South Africa’s first ‘smart town’ voted among the best places to live

• Clarens was ranked fifth in the Daily Maverick’s Small Towns of the Year for 2025, receiving an overall score of 87.8%.
• The town was assessed on cleanliness, municipal performance, community spirit, safety, natural environment, family friendliness, and connectivity, as well as the “M-Factor”, which it described as the distinctive atmosphere and character of a town.
• The town attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, with property prices ranging from R1.2 million to R6 million for different types of properties.