Month: June 2021

The Bakone Malapa Northern Sotho Open-Air Museum

Just outside Polokwane (formerly called Pietersburg), the capital of Limpopo province, is a showcase of the culture of a sub-group of the Northern Sotho people that revels in a mouthful of a name, the Bakone Malapa Northern Sotho Open-Air Museum, more often simply called ‘the Bakone Malapa Museum

Wildlife safari Giant elephants and baobabs – The Valley of the Olifants route

The Valley of the Olifants' totem tree, the baobab, is the world’s largest succulent. But that’s not all you'll see on this route. It's a place of giants, and elephants are also plentiful in this area. Meet a tree, ride an elephant and learn about the rain queen.

The culture of Basotho

The Basotho associate and identify themselves through the use of their clan names, which specify their ancestral origins; namely the Bataung, Basia, Bafokeng, Makgolokoe and Bakuena et al. The royal family of Lesotho is largely made up of Bakuena.

The Ndebele of South Africa

Beadwork, wall paintings, architecture and distinctive ways of dressing are more tangible ways of Ndebele identity and culture through which they have maintained a consciousness of belonging in the midst of precarious existence that confronted them since the late 19th century.

Xhosa cuisine: the dishes and traditions

Sheep heads and trotters, and chicken feet and heads are eaten as snacks, accompanied by samp or mieliepap. A cow head can feed a family and is not as expensive as regular meat such as steak and brisket, which is why it’s so popular. A cow head is usually given to men when they attend a ritual, while the women are given tripe.

There are 4 ways to get from Johannesburg to Polokwane by train, plane, bus, or car. The journey time between Johannesburg and Polokwane is around 3h 50m by car or car train, and 4h 25m by bus.

Wet 'n' Wild Hawaii
Put on your swimsuit and get set for some wild, wet, watery fun. Swirl in a 45-foot-high water funnel. Body surf or grab a tube to ride two-foot swells in a 400,000-gallon wave pool. Speed down a slide that catapults you into the air before you free fall into a 12-foot-deep pool. Experience the thrill of white-water rafting around sharp turns and over steep drops. Get wet, get wild! The name of this 29-acre water playground says it all. Wet ’n’ Wild Hawaii offers rides and attractions that pump up your heart rate and make you scream with delight.

Maui Ocean Center
State-of-the-art marine park with interactive displays attracts thousands of visitors a year. With outdoor touch pools, interactive displays and a 750,000-gallon Open Ocean Exhibit with more than 2,000 fishes, it’s no wonder Maui Ocean Center in Wailuku is one of the island’s most popular attractions. About 400,000 people visit this $20 million state-of-the-art marine park every year, learning about the endangered Hawaiian green sea turtles or browsing the largest collection of live coral in the U.S.

Kualoa Ranch
A 4,000 acre working ranch offers a wide-range of activities and adventure. Fun guided eco-tours go to many locations seen in the 50-plus movies and TV shows that have been filmed at Kualoa since the 1950s, including Jurassic Park. Reserve a full day for a visit; there’s that much to do. For example, go horseback riding, drive an ATV, cruise around an 800-year-old fishpond in a catamaran. Paddle a canoe; rumble through a rainforest in a four-wheel-drive vehicle; stroll through gardens of fruit trees and fragrant flowers.

Panaewa Rainforest Zoo and Gardens
Spy the state bird, the nene (pronounced neh-neh), plus ibis, macaws, parrots, pueo (owl), amakihi honeycreepers, whistling tree ducks and more. The reigning reptiles are the Asian Forest Tortoises, which weigh 50-85 pounds and have large carapaces of 16-24 inches. The free zoo also has a variety of turtles, geckos and iguanas, red tegu lizards, skinks, frogs and a butterfly house. Botanical wonders include the Giant Victoria Waterlily, which seasonally blooms 18-inch blossoms during the summer.

Mountain Tubing
The sugar plantations play an important part in Hawaii’s history, and this unique inner tube tour takes you through the historic irrigation system of the former Lihue Plantation. This water system runs through some of the most beautiful and remote parts of Kauai and provides views of the ocean, coastline, mountains and valleys. The water flow originates near the top of Mount Waialeale, the wettest spot in the world, and is channeled through ditches and tunnels manually created by plantation workers more than a century ago.

Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art
The first modern art institution in Iloilo province is located in a newly built colonial-style building at the Megaworld Iloilo Business Park. It houses paintings owned by former New York investment banker Edwin Valencia, who started collecting art in the 1980s.

Go cycling
Hop on a two-wheeler and explore the longest protected bicycle path in the country, which runs through Benigno Aquino Avenue in Iloilo City and connects the municipalities of Molo and Jaro. You can also take a more scenic route downtown to see buildings built in the American and Spanish periods, or plan a half-day trip to the municipality of Leon, where avid bikers go to test their limits.

Where To Dine & Drink

Seventy N Coffee + Drinkery
Formerly a hole-in-the-wall bar in a residential area, Seventy N Coffee + Drinkery has traded up and now occupies a prime spot on the lower ground floor of the shiny and brand new Greenfield commercial complex along Diversion Road. A full bar offering delicious modern cocktails awaits thirsty patrons.

Bakery by Louis
The smell of freshly baked bread inside the tiny space could entice anyone to abandon the pretense of a carb-free diet. This modern and glamorous take on the nondescript neighborhood panaderias (bakery) that Ilonggos have grown up with whips up delectables such as crusty French baguettes and Italian panini alongside sandwiches, calzones and round loaves stuffed with stringy mozzarella and topped with crusty, melted cheese.

How To Get Here!  Philippine Airlines operates daily flights from Manila to Iloilo.  Below is the schedule of the flight.