Wild Coast Snapshot
For many of the wrong (Apartheid-era) reasons, the Wild Coast has remained untouched, untamed and out of the hands of the developers. The other-wordly result is a painfully beautiful coastal stretch of deserted beaches, sleepy bays and grass-covered cliff tops dotted with (seemingly idyllic) traditional village huts. The Wild Coast's maritime history is fascinating and little-known - Hazel Crampton's, The Sunburnt Queen is well worth the read - a larger-than-fiction story of shipwrecks and European castaways integrating with local tribal communities. The Wild Coast's geography is a repeat-pattern of exotic-sounding rivers cutting through green hills towards the ocean, cultiminating in small bays and lagoons and holiday hamlets - no matter where you stay, you’re likely to score a beachfront view. Along the coast you'll find a few protected reserves, among them Dwesa, Cwebe, Hluleka and Silaka. These offer excellent birding and intact coastal forests. While a lot of the old family-run establishments have undergone facelifts in their pursuit of 'Hotel Spa' status, for the most part a Wild Coast trip is all about getting back to basics. Rustic getaways, extra laid-back living (helped along by the green stuff), and some of SA’s finest coastal scenery.
Things To Do
- Walk the Wild Coast Hiking Trail. Slackpacking at it best, as each evening bunkdown is a recommended hotel.
- Horse back beach rides can be undertaken from many accommodation options. Wild Coast Horse Trails is a professional outfitter based at Kei Mouth.
- For the best beaches, Bulungula, Cintsa, Coffee Bay and Double Mouth offer gorgeous surrounds, empty stretches of sand and warm water... Just watch out for sharks!
- For fishing, Kei Mouth and Mazeppa Bay offer easy access to rock and surf, while Mbolompo Point near Hole in the Wall is also a good option.
- A few good MTB routes are in operation. Mazeppa Bay, Cwebe Nature Reserve, Mboyoti and Mkambati Nature Reserve all have MTB trails worth exploring.
- For the best in Wild Coast ganja we suggest... Only kidding. We'll leave this for you to discover.
Where You'll Also Find Us
Arniston (Waenhuiskrans) • Barrydale • Beaufort West • Betty's Bay • Bonnievale • Bot River • Bredasdorp • Caledon • Calitzdorp • Cape Agulhas and Struisbaai • Cape Town area • Ceres • Citrusdal • Clanwilliam & Cederberg • Darling • De Rust • Franschhoek • Gansbaai • George • Grabouw & Elgin Valley • Greyton • Heidelberg • Hermanus • Knysna • Ladismith • Laingsburg • Lamberts Bay • Langebaan • Malgas • Matjiesfontein • McGregor • Montagu • Mossel Bay • Napier • Oudtshoorn • Paarl • Paternoster • Plettenberg Bay • Porterville • Prince Albert • Pringle Bay • Pringle Bay, Betty's Bay and Kleinmond • Riebeek West and Riebeek-Kasteel • Riversdale • Riviersonderend • Robertson • St Helena Bay • Stanford • Stilbaai • Strand, Gordon's Bay and Somerset West • Swellendam • Tulbagh • Uniondale • Velddrif • Vermaaklikheid • Wellington • Wilderness • Witsand • Worcester & Hex Valley • Yzerfontein • Baviaanskloof • Cape St Francis • Cape St Francis & St Francis Bay • East London • Graaff-Reinet • Hogsback • Jeffreys Bay • Makhanda (Grahamstown) • Middelburg • Nieu-Bethesda • Rhodes • Sutherland