make the most of your flights

The old-age travellers’ saying of “it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey” seems the perfect analogy for multi-stop flights. Maximising your travel experience with multi-stop flights, can change what is normally point-to-point travel into a wonderfully flexible and adaptive holiday - turning the trip into an adventure of its own.

For most travellers, the list of must-visit places seems to grow every year as flights increase globally, and far flung destinations become ever easier to access. A simple and affordable way to maximise your trip and add a bonus destination to your next holiday is to book a multi-stop flight.

Multi-stop tickets aren’t anything new, but lately have been growing in popularity amongst a variety of travellers, not just round-the-world backpackers. Multi-stop flights allow you to stop in additional cities. If you are going to visit  family or travelling to attend a conference and would enjoy a mini-holiday before or after, make full use of the opportunity that the multi-city option gives you and take a few days to just enjoy yourself and reenergise for the next leg of your trip or to relax after it.

Multi-stop flights also give you the opportunity to combine holiday experiences, for example, if you’re headed to Bali or Hawaii to relax on a beach, why not add a few extra days in a bustling city like Hong Kong or Sydney for two completely different vacation experiences all in one trip. Australian airline Qantas allows for a stopover in Sydney when traveling to the USA or Japan.

You can also maximise your options by flying a national airline. Qantas fares allow you to visit up to 3 Australian cities for the same base airfare as a single ticket and all you will need to pay are the additional airport taxes (conditions apply).

From Sydney you can fly onwards to more than 55 towns and cities in Australia. You can also take the trans-Tasman flight to New Zealand via Sydney. An Australian visa is not required if your transit is less than eight hours for South African passport holders. 

Common examples of multi-stop itineraries:

• Jo’burg – (transit in Sydney) – see Melbourne- visit Auckland – explore Sydney – Jo’burg
• Jo’burg – discover Sydney – explore Los Angeles – head back home via Sydney

Most people, when planning a trip to North America, go the usual route of South Africa - up to Europe - and across to the US, however flying west to east is becoming favourable and growing as a preferred option for travellers wanting to spend time in both Australia and the US.

Sound great? But what’s the cost you ask and how do you get the best price when booking multi-stop flights? It is a well-known fact that multi-stop flights are affordable, which is often the primary reason people opt for them. The best cost cutter would be to choose your stopover destination that is a transit point en-route to your final destination. So instead of spending a few hours transiting in an airport missing the sights and nuggets of culture, prolong your transit to a city-stay for a few days. Contact your airline and discuss the options, you might also be able to make use of great packages for accommodation or meal specials. Adding stopover cities would be like getting two holidays for the price of one.

Whether you want to take a trip around the world, just stopover in another city or have definite plans for a multi-stop tour, Qantas makes it easy with their multi-city booking engine where you can view flight options and search for the best price.

With a little research on flight options, the sky really is the limit (pun intended!) in creating your perfect combination and multi-stop holiday – you may be able to go further than you think

Welcome to Australia!

Every traveller has their own bucket list of adventures they dream of seeing and doing, and planning a family holiday or trip as a couple could become difficult. But what if there was a country where you could indulge in the wine-country in the morning, head to pristine beaches for a lunchtime swim then try a bungee jump or trip to the zoo in the afternoon before taking in a breathtaking landscape or cityscape as the sunsets? Would that be able to tick off everyone's travel bucket list? Sound to good to be true? Welcome to Australia!

We list our top 5 must see places in Australia, for the family, for the food connoisseur, for the adrenalin junkies and for the romantics, Australia has something to offer every traveller!

Take a look at some of our favourites below!

5 for the Family 

1. Hyams Beach in Jervis Bay, New South Wales. Visit the beach  that is in the Guinness Book of Record for the whitest sand in the world. The beach has little swell, other than a gentle shore break, making it  a safe family beach and at the north end of the wide two kilometre shoreline is a rock platform with its own sandy beach - and a top snorkelling spot.

2. Kayak with dolphins in Byron Bay, New South Wales. Imagine the thrill of getting up close with dolphins, whales (May to October) and turtles at Byron’s beautiful marine park, whilst learning about local history and listening to local Indigenous stories.

3. Australia Zoo near Beerwah, Queensland. Spend the day at Australia Zoo, Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin's living legacy. The zoo's many shows and demonstrations include the famous crocodile feeding, snake handling, entry to the Wildlife Hospital and an opportunity for an up-close and personal wildlife encounter. 

