And then Nelspruit got sexy

Once upon a time Nelspruit was a crimplene-clad boeremeisie. A remote rural town with a whole lot of acacia trees. Today she is an elegant African queen. She is Mbombela of Mpumalanga - wrap your tongue around that, hipster whitey, haha. Mbombela is a hot and happening gateway to the Slowveld, to Limpopo, Swaziland and Mozambique, a cosmopolitan city surrounded by the distinctive rumps of the legogote, Bushbuck Ridge. Here’s what I’m lovin’ about Mbombela:

The Slowveld Sling We check into the Glass Bar for a late afternoon cocktail. Famous for its views of the city, the Glass Bar has fabulous floor to ceiling windows and is inside Emnotweni Casino along Government Boulevard. We cannot choose. Tijuana Sling? French Connection? Moscow Mule? Long Slow Screw Against the Wall? We invent one called the Slowveld Sling, with some few white spirits and soda and lime and mint and stuff.  We have a cool mixologist and the views are fabulous. www.tsogosun.com/m/glassbar.

Orange views I eat alone at the fabulous Orange Restaurant and watch the sun set over the city, the night time lights begin to sparkle. It feels so cosmopolitan. I listen to the other diners talk in Xitsonga, SeTswana, German, Dutch, English, Portuguese. My delightful host Lisinda brings me ‘an extra big’ glass of Chardonnay to go with the salmon. I am in love with Orange Restaurant, the food, the wine, the views, the everything. www.eatorange.co.za

The Vincent Vibe This fabulously friendly and quirky guesthouse, Chez Vincent, is close to the city and yet feels like a world away. Their restaurant is open to the public on Fridays and Saturdays and has a delicious Afro-Mediterranean menu; outdoor dining in summer and fireside dining in winter. Chez Vincent also hosts wine-tasting evenings for local and visiting wineheads. www.chezvincent.co.za

Green heart of Mbombela I wander through the rain forest in the Nelspruit Botanical Gardens, a glorious green playground set along the confluence of the Nels and Crocodile Rivers. It’s in the middle of town and is the best head clearer if you need time to think or just chill out in a forgiving setting. See ancient trees, waterfalls, riverside gardens and fabulous flowers. I finish off with an espresso at Kuzuri, an Afro chic spot in the visitors centre with waterfall views. www.sanbi.org/gardens/lowveld

Sleeping in style I find my Inner Princess at Loerie’s Call Lodge which is built atop a massive granite boulder with views of the city beyond. It’s sister, Francolin Lodge, is next door and the Orange Restaurant is here too. Heaven. I watch the sun set from a bench on the boulder, I watch the night fall from my veranda. A huge bath, a really comfortable bed, breakfast overlooking the pool, fast WiFi. Sound of purring. www.francolinlodge.co.za

Art in the dome I check out the African art collection that is housed inside one of the spaces in the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature, surely one of the city’s most interesting buildings to be commissioned after democracy. It feels like a modern palace, and is set opposite the botanical gardens, alongside the river. The art is lovely. www.mpuleg.gov.za

Mbombela of Mpumalanga, land of the rising sun