South Africa · WORKSHOPS
This is the shortlist you would send a friend: 8 workshops & classes worth the money, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the one thing to know before you commit.
Join Faldela and her family in their Bo-Kaap home for a 150-minute Cape Malay cooking class. Prepare dishes such as curry, rotis, samosas, salad, and dessert, learn how spices shape the cuisine, then sit down to eat with soft drinks. English instruction, ingredients, and equipment are included.
“It was a nice experience. I would like to get the recipes of the dishes we made...”
Join a local host in Bo-Kaap for a two-hour Cape Malay cooking class. Prepare dishes such as samosas, chilli bites, flatbread, and curry, then sit down for the meal with soft drinks and a conversation about family, food, and local traditions.
“We really enjoyed our cooking class! The food was very tasty and everyone was able to participate in different parts of the process. The host gave us lots of information about the history of the cuisine and was very friendly.”
Spend four hours exploring Bo-Kaap with local guides such as Faldela, Gadija, or Ilyas, then cook samosas, chicken curry, roti, sambal, and koesisters in a local home. You will learn spice tricks, share the meal, and leave with the recipes.
“There are two parts to this activity. The second is the Malay cooking class. If you have the time, you should not miss it. It opens the world of Cape Malay cooking from the inside. The guide really knows her business, and has a great sense of humor. Because of her, the event is a lot of fun, and you meet people from all over the world. Making a rooti from scratch is a transformative experience. Since it is not really meaningful to walk through the Bo-Kaap on your own, you need a guide, and this one knows the neighborhood’s history. I was especially intrigued by how the colorful houses…”
Spend two hours learning the basics at Jeffreys Bay’s oldest surf school. Your English-speaking coach teaches paddling, wave catching, and standing up in shallow water and on the beach. Boards, wetsuits, changing rooms, storage, and session photos are included.
“Heel leuke eerste surfervaring! Onze begeleider Ernie heeft ervoor gezorgd dat we tegen het einde konden rechtstaan. Goede tips van hem, leuke sfeer! Een echte aanrader! Bedankt Ernie”
Meet at Jeffrey's Bay Surf School for a small-group beginner lesson led by qualified coaches such as Lorenzo and Angelo. You will learn to paddle, catch a wave, stand, and ride toward the beach, with board, wetsuit, changing rooms, and storage included.
“It was a nice activity, the trainers were friendly and learned our the basic skills.”
Explore Gqeberha’s Campanile, Donkin Reserve, markets, and street art with local guide Rawson, then choose a hands-on African cooking class with shared food, traditional drinks, and vegetarian options.
“Knowledgeable tour guide who didn't only show the shiny places.”
In a two-hour Bo-Kaap home-kitchen class, an accomplished Cape Malay cook guides you through samoosa folding and koesister making. You use traditional ingredients, hear local history, and sit down afterward to eat the sweet and savoury food you prepared. English and Afrikaans are spoken.
“Though our host was lovely and very welcoming we found the actual cooking experience a bit disappointing. The samosa pastry was store bought and there was no insight into how to make the pastry from scratch. I understand it is a complicated and long process but even a partial experience with homemade dough would have been nice. The fillings were pre-done, so one missed out on tasting and smelling and working with the ingredients. The Koesister part of the class was a more interactive and thus more enjoyable and they did taste very good. All in all we had a pleasant experience, just not quite as hands on as we…”
Spend two hours learning to surf at Dolphin Beach, a few kilometres from Supertubes. Your English-speaking instructor covers 20 minutes of beach theory, then coaches you in the water. Boards and wetsuits are included, and instructor Lungani has helped first-timers catch waves quickly.
“instructor Lungani was great. I never surfed before only skateboarded and I was riding a few waves within minutes. instructions were clear and conscise. would definitely go back only thing is surfing is very tiring so be prepared”
Pick a reserve, a coastline or a cellar.
