TVA Travel Blog

Coffee Bay: Hiking the Wild Coast of South Africa

January 10, 2018January 27, 2018
by tvatravel

During the hike we came to really understand the name Wild Coast. From rolling green hills to rocky and sandy beaches, this place had it all.

During our South African Road Trip from Jo’burg to Cape Town we made our second stop in Coffee Bay. This tiny town of barely 250 inhabitants is the perfect little base to go hike on the South African Wild Coast. This 250 kilometer stretch of coastline is named Wild Coast because the nature along it is exactly that: wild, untouched, green. Coffee bay is almost perfectly in the middle of this coastline stretching between Durban and East-London. It came highly recommend from a friend that had spent more than a week there hiking, relaxing and surfing. Find out how we fitted this piece of paradise into our packed schedule.

Adventures

Road Trip through South Africa

January 4, 2018February 17, 2018
by tvatravel

There is so much to see and do here we could have easily spent the entire two weeks here and never gotten bored. So much culture, history and nature to enjoy around here

In November 2016 me and 3 friends rented car and did a Road Trip through South Africa from Johannesburg all the way to Cape Town. The journey was amazing and we were all fascinated by this beautiful country. In this post I will share our itinerary, travel times and general tips and tricks we learned while driving through this country. You can use this information to plan your own trip. In other post I will share more details about each main destination in our itinerary.

Adventures

Armenia: Art and Architecture in Yerevan

December 23, 2017December 24, 2017
by tvatravel

I could see the whole city spread out in front of me. Beyond the buildings began the long and empty Armenian highlands. But dominating the view and towering above everything was the Ararat Mountain.

I do not only travel in my free time and vacations, but I also need to take regular trips for my job. My team works for the EMEA region, which stands for Europe Middle East and Africa. In the past 2 years and a half I’ve been to some destination that I honestly never thought I would go to anytime soon. One of those destinations was Yerevan in Armenia. To be completely honest, when my boss told me about the project, I quickly googled where exactly the country was. I also never heard (or remembered) about the capital: Yerevan. So I had no clue what to expect when I got the chance to wander around the city for 2 nights. In this post you will find out why I was very pleasantly surprised!

Adventures

Dahab: A Backpacker Paradise

December 10, 2017December 10, 2017
by tvatravel

The beaches were rather empty but the sunset over the Sinai mountains was breathtaking

Dahab has all the goodies Sharm El Sheikh has but without the soaring prices and extravagant luxury. It is town full of budget hotels and cozy restaurants and bars. Most of its sights are under water and it has rightfully grown into a reputable diving hub. Find out what places we discovered and how we spent our last days in Egypt relaxing in a true backpackers paradise.

Adventures

Sharm El Sheikh: A Touch of Luxury

December 10, 2017December 10, 2017
by tvatravel

Sharm El Sheikh is a name most people are familiar with, even if they never actually went to Egypt. This once tiny fishermen village grew into a strategic port for the Egyptian Naval Forces due to it’s location at the entrance of the Gulf of Aqaba. It lies at the tip of the Sinai peninsula and has become a popular tourist destination once the region got more stable. After the revolutions in Egypt tourism declined but the city was one of the first to rebound.

Unfortunately, since then, the city itself was targeted in some terrorist attacks and lately the Sinai region (especially the North) has become unstable again with the presence of ISIS and other extremist organizations. Despite of all this turmoil (and because of it) Sharm-El-Sheikh is a very secure place, unless for the risk of overspending. You can’t get near without passing elaborate military checkpoints, since Egypt simply can’t afford tourist to stay away. Find out why our backpacking trip included this resort destination in this post and how you can add a touch of luxury.

Adventures

Dublin: A Pub Culture

December 1, 2017December 10, 2017
by tvatravel

Dublin is a city like no other. It’s historical centre is small but there is so much history hidden in those streets if you know where to find it. Outer Dublin is a modern city with architectural marvels, huge bank offices and conference centres. But most of all it is the home of Guinness and the heart of the Irish Whiskey Culture. Despite of all that greatness you will spend most of your time in Dublin in a Pub. Are you the one to look for that one Irish pub in your city to sniff up the atmosphere? Well here there is one around every corner. Find out in this post how we spent our three days in this lively city.

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Adventures

Aswan: Life around the Dam

November 27, 2017December 13, 2017
by tvatravel

The tourist information stand was closed and we ended up getting lured into a random hotel waiting for a guide to make us an offer

Everyone has heard of Luxor and it’s temples or of Giza and It’s pyramids. However when people think of Aswan they think of the dam. Although the official name is Nasser Dam, after the President under whose rule the dam was built. Nevertheless people did often hear about Philae Temple. Likewise I think anyone that knows anything about Egypt will confirm they heard about Abu Simbel. To admire those wonderful sights the perfect base camp is Aswan. Trips to these are often part of any group travel that stops in Aswan. However arranging all of it yourself as an independent traveller is not always as easy as stepping on a bus. Find out in this post how we handled it.

Adventures

Luxor: City of Life and Death

November 18, 2017December 10, 2017
by tvatravel

We were accompanied most of the way by a guy, who claimed he only wanted to practice his English, but was firmly directing us to another supposed government shop

Luxor is, together with the Pyramids in Giza, one of the crown jewels of Egyptian tourism. This unfortunately means that just like in Giza, the town is rigged with tourist traps. Without any knowledge about the correct prices and practices, you will get ripped off. Find out how we experienced Luxor and prepare yourself for your own adventure.

Adventures

Siwa: The Oasis Life

November 12, 2017December 10, 2017
by tvatravel

Abdol, driving like a complete demented maniac, took us to the most wonderful spot for sunset

Siwa is the ideal place to escape the touristy Temples and Pyramids all around the Nile Delta and Valley. But getting there is not always easy and neither is finding your way around. The town is nothing like the other cities in Egypt and the people don’t even consider themselves Egyptians. They have a different language and culture, which in many ways was more pleasant for us as independent travellers. In this post you will find what to do how much it will cost you to explore this beautiful oasis.

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Adventures

Alexandria: City of Lost Glory

November 5, 2017December 10, 2017
by tvatravel

Lunch in Greek Club with an amazing view over the harbor and the bay

Alexandria has played a very important role in Egyptian history. Founded by the infamous Alexander the Great and Capital of the last great Dynasty of Pharaoh: the Ptolemies. If that name does not ring a bell, I’m sure you’ve heard of Cleopatra, the last of the Hellenistic rulers of Egypt. This city has had it all over the centuries. It was the center of Mediterranean trade, with its enormous harbor and famous lighthouse of Pharos. It was called center of knowledge due to the vast collection of books and scripture in its gigantic library. However when the Muslims invaded they ignored the capital of Egypt and nestled themselves in Cairo. Since then it has been conquered and reconquered several times, destroying its heritage and pushing it in the background. In two days we explored the remnants of that glorious past and it’s path to renovation.

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