South Africa Travels Blog

Glentana is a small village located east of the Great Brak River where the coast is edged by a string of seaside holiday houses.
The line ends in the little holiday village of Glentana where the golden beach meets the first rocky bluffs of the Outeniqua coastal barrier and where rank upon rank of attractive homes perch on a steep hillside.

The cliffs here are composed of the orange-red rock characteristic of the region.

The beach at Glentana slopes fairly steeply, but it is a popular venue with surfers and surf anglers.

Pietermaritzburg is located in a deep valley in the natal Midlands, one hour northwest of the sprawling city of Durban. The town is deceptively large and as yet unspoiled by tourists hordes and uninspired modern architecture. The main reason to visit Pietermaritzburg, unless you are a student at one of the institutes of higher learning is the architecture.

Pietermaritzburg is one of the best preserved Victorian cities in the world. Its brick buildings and sedate, regal structures (including the largest brick building in the Southern Hemisphere) stand in stark contrast to the concrete slabs other cities built in the interests of efficiency and economy. The architecture helps to preserve Pietermaritzburg’s ambience. This feeling is supported by the narrow winding alleys that make their way in between the larger through-fares.

Pietermaritzburg today is a wonderful hybrid of big-city and small town influences. though it is known as “The City in the Country”, and agriculture is the backbone of the local economy.

Pietermaritzburg has enough good museums and galleries to stand up to any other city in South Africa. It is a wonderful town too often neglected by tourists.