Diamond Fields Tourism - South Africa Travel Channel 24
The Frances Baard district has a climate favourable for outdoor living with a great number of sunny days throughout the year. This creates the right environment for the region to produce quality export fruit, vegetables and olives. Kimberley is a unique, value for money destination-, a perfect family destination with many educational things to see and do. Guided underground tours of an operational De Beers diamond mine; the old fashioned alluvial and diamond diggings; the Big Hole and Open Mine Museum village; follow the N12 Anglo- Boer War battlefield route from Kimberley and experience the most exciting Anglo-Boer War battlefields in South Africa, including the famous battlefields of Magersfontein and Paardeberg; the Kimberley Ghost Trail is a superb guided tour of the haunted corners of Kimberley; Township Wonders - the famous Township Number Two, one of the oldest such locations or townships in South Africa, re-named Galeshewe after Kgosi (Chief) Galeshewe. It gives visitors a glimpse of everyday-life in a township with traditional food and lovely African jazz music that enhances the ambience of a truly wonderful township experience.. The Kimberley Archaeology Tour uncovers a wealth of significant rock art and archaeological sites at the McGregor Museum. It displays the last 3 million years of Northern Cape history through various unique stone age and rock engraving sites, including the Wildebeest Kuil Rock Art Centre.
Mossel Bay, South Africa (HD)
Mossel Bay, South Africa Tourism (HD) - South Africa Vacation
Travel Videos HD, World Travel Guide
Mossel Bay (Afrikaans: Mosselbaai) is a harbour town of about 60,000 people on the Southern Cape (or Garden Route) of South Africa. It is an important tourism and farming region of the Western Cape Province. Mossel Bay lies 400 kilometres east of the country's seat of parliament, Cape Town (which is also the capital city of the Western Cape Province), and 400 km west of Port Elizabeth, the largest city in the Eastern Cape Province. The older parts of the town occupy the north-facing side of the Cape St Blaize Peninsula, whilst the newer suburbs straddle the Peninsula and have spread eastwards along the sandy shore of the Bay.
The town's economy relied heavily on farming, fishing and its commercial harbour (the smallest in the Transnet Port Authority's stable of South African commercial harbours), until the 1969 discovery of natural offshore gas fields led to the development of the gas-to-liquids refinery operated by PetroSA. Tourism is another driver of Mossel Bay's economy.
MOSSEL BAY Attractions
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Mossel Bay, Garden Route
Once you've booked your accommodation in Mossel Bay explore our pages for info on attractions and what to do in Mossel Bay.
Mossel Bay is a bustling holiday town and port, set on the sunwashed slopes of Cape St Blaize overlooking the expansive bay, against the blueblack backdrop of the Outeniqua Mountains.
Mossel Bay lies halfway between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, close to the towns of Swellendam, Outdshoorn, Plettenberg Bay and Knysna on the Garden Route and is synonymous with the Mossgas project, where offshore gas fields are mined for gas that is then converted into petroleum.
Despite this obvious industrial leaning, Mossel Bay has a tradition of unhurried hospitality and there is sufficient natural beauty in the town and its surrounds to make a stopover essential. Mossel Bay features in the Guiness Book of Records as having the mildest all-year climate in the world, second only to Hawaii. Add to this the long stretch of beaches, the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, a championship golf course or two and Mossel Bay becomes an ideal retreat for both summer and winter.
Mossel Bay has a significant history and there are a number of historic houses worth a visit, including about 200 stone homes built a century ago by Cornish stonemasons. She received her present name in 1601 when the Dutch navigator, Paulus van Caerden found a collection of mussel shells in a cave at the headland of Cape St Blaize although Mossel Bay was ‘discovered’ as far back as 1488, when Dias first encountered the ancient Khoi-San people upon stepping ashore.
