We’re a proudly South African company and wanted to give you some more reasons to be glad to be a South African.
As of July, according to the Henley Passport Index, that little green book you own entitles you visa-free or “easy visa” access into 100 countries. That puts the South African passport in 51st position, sitting above 100 other national passports – beating the majority of its African neighbours as well as Jamaica, Thailand, and India.
For comparison, the Afghan and Iraqi passports were ranked as the worst, only having visa-free or visa-on-arrival arrangements with 30 countries.
We realize it’s ironic to be proudly South African about how many countries we can go to, but another thing we firmly believe in is exploring your surroundings. So, while you might miss the home comforts that only a City Lodge Hotel property can bring – sorry, our plans for world domination are still unfolding – we can always encourage exploring more and experiencing what else the world has to offer.
And so, we’re starting our Power of Your Green Book series, highlighting places that you can visit hassle-free!
BAHAMAS
Floating off the Eastern shores of Miami and just north of Cuba, this coral-based archipelago is made up of over 700 islands and cays. It’s got a full range from desert islands to bustling resorts – it’s hard to know where to start.
Just north of the capital, Nassau, is Paradise Island. We’re not joking when we tell you that its name says it all – the island boasts resorts, hotels, restaurants, shops, nightlife, a golf course, an aquarium and a casino. Quite literally something for everyone!
If that isn’t convincing enough, just speak to local Bahamians. Not to absorb local knowledge or anything – well, fine, that too – but hearing the island resonance that embodies their accent is worth just listening to.
MICRONESIA
Yes, this does sound made up, but we promise you it’s very real. So that you don’t sound like certain people who think Africa is a country, Micronesia is an area in the Western Pacific Ocean and is very close to Papua New Guinea. It is made of several sovereign countries, but we will be focusing on the Federated States of Micronesia – often referred to as just Micronesia, but not to be confused with the area. Got that?
Made up of a whopping 607 islands, which are grouped into four states – represented as the four stars in the national flag. Micronesia is teeming with Pacific Island culture, reflected in its food, languages and traditions – all of which are highly recommended for visitors to dive headfirst into.
Micronesia is home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, putting it on the map for anyone working their way through that 1,100-odd list of places to see. Nan Madol is, or rather was, a city constructed in a lagoon, and is made up of many artificial islets that link together with a network of coral. Its name translates to “within intervals”, referencing the coral that runs in and around the ruins. It’s sometimes referred to as “Atlantis” and the “Venice of the Pacific”, both referring to the mysterious history of the people that lived here and the likely natural causes – or disaster – that may have been what ruined the city. So, go have fun exploring a semi-spooky ancient civilisation’s ruins, if you’re into that kind of thing!
Go on, check your passport expiry date, and look into these amazing places that you can travel to visa-free! But if your bank balance laughs at the prospect of that kind of travel, remember City Lodge Hotels promise quality accommodation at affordable rates, so if you can’t get to the Bahamas you can at least get to City Lodge Hotel V&A Waterfront and that’s basically the same thing…