold night in Switzerland – I find it hard not to think of the moustachioed hero as I dunk my skewer of yeasty rye bread into the fondue pot of bubbling cheese at Restaurant Laterne. When Asterix and the ever-faithful Obelix “visited” Switzerland they were quickly warned about the strict rules of fondue: “Everyone got it? If you lose your piece of bread in the fondue, you pay a forfeit! The first time…

Melanie Hansche takes a bite of the new, the classic, the fun and the fancy…According to the register of The New York Health Department, there are currently 24 000 restaurants in New York City, It hurts just thinking about where a touring glutton might take their bites of this vast metropolis, which is home to many and varied ethnic groups, food traditions and influences ranging from Mexican and Jamaican to Russian and Jewish. This is the city that has given the world the Waldorf salad, Steak Diane, the ice-cream cone, the Reuben sandwich and the deep-dish pizza, among other delights.…

Anna Montali travelled to Italy to experience the Slow Food movement, whose followers believe in rediscovering the origins of our food and eating responsibly (and deliciously)ANNA MONTALIDo you remember how food used to taste before fast food came along? Remember when love, dedication and authentic ingredients went into the food we ate? Today there is a movement to save our heritage in the enjoyment of food and wine. Piedmont local Carlo Petrini founded the Slow Food movement in 1989, with the intention of increasing our gastronomic pleasure by going back to the humble beginnings where it all started – back…