LOCAL TRAVEL
NARIES NAMAKWA RETREAT, SPRINGBOK, NORTHERN CAPE Namaqualand has a funny way of making people slow down. Perhaps it’ s the endless granite hills. Perhaps it’ s the silence. Or perhaps it’ s knowing that, for a few magical weeks every spring, these quiet landscapes explode into one of the world’ s greatest wildflower displays.
At Naries Namakwa Retreat, that sense of tranquillity begins the moment you arrive. The Manor House blends old-world charm with understated luxury, while the surrounding mountain landscape encourages long walks, lazy afternoons, and the occasional reminder to put your phone away.
Flowers may steal the headlines, but Namaqualand’ s heritage runs much deeper. Indigenous cultures, historic farmsteads, hardy succulents, and generations of resilience have shaped this extraordinary region into one of South Africa’ s most rewarding places to explore.
THE OYSTER BOX, UMHLANGA, KWAZULU-NATAL Few South African hotels have the same sense of place as The Oyster Box. Overlooking the Indian Ocean in uMhlanga, north of central Durban, the iconic hotel has welcomed guests since 1954 and has become one of KwaZulu-Natal’ s most recognisable landmarks. And then there’ s that lighthouse, the red-and-white beacon that has become almost as famous as the hotel itself.
The Oyster Box combines coastal heritage with old-school glamour. Its long history is reflected in its architecture, interiors, and sense of occasion, while its position beside the ocean gives it a distinctly Durban feel.
This is a heritage stay for travellers who like their history served with a side of luxury. Spend the morning beside the pool, explore the surrounding coastline, enjoy afternoon tea, or simply sit back and watch the lighthouse doing its thing.
THREE TREE HILL LODGE
THREE TREE HILL LODGE, SPIOENKOP, KWAZULU-NATAL History books can sometimes struggle to hold your attention. Standing on the battlefield where history happened tends to solve that problem rather quickly.
Three Tree Hill Lodge overlooks the famous Spioenkop battlefield, where expertly guided tours bring the Anglo-Boer War vividly to life. It’ s an experience that leaves visitors with a deeper understanding of the people, decisions, and events that helped shape South Africa.
Back at the lodge, old-world charm meets spectacular Drakensberg views. Between hearty farm-style meals, horse riding, hiking, and afternoons spent on the veranda, it’ s wonderfully easy to imagine life unfolding here more than a century ago, although today’ s mattresses are considerably more comfortable. IB
MORE THAN A PLACE TO STAY These six stays offer different ways to experience that history, from the quiet streets of Robert Sobukwe Town and the Victorian charm of Matjiesfontein to Knysna’ s industrial past, uMhlanga’ s coastal glamour and Spioenkop’ s battlefields. The best part? You don’ t simply visit the history. You get to check in.
24 INBOUND SA / SEPTEMBER 2026