The Herald
Elaine King

Creator

Elaine King

Plateau Country House in Nature’s Valley.

ON THE GARDEN ROUTE | Get back to nature in idyllic coastal setting

Plateau Country House, a boutique hotel nestled above Nature’s Valley on the Garden Route, offers luxury suites, personalized hospitality, and curated experiences in a pristine coastal setting.

Martin Hansson has the Knysna Hästens franchise
Premium

Sleep priceless on the Garden Route

Swedish luxury bed company Hästens opened a store in Knysna in 2024, attracting attention for selling mattresses priced from R200,000 to millions, yet the business has thrived with 12 beds sold in a year, mainly to affluent local and…

Beautiful cars and a day out in Mossel Bay

ON THE GARDEN ROUTE | Horsepower by the sea: Auto Extremo roars back

There are worse ways to spend a Saturday than admiring Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Porsches and beautifully preserved classics beside the Indian Ocean, with Portuguese food close at hand.

Ah, but it’s beautiful here in Montagu at the foothills of the mountain

ON THE GARDEN ROUTE | Award-winning Montagu the perfect getaway

Montagu has done it again, clinching the title of Best Dorpie in the Cape for the third time despite stiff competition from some of the Western Cape’s prettiest small towns.

The Knysna municipality has adopted a zero-tolerance approach to roaming livestock

Roaming cattle, flowers and the state of Knysna’s verges

Big news in Knysna is that the days of our roaming herds of cattle are allegedly over … and that means my flowers might just be safe in future.

From the Robberg peninsula, sharks can be spotted prowling the waters especially in winter

ON THE GARDEN ROUTE | No more eyes on the ocean as Plett Shark Spotters suspended

Visitors and locals heading to Plettenberg Bay’s beaches are being urged to be extra cautious after the town’s Shark Spotters programme was suspended, leaving one of SA’s best-known coastal destinations without its dedicated…

Up and close with a white rhino during a game drive.

GARDEN ROUTE | Where beach meets best of the bush on Garden Route

The Garden Route is famous for its beaches, forests, lagoons and golf courses, but surely a game reserve this close to suburbia would be a pale imitation of the real thing, I thought.

It’s all happening again at the festival hub of the Knysna Oyster Festival. Picture:

GARDEN ROUTE | Trade the winter blues for loads of family fun in Knysna’s playground

It’s that time of the year again on the Garden Route when the annual Knysna Oyster Festival takes place, injecting millions of rands into the local economy while creating a festive atmosphere that helps banish the winter blues.

Ronnie Mbunge shows us how to make gin

GARDEN ROUTE | Create your own bottle of gin, with help from masters

All the secrets revealed at Cape Saint Blaize Artisanal Distillery in Mossel Bay

Dolphins abound in Plett waters.  Picture:

GARDEN ROUTE | Plettenberg Bay to host celebration of all-things ocean

Jam-packed festival to include visit by trailblazing yacht crew

The old house built in 1903 is now a boutique hotel

GARDEN ROUTE | Unmistakably English experience in heart of Mossel Bay

Betty’s Boutique Hotel on the Garden Route, a genuine English oasis, is such an exciting find because it’s so different, a proper little gem, that teleports you to another place, another moment in time.

The Knysna dwarf chameleon is found on the Garden Route and Southern Cape Coast

GARDEN ROUTE | From starfish to chameleons: locals rally to rescue critters after storm

Turtle rescue hotline, UV lights and community networks power co-ordinated wildlife recoveries

Laurette Swanepoel welcomes guests to Twin Trees and to an  exclusive wine cellar

GARDEN ROUTE | Wine and whatever you like in Mossel Bay area

The event features a dozen eateries spread across villages on Route 12

Diaz Beach in Mossel Bay undercut and taken away by the water

GARDEN ROUTE | When Mother Nature decided to rearrange her beaches

Sand washed away, rocks and even shipwrecks exposed in devastating storms

There are nooks and crannies filled with treasures at Thrift Fair Emporium. Picture:

GARDEN ROUTE | Time for retail therapy after onslaught of extreme weather

Thrift and charity shops provide quirky options on the Garden Route