4. Kuranda Scenic Railway. This famous railway winds its way from Cairns to Kuranda, the village in the rainforest and passes spectacular waterfalls and into the stunning Barron Gorge. Once in Kurunda there are the Koala Gardens, Birdworld, Butterfly Sanctuary, Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park and the skyrail to keep the kids (and adults) entertained plus heritage markets to pick up some great souvenirs.

5. Pan for gold, Ballarat, Victoria. Set on 25 acres of an original mining site, Sovereign Hill goldfields is an 1850’s living museum town with shops, gold diggings and underground mines to explore. There’s also coach rides, gold panning, a spectacular gold pour, theatre shows, sweet making and musket firing demonstrations all held by the in-costume staff.

5 for the romantics  

1. Peninsula Hot Springs in Fingal, Victoria. Voted ‘Best Luxury Mineral Spa’ in the 2014 World Luxury Hotel Awards the 17-hectare property offers 20 different styles of relaxation, including thermal mineral spring pools, an underground sauna, cave pools, Turkish steam baths and a hilltop retreat. Up the romance with a private tour visiting the Mornington Peninsula wineries and hot springs. 

2. Hot air ballooning. Sunrise, sunset, cityscapes, azure beaches or rolling vineyards, Australia offers hot air balloon rides in a variety of locations that ooze romance. 

3. Night at Field of Light by camel. This spectacular light installation made up of 50,000 glass spheres by artist Bruce Munro is situated next to Uluru. Enjoy an evening of fine dining listening to the sounds of the didgeridoo with canapés and chilled sparkling wine as the sun sets topped off with a camel ride to the Field of Light. This work of art has been extended for another season, until 31 March 2018. Booking is essential. 

4. Sydney Tower at Sunset. The Sydney Tower Eye Observation Deck is open 7 days a week 365 days a year. Take a skywalk up and watch the sun go down from the viewpoint or book a dinner at the iconic Sydney Tower, 360 Bar and Dining, a culinary experience with revolving views of Sydney’s skyline. 

5. Heart Reef. This naturally-formed “heart” shaped reef island is approximately 80km off the coast of Airlie Beach, Queensland. It may sound cliché but this island is  popular for proposals and with an azure sea and stunning coral colours it offers the ultimate travel snap of the Whitsundays - no Photoshop needed. Whether you take a helicopter ride or take a yacht to Whitesundays romance abounds in this beautiful natural setting! 

5 for the adventurer

1. BridgeClimb, Sydney Harbour Bridge. Climb to the top of the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge, 134m above sea level, right in the heart of Sydney Harbour with uninterrupted panoramas of the city and surrounds.

2. Swimming with whale sharks. Every year from April to July, the world’s biggest fish, the whale shark, congregate along the Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. The chance to snorkel with these gentle giants is the opportunity of a lifetime.

3. Zipline through the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Daintree Rainforest and get up close to native Australian wildlife on a fun-filled day trip from Cairns, Palm Cove or Port Douglas. Spend the afternoon soaring over the treetops on a zipline adventure, where you’ll take in views of the rainforest below.

4. Bungee jumping, Cairns. Leap into an adrenaline-fueled adventure with a bungee jump or Minjin Swing at the Cairns Bungy Tower, located in lush rainforest with views of the Coral Sea and the Great Barrier Reef. 

5. Crocodile diving. Swim with Crocodiles in the Cage of Death in Darwin! You will be underwater in an acrylic cage surrounded by huge swarming saltwater crocs. The only question is... do you dare?

5 for the gourmet 

1. Bruny Island gourmet tour. Enjoy the bounty of Bruny Island in Tasmania, by meeting local producers of premium cheeses, oysters, berries (in season), wine, whiskey and chocolates. The island’s also boasts stunning scenery with white-sandy beaches and privately owned reserve is home to rare white wallabies.

2. Barossa Valley is a short drive from Adelaide and with over 80 cellar doors and 150 wineries, including Jacob’s Creek, Penfold’s, Wolf Blass and Grant Burge, you’re not lacking in options. It’s also home to beloved Aussie cook Maggie Beer’s farm shop and the scenery along the 57-kilometre Barossa Scenic Heritage Drive is simply stunning.

3. Go Local with unique Australian food like Kangaroo Meat or the big banana. It's more than 40 years since Coffs Harbour's Big Banana stamped itself on the Australian psyche and these simple frozen, chocolate-coated bananas on a stick are still bliss.

4. Reynold Poernomo became a household name during Season 7 of Masterchef Australia as the dessert king. Since leaving the show, Reynold has pursued his dream of opening a dessert bar called KOI in Sydney with his brothers, where he flexes his creativity by creating awe-inspiring sweet treats daily. 

