Having just had a baby, couple Candy and Jonty King have recently become South Africa’s most followed travelling family with over 3.1 million followers on TikTok.
We caught up with the busy couple to find out more about their work and travels
How did you get into it?
We left for China eight years ago and journalled our travels online through social media.
We lived a very “out the box” lifestyle we wanted to share with our family. And I guess, that family just grew and grew and grew into a community now well over 3 million people who we feel very close with.
We even have the privilege of meeting some of these people in person on our group trips.
How did you grow your following?
I think people were just drawn to our lifestyle. We share EVERYTHING on socials - the hardships, the joys, and the surprises.
We hold nothing back and we actually have a relationship with our followers. We talk to each other like we know each other personally because we do. We send voice messages and really welcome people into our space.
Our followers really are part of our family and we want people to feel “safe” around us - like we can talk about anything together with zero judgement.
That is how we grew our community; we focus on building authentic and real relationships.
Our community also grows bigger and stronger because when we host group trips, we meet everyone in person and sharing life-changing experiences together builds solid friendships that last a lifetime.
We don’t just become besties with them, but they become friends with each other.
What's the best part of your job?
Being able to spend all our time together as a family. This is by far the best part of our job. I think this is a dream come true for any mom - who wants more family time.
We both also love hosting group trips because we get to show people our favourite places in the world!
It is so rewarding seeing people’s face in awe of beautiful landscapes and cultural experiences.
Which countries would you recommend to South Africans?
Sri Lanka, because it’s one of our favourites.
The people are just so friendly and trustworthy; the most hospitable country we’ve been to with amazing food.
We recommended Thailand as well because it’s affordable for South Africans! You can experience luxury and excellent service at an affordable price.
What tips do you have for those travelling overseas for the first time?
Go with the flow and don’t always trust travel agents, because 90% of the time you’re booking a holiday with people who have never been to those hotels before, let alone that country.
You’re booking a trip with people who might not have even been abroad before. I know we might get some backlash for saying that, but it’s 100% true.
Take travel advice from people who are super passionate about travel. Take advice on countries from people who have been there.
Follow travel blogs and YouTube countries that you might be interested in. We will also be more than happy to share tips, help out and even give people a free itinerary for Thailand. They must just message us and we’ll be very excited to help in whatever way we can!
How do you find travelling with a little one?
We’ve had to make some adjustments, but we’re very excited to share our lives with a little traveller and watch her experience everything for the first time. This is going to be so exciting!
Follow the travelling family on TikTok @candy_and_the_kings to keep up with their adventures.