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There’s an irony at the heart of modern travel: we have more information at our disposal than ever, yet finding experiences that feel genuinely local has become harder. As one of Time Out South Africa's city editors, I fully understand this mission. It's part and parcel of what we do on the daily - unearth the best of our cities, to share with you.
Yet, as For You streams drown in brand collaborations, search results favour the biggest commercial spenders, and the arrival of countless travel apps and AI chatbots add yet another layer of digital noise, the taps and nods from connected, like-minded communities have become all the more valuable.
Often, our best recommendations still come from someone we know on the ground in a particular destination, or that friend of a friend who knows someone already there (and happens to read their Time Out edition, I couldn't resist, because it's true!).
It's a very specific gap that exists right now, and Pangea is making moves in the right direction to address it, if their upcoming summer release is anything to go by. Because we're all for taking the next trip out of the group chat and into the real world, and they're helping to do it in the best possible way.
Pangea's new Summer 2026 Release introduces Pangea AI, that sees you tapping into a trusted travel community of more than 100,000 people - certainly massive enough to move beyond run-of-the-mill recommendations, yet connected through a community-intelligent app that takes the admin and guesswork out of planning.
In a nutshell, it draws on its community's very real travel histories, preferences and trusted networks to surface places, experiences and connections that might otherwise be missed.
READ: Why Cape Town’s becoming a top nomad destination
This launch takes Pangea from beta to a more robust global platform where travellers can share their journeys, map the places they’ve experienced, and exchange trusted recommendations, according to Pangea founder Matt Grey, who shared insights with Time Out South Africa in an exclusive interview.
"It brings together some of the data and content we've acquired from, most recently, Flaire, a recommendation-sharing app we bought in April. We'll also introduce our Pangea AI, which surfaces those recommendations from people in the community you know, the people you trust, your connections instead of just random stuff that's out there on the internet," adds Grey.
Pangea’s biggest ambition is to use technology as the starting point for real-world experiences, rather than the destination.
“We’re not encouraging users to be glued to their phone,” says Grey. “Instead, we’re getting users to find cool experiences and go to actual events that they wouldn’t necessarily do on their own.”
One example of what this real-world community can unlock came through Pangea’s collaboration with Andrae Smith, the Cape Town-based founder of Work Wanderers and Nomad Week Cape Town. Together, they brought 100 people from more than 25 countries to a 34-bedroom villa for a traditional South African braai, DJ, pool party and bonfire. It's not the kind of experience you'll necessarily access as a small group of friends or on your own, that's for sure.
But it also doubles down on how far the movement has come, considering Smith’s community-building journey began with intimate dinners for digital nomads and locals, eventually growing into Nomad Week Cape Town and now one of the city’s key gatherings for remote workers and global travellers.
A global launch with a Cape Town connection
This Thursday, Pangea is marking the summer release with more than 30 community events across six continents – and Cape Town is of course firmly on the map. The local launch party takes place at Elsewhere Co-Living in Sea Point on Thursday, August 6, in partnership with Work Wanderers - but there is a pre-launch registration worth doing, to ensure you have full free access to Pangea AI Pro!
The launch also begins the early countdown to Nomad Week Cape Town 2027, taking place from February 17 to 26.
The next edition is expected to welcome more than 200 attendees for keynotes, workshops, co-working sessions, outdoor adventures and social events, while continuing its focus on local integration and supporting South African travel and tourism entrepreneurs.
Pangea Six-Continent Summer Launch: How to join the Cape Town meetup
Hosted by Smith, the relaxed pizza-and-wine meetup is designed for swapping travel stories, sharing in-destination remote work tips and making new connections - all while getting the insider track on the latest developments from their community.
It's also the perfect starting point to make the most of First Thursdays afterwards. Online registration is free but RSVP in advance to receive event updates and join their Cape Town community WhatsApp group.
- What: Cape Town Nomad Meetup – Work Wanderers x Elsewhere x Pangea
- When: Thursday, August 6, 5pm–8pm
- Where: Elsewhere Co-Living, Sea Point
- Cost: Free to register; R150 at the door, including pizza and wine
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