5. Cicada Lodge is an Aboriginal-owned property on the banks of the Katherine River. The eco lodge introduces guests to some of the traditional arts and way of life and incorporate native Australian foods, into a contemporary menu – think ingredients such as bush bananas and freshwater prawns. 

Experience the best of Australia with our top picks for cultural experiences and tours. Book your next holiday through Qantas and experience Australia from the moment you step on board.

With Qantas, you can book your whole trip to Australia with their competitive airfares from South Africa and their activity and accommodation deals.

In-depth experiences, upcoming destinations and uber-luxury

New York — A demand for more in-depth experiences — from learning how to scuba dive to dining in a private home in port — are shaping what's new in the cruise industry this year. Other cruise news: a boom in Alaska trips, a few precious sailings to Cuba and potentially game-changing new technology.

High Seas, High Tech 

Princess Cruises will debut a coin-sized medallion in November aboard the Regal Princess that could dramatically change guest experiences. Passengers will carry or wear the medallion, which will direct them to their cabins, unlock their doors as they approach and alert crew members to their schedules and preferences, whether it's a class they've signed up for or a favorite cocktail.

New experiences on board and ashore 

Royal Caribbean is the only cruise line offering scuba-diving certification through the Professional Association of Diving Instructors. Passengers begin the course at home online, continue lessons in a ship pool and finish with four mandatory open-water dives in ports of call.

Carnival Cruise Line is offering longer sailings of nine to 15 days with options for more immersive and adventurous experiences beyond beaches and bars. Passengers might visit a school in Mexico or get a home-cooked meal at a private house in Jamaica. "People are looking for meaningful experiences," said Carnival spokeswoman Jennifer De La Cruz.

MSC Cruises launches a wellness experience in April with personalized health assessments and fitness programs, along with a Weight Watchers cruise from Miami to the Caribbean in May.

Princess is expanding Discovery at Sea offerings for kids with new programming such as MythBusters science activities and destination-themed programs on culture and nature. Princess is also featuring a new show, "Born to Dance," produced with famed composer Stephen Schwartz, paying tribute to Broadway's greatest choreographers and dancers.

Holland America Line's new programs include cooking shows and workshops in partnership with "America's Test Kitchen," plus Rijksmuseum at Sea, with interactive displays about the famed Amsterdam museum as a tie-in to the cruise line's Dutch heritage. HAL has also just rolled out a partnership with BBC Earth, with games, activities and live concerts during screenings showing wildlife and wilderness.

Norwegian Cruise Line has opened a new private destination in southern Belize called Harvest Key with a beach, villas for daily rental, a lagoon for canoeing and kayaking, and "Flighthouse" with a zip line, ropes course and more. The port also makes it easy for guests to explore Belize on shore excursions.

Cunard's Queen Mary 2 this year offers trans-Atlantic cruises themed on space exploration and fashion.

Extreme weather continues as cold front makes landfall

Following a severe heat wave experienced in the Western Cape over the past week, the South African Weather Service says a cold front is due to make landfall from SA's western side on Thursday night and Friday, 24 March. 

The cold front will bring chances of rain, as well as snow in the highest peaks of the Drakensberg Mountains over the weekend. 

This is according to Snow Report SA, saying that a possibility of snow is expected in the southern parts of the Drakensberg on the Lesotho side on Saturday, 25 March. "The snow is likely to be confined to the extreme high peaks like Mafadi, Njusuthi and Thabana Ntlenyana," Snow Report SA said on Thursday, 23 March.

Thandiwe Gumede for the South African Weather Service office in KwaZulu-Natal confirmed the forecast, saying that the snow is unlikely to reach the South African side of the Drakensberg peaks. "The system that's bringing snow will be weakening after Saturday, clearing out completely towards the end of the weekend," Gumede told Traveller24. 

Most important, however, is the 30 to 60% chance of rain expected to accompany the cold front in the Western Cape, where severe drought conditions has left the province's dams with less that 100 days of water usage in them. 

Rainfall

Severe thunderstorms are expected in the southern and eastern parts of the Eastern Cape on Thursday night and Friday morning. 

For Friday, a 60% chance of rain can be expected across the central and eastern parts of the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal's central and eastern regions as well as the central and southern parts of Mpumalanga.

A 30% chance of rain is expected over the adjacent areas across the Free State, the eastern parts of the Northern Cape, central and southern parts of the North West province as well as the eastern parts of Limpopo on Friday. 

Temperatures

Conditions will cool down significantly across the country on Friday. The southern parts of the country can expect cool maximum temperatures throughout the day, while the interior will be warm. The northern parts of SA will be hot to very hot in the northernmost parts of Limpopo. 

