Stellenbosch is the only winelands town that has a University, and with the infusion of young student energy this ‘College’ atmosphere permeates throughout the town. This is visible in the many bistros, art galleries, Music venues, Theatres and Wine bars that make up the vibrant heart of the Old town. It is a unique place where international guests are able to experience the diverse culture and meet the many people from all aspects of society that make Africa the ‘Rainbow nation’. The wine Stellenbosch   is home to some of the   oldest and most famous wine estates in South Africa, in fact Stellenbosch is where South African wine making began! It’s home to the widest range of estates, with 148 wineries in total where they produce some of the world’s best wines. Kanonkop and Rust and Vrede among others are repeatedly recognized for their wines worldwide. The best way to visit the vineyards is on a tour where you can sample the wines along the way! The arts St...

Masai Mara National Park The most popular safari destination in Kenya , the reserve is home to countless species including the ‘big five’ and stages the Great Wildebeest Migration. Aberdare National Park This park is home to part of the Aberdare mountain range, an area of natural beauty. It is full of rich vegetation, clear streams, waterfalls and lakes, along with unique fauna and flora, creating an ideal habitat for a wide variety of mammals and birds. Elephants and rhinos, roam the park and other residents include leopards, spotted hyenas and bongos. Samburu National Reserve & Buffalo Springs Samburu National Reserve and Buffalo springs started life as one park but are now adjacent to each other. The Ewaso Nyiro River runs through both reserves and in parts acts as border between them. Samburu is not as well known as some of the other national parts in Kenya and therefore is less crowded. The dramatic and rugged landscape is home to the colourful Samburu pe...

  Mark has just got back from Bangkok and whilst there he visited the new Centara Watergate Pavillion:   Having been to Bangkok a fair few times and having seen plenty of hotels I was keen to see Centara Hotels and Resorts new offering and I have to say was pleasantly surprised by the Centara Watergate Pavillon .     The hotel is well located, close to Pratunam Market and a short walk to the Central World shopping mall, one of the largest in Bangkok .   Arriving at the hotel, the reception is located on the 9th floor which I have to say give it an exclusive feel. The lobby was large, bright and welcoming with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the water features and main restaurant.       I was welcomed by the friendly reception and met the marketing manager for my look around. Firstly we were taken to the impressive Spa, which has a good number of treatment rooms and also seemed to be very well priced for a city hotel...

"My favourite trip of last year was definitely a fly-drive I did in Namibia - what an incredible country! In the course of 10 days I covered 1800 miles, climbed the world's biggest sand dunes, drove around one of Africa's best national parks, drunk German-style lager on the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean and watched the sun set over the Kalahari Desert. My highlights were Etosha National Park , where you can drive yourself and get extremely close to lion, rhino, elephant and a host of other game; and the dunes at Sossusvlei, which is probably the single most spectacular place I've ever been to! This was my first trip to Namibia and it's somewhere I'd recommend to anyone with a sense of adventure - if you love spectacular scenery and incredible wildlife then it's for you, but if you're more of a nightlife and cities person then perhaps not. The one thing that really strikes you as you drive around Namibia is just how varied the countryside is - every few...

Karen looks back to 2013 at her favourite trip: “My favourite trip of last year was to South Africa - I'm the only person in the office who hadn't been before and I've heard such great things about it - and I wasn't disappointed! The South African Tourism Board invited me to go, and we took in two main areas - Cape Town & the Cape Peninsula area, and Durban along with nearby safari parks. Cape Town is such a fantastic city, and in such a dramatic setting - the first time you see Table Mountain it really takes your breath away! I'd been told that the weather at the top of Table Mountain can change quickly and you can't go up if the weather is bad, so we headed straight for the cable car as soon as we arrived, as it was sunny! The views are just incredible, across the city and the Atlantic Seaboard, plus along the Cape Peninsula too. I really liked the  V&A Waterfront  area of Cape Town - it has a lovely feel and some great shopping, plus you catch boats...

Well another year has passed already and here at the Escape Worldwide Long Haul Holidays we have had a great year with plenty of travel, which we love the most. I myself  have been to Cape Town and the Winelands in South Africa, also Sri Lanka, The Maldives, Dubai and the beaches of Florida. Yep plenty of amazing places, all in the name of research of course. All the places I have visited have there own special magic. With Dubai I was lucky enough to stay the stunning Atlantis the Palm which was simply brilliant and well worth a visit especially for families as the waterpark there was simply fantastic. I loved both Sri Lanka and the Maldives with the highlight for me, climbing Sigirya Rock Fortress, it was a bit of a challenge but well worth it when you get to the top, with simply amazing views and the remains of an amazing Rock Fortress! The Maldives again was simply stunning a real jewel in the Indian Ocean and a truly magically place for a honeymoon. The Stunning Ma...

Darren has just got back from staying at the fantastic Atlantis the Palm : Driving up the trunk road of the Palm in Dubai the Atlantis dominations the horizon, and to be honest I was a little unsure if I'd like the resort as it looked very big and possible a bit soulless. The driveway to the hotel was full with other guest being dropped off and entering the lobby was a bit overwhelming with all the people whizzing around. Check was pretty quick and efficient which was a surprise as the lobby was so busy and I found the welcome extremely professional and friendly. Things were looking good! I was taken to my room with was lovely, very spacious with great views over the Palm and also the main swimming pool. The room was very clean and the quality of the furnishings very good, with all the facilities you could need for a comfortable stay. I have to say the hotel was a lot less themed than I was dreading and not tacky at all. After I settle in I head to the pool for a fe...