Learn, share and be inspired in Pretoria, the Capital City
Pretoria is packed with one-of-a-kind iconic destinations. This is the region of Gauteng to go to if you'd like to walk through the Voortrekker Monument; take a selfie in front of the magnificent Nelson Mandela statue in the Union Buildings; or join the crowds for a rugby game at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
If you're up for a short drive out of Pretoria, explore the region of Tshwane where you can be mesmerised by the glint of splendid diamonds in the charming mining town of Cullinan, or see lions and other Big 5 game in Dinokeng Game Reserve.
South African National Cultural History Museum - Africa Travel Channel
The National cultural History Museum in Pretoria exhibits the Cultural diversity of South Africa. The museum offers syllabus-related programmes pertaining to the exhibitions to all school groups. The museum also offers a photograph and document archive, and a restaurant to unwind after a long exploration into South African cultural heritage.
Gauteng Tourism: Visit Maboneng
Things you can do in Clarens
South Africa is packed with magnificent destinations for artists, musicians and outdoor travellers. Clarens is just this. A paradise for all lovers of the finer things in life.
Situated just outside of Bloemfontein, Clarens offers travellers the best in food, music, outdoor activities and so much more.
See our video above for more info on the paradise that is Clarens.
Accommodation Pretoria - Bushman's Rock Lodge and Function Venue Pretoria South Africa
Book Now: Bushman's Rock is poised on the banks of the Moreleta River in Pretoria, a mere 45 minutes from OR Tambo International Airport. The tranquil and adventurous atmosphere, welcomes you to a destination where people unite to form friendships. Accommodation ranges from one sleeper en-suite rooms to executive suites.
The rooms have all been bestowed beautiful views of Mother Nature, which range from Bushmans Rock to the cascading river below.
Museum of Natural History Pretoria South Africa - Africa Travel Channel
The Transvaal Museum is a natural history museum which includes collections of fossils, mammals, birds, insects, amphibians and reptiles, studied by researchers in the fields of palaeontology, mammalogy, ornithology, entomology and herpetology.
Kiara Lodge Villas - Anytime Holidays
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World’s largest diamond found January 25 1905 This Day in History
World’s largest diamond found January 25 1905 This Day in History
On January 25, 1905, at the Premier Mine in Pretoria, South Africa, a 3,106-carat diamond is discovered during a routine inspection by the mine’s superintendent. Weighing 1.33 pounds, and christened the “Cullinan,” it was the largest diamond ever found.
Frederick Wells was 18 feet below the earth’s surface when he spotted a flash of starlight embedded in the wall just above him. His discovery was presented that same afternoon to Sir Thomas Cullinan, who owned the mine. Cullinan then sold the diamond to the Transvaal provincial government, which presented the stone to Britain’s King Edward VII as a birthday gift. Worried that the diamond might be stolen in transit from Africa to London, Edward arranged to send a phony diamond aboard a steamer ship loaded with detectives as a diversionary tactic. While the decoy slowly made its way from Africa on the ship, the Cullinan was sent to England in a plain box.
Edward entrusted the cutting of the Cullinan to Joseph Asscher, head of the Asscher Diamond Company of Amsterdam. Asscher, who had cut the famous Excelsior Diamond, a 971-carat diamond found in 1893, studied the stone for six months before attempting the cut. On his first attempt, the steel blade broke, with no effect on the diamond. On the second attempt, the diamond shattered exactly as planned; Asscher then fainted from nervous exhaustion.
The Cullinan was later cut into nine large stones and about 100 smaller ones, valued at millions of dollars all told. The largest stone is called the “Star of Africa I,” or “Cullinan I,” and at 530 carats, it is the largest-cut fine-quality colorless diamond in the world. The second largest stone, the “Star of Africa II” or “Cullinan II,” is 317 carats. Both of these stones, as well as the “Cullinan III,” are on display in the Tower of London with Britain’s other crown jewels; the Cullinan I is mounted in the British Sovereign’s Royal Scepter, while the Cullinan II sits in the Imperial State Crown.