The hottest part of the country will be Musina and Phalaborwa in Limpopo, reaching a high of 37°C on Friday.

Johannesburg in Gauteng will reach 25°C, while Pretoria will reach 32°C. Bloemfontein in the Free State will peak at 28°C.

US #ElectronicsBan on flights: What travellers need to know

Travelling to the US has become a roller-coaster headache for most travellers - as the latest ban issued requires travellers on flights originating from 10 specific airports to the US to pack electronic devices,  bigger than a smartphone, into their checked-in baggage. 

While cellphones and medical devices are excluded from the ban, no laptops will be allowed in hand luggage - officially as of Wednesday 22 March.

On Monday 20 March, the US government stated it was temporarily barring passengers on certain flights originating in eight countries and 10 airports from bringing laptops, iPads, cameras and most other electronics in carry-on luggage starting on Tuesday.

AFP reports the reason for the device ban was not immediately clear. US security officials would not comment - See News24's coverage here. 

This follows the much-meligned US Travel ban on seven predominantly Muslim countries Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, which was then suspended by federal judges for being unconstitutional, only for a watered down version to then be put into effect, excluding Irag but still said to discriminate against people on a religious basis.

The latest US Travel-related ban came to light via statements released by Royal Jordanian Airlines and the official news agency of Saudi Arabia, and is said to be indefinite and will come into effect just before Wednesday's meeting of the US-led coalition against the Islamic State group in Washington.

"A number of top Arab officials were expected to attend the State Department gathering. It was unclear whether their travel plans were related to any increased worry about security threats." 

#ElectronicsBan makes theft, damage to property a greater risk - ASATA

Cape Town – Passengers travelling to popular destinations and stopovers such as Doha, Istanbul, Abu Dhabi and Dubai will now be more vulnerable to theft and damage to property as they will be forced to check in valuables like laptops, iPads and cameras. 

This is according to Otto de Vries, CEO of the Association of Southern African Travel Agents (ASATA), saying that while the association "supports any initiatives to improve the safety and security of travellers and the destinations that they visit, the reasons behind these new rules have not been made clear, other than to say that they have been put in place ‘based on the current threat picture’."

On Wednesday, South African Airways put travellers at ease when they issued a statement saying they have not imposed a general ban on the use or carriage of electronic devices on board its flights as the airline has not received any directive from US Department of Transportation or the Federal Aviation Administration to restrict or ban usage of electronic devices on board its aircraft.

According to SAA spokesperson Tlali Tlali, “Customers may continue to use and enjoy their devices in our cabins except for those electronic devices that have specifically been prohibited on board and public/customer notifications to that effect have been made." 

Regardless, ASATA says they are concerned that the recent announcement by the United Kingdom and the United States - banning laptops, tablets, e-readers and several other electronic devices from hand luggage on flights originating from 10 airports - will cost travellers in future. 

Travellers will not be allowed to stow any electronic device larger than 16cm x 9.3cm in their hand luggage in terms of a ban, to come into effect on Friday, 24 March. 

“Traditionally, at check-in, travellers are asked if they have anything valuable in their checked baggage. It would now appear that passengers travelling to the US and UK from affected destinations, even if it is via these destinations, will be forced to include their valuable in their checked baggage risking theft and damage to their property,” De Vries says. 

The big worry, according to ASATA, is who will be responsible if these electronic items are stolen or damaged as travel insurers are clear that this will not be covered in their insurance policies.

De Vries says there are too many grey areas in the new ban. "Will checked bags be screened as thoroughly as hand baggage is? What processes at airports will need to change to accommodate these changes?," he asks. 

“And then, of course, there’s a risk that electronic devices may be stolen, and if the bag has been breached is that not in itself a security threat?” De Vries notes.  

Emirates introduces new laptop handling service for US flights

 The largest gulf carrier Emriates has introduced a new service to enable customers to use their laptops and tablet devices until just before they board their flights to the US.  

It says, "Emirates customers travelling to the US via Dubai will be able to utilise their laptops and tablet devices on the first part of their journeys, and also during transit in Dubai. They must then declare and hand over their laptops, tablets, and other banned electronic devices to security staff at the gate just before boarding their US-bound flight.

"The devices will be carefully packed into boxes, loaded into the aircraft hold, and returned to the customer at their US destination. There will not be any charge for this service. It added that customers should be aware that there will be a detailed search of all hand baggage on non-stop flights to the US from Dubai. They should therefore declare their devices before the search, or ensure their electronic devices are packed into their check-in luggage in the first instance.