Food critic and columnist Melissa Leong (co-host of the new season of Luxury Escapes: The World’s Best Holidays) takes a walk on the wild side in South Africa.
On her journey through Africa’s fascinating southern coast for the all-new season of Luxury Escapes: The World’s Best Holidays, Melissa Leong falls in love with South Africa’s heartfelt hospitality and unforgettable landscapes.
From zooming on a coastal motorcycle drive to experiencing a safari in the country’s magnificent savannahs, read on for some of her favourite moments and top tips.
Discover more about South Africa on the new season of Luxury Escapes: The World’s Best Holidays, airing Tuesdays 8.30pm AEDT* on Foxtel Lifestyle and on demand on Binge and Network 10. *Check your local TV listings for details.
Discover South Africa
LE: How would you describe South Africa to someone who’s never been?
ML: I would describe South Africa to someone who’s never been as a place you didn’t know you loved. It is at once a place of wild beauty, warm hospitality and palpable gravitas.
LE: What is the one thing every visitor to South Africa must experience?
ML: It’s a cliche for a reason, but if you’re able to go on safari, it will change your life.
LE: What is the one thing that might surprise other travellers about South Africa?
ML: Just how friendly everyone is. It’s like walking into a room of strangers and immediately feeling embraced and welcomed just because you’re there. There is an inherent sense of pride in South Africa’s diverse and complicated history that transcends everything.
LE: What was your standout moment from this trip?
ML: Of the many moments, riding along one of the world’s most scenic drives in a WWII motorcycle side car with a dog in the back, was surreal, can’t-wipe-the-smile-off kind of stuff. The drama of the environment, the surreal nature of it all, it’s a memory for life.
LE: Has this trip inspired you to explore more of Africa?
ML: Absolutely. South Africa is a gentle way to begin to explore this incredible continent. Enough that’s familiar, but so much that’s different, it’s definitely the gateway to the African continent and everything it has to offer.
Discover more about South Africa on the new season of Luxury Escapes: The World’s Best Holidays, airing Tuesdays 8.30pm AEDT* on Foxtel Lifestyle and on demand on Binge and Network 10. *Check your local TV listings for details.
Discover South Africa
Looking for more inspiration? Check out How to Spend a Week in Cape Town.
