South Africa - the No.1 Golf Vacation Rental Destination?

Written by Darren Cronian


As courses in Europe andrepparttar USA become more exclusive and expensive, South Africa, an overnight flight with no jet lag, offers a great new alternative for a winter break. Cape Town has seen a huge increase in tourism and has more recently been ranked inrepparttar 133847 top ten most popular cities inrepparttar 133848 world.

As a PGA professional Brendan has played many courses aroundrepparttar 133849 world for both business and pleasure but Cape Town isrepparttar 133850 destination he has chosen for a second home. As a golfer access to and quality of courses was a critical factor in my selection. Having produced some ofrepparttar 133851 best players inrepparttar 133852 world South Africa has a great history in golf and has much to shout about. New courses, sponsored and designed by some ofrepparttar 133853 biggest names inrepparttar 133854 game are opening up on monthly basis. This only goes to reinforcerepparttar 133855 country's commitment to become a number one golfing destination.

Some ofrepparttar 133856 most stunning courses are in and aroundrepparttar 133857 Western Cape and Cape Town providesrepparttar 133858 ideal base to explore these. You can play onrepparttar 133859 links course at Atlantic Beach with Table Mountain as your backdrop, or drive downrepparttar 133860 kikuyu fairways at Stellenbosch,repparttar 133861 winelands on your doorstep beckoning you to call in for a tasting on your return fromrepparttar 133862 18th.

The courses are uncrowded and are all generally available to visitors. You will findrepparttar 133863 locals welcoming and willing to cater to all your needs. Caddies, usually a luxury even torepparttar 133864 best of us, are widely available and provide not only invaluable advice on how best to playrepparttar 133865 course, but give you a unique insight intorepparttar 133866 culture of this diverse nation.

Brendan’s personal favourites and not to be missed on any visit to this great city are Royal Cape which is a majestic park land course and oldest golf club in South Africa dating back to 1885. Erinvale which has held The SA open for a number of years. Designed by Gary Player, it is a great test of golf for all standards with stunning scenery. The type of golf course that even if you don't play your best, you still can't help having a great time. Another one not to miss out on would be Clovelley. It is a very picturesque and challenging course. Despite being relatively short in modern day terms, it still offers a great test and is one of Nick Price's favourite courses.

Equitours: Worldwide Horseback Riding Adventures Change World Perceptions of the American Traveler

Written by Adrienne Heald


If you’re weighingrepparttar pleasures of tourism againstrepparttar 133846 discomfort of going abroad at a time when our country seems widely abhorred, you might want to consider savoring a new way of traveling: on horseback

If you’re weighingrepparttar 133847 pleasures of tourism againstrepparttar 133848 discomfort of going abroad at a time when our country and culture seem widely abhorred, you might want to consider savoring a new way of making an entrance into that picturesque Provence village. Leaverepparttar 133849 trains, cars and tour buses to others. What really elicits a warm welcome from locals abroad is arriving in town on horseback.

“Anywhere inrepparttar 133850 world – Iceland, Tierra del Fuego; France, India – local people greet riders in an overwhelmingly open and friendly way; there’s an instant rapport,” says Bayard Fox,repparttar 133851 founder of Equitours,repparttar 133852 oldest and largest riding vacation company inrepparttar 133853 United States. “Horses aren’t just a great passport to some ofrepparttar 133854 most beautiful spots inrepparttar 133855 world, they are a passport torepparttar 133856 hearts of people everywhere.”

Fox, who, with his wife, Mel, has spentrepparttar 133857 better part of twenty-five years taking Americans to every part ofrepparttar 133858 globe on equestrian vacations, is no stranger to chilly foreign relations. A former CIA operative fromrepparttar 133859 Cold War era, he’s spent years living in Paris, riding with nomadic tribes in Iran, and posing as a big game hunter in Central Africa, all to gather information forrepparttar 133860 U.S. duringrepparttar 133861 50s and 60s. His knowledge of foreign cultures is enormous; and his experience has been invaluable in carefully choosingrepparttar 133862 world’s best riding tours in places that highlight natural beauty, cultural interests, and riders’ safety.

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