Cape Travel Guides - Accommodation, Safaris, Adventure

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Province:Eastern Cape
Region: Wild Coast

WILD COAST 
Coffee Bay  |  Idutywa  |  Lusisiki  |  Mount Frere  |  Port St Johns | Umtata

An Almost untouched paradise, An environmental haven with the feel of the 'true'
African coastline - the Wild Coast is an almost unbelievable experience. And it is completely unforgettable.

Craggy, rocky and untamed, the Wild Coast is the pearl in the crown of the Eastern Cape with countless natural attractions and a rich cultural heritage. Kilometre after kilometre of unspoiled coastline, forest and open spaces where you can enjoy sandy beaches, fishing, horse riding, birding, hiking, famous shipwrecks and strandloper caves.

Explore the age-old traditions and customs of the local Xhosa people, visit the birth place of Nelson Mandela (ot Qunu) and learn about the astonishingly uplifting life of the man who lead South Africa into her modern democracy at
Umtata's Nelson Mandela Museum.

With accommodation to suit all tastes - from seaside shacks to comfortable hotels -as well as numerous organised adventure activities, an escape to the Wild Coast is the quickest way to rediscover your passion for living

Things to do:
Angling 
It is fishing more than anything else that attracts holiday-makers to the Transkei coast, and it was the fisherman who first built the cottages and shacks at remote points and estuaries. During the summer catches include huge reef fish such as musselcracker, and in the autumn the annual sardine run brings with it fighting game fish. 

Beachcombing and shelling 
This entire coast is excellent for beachcombing and bits and pieces from old shipwrecks are still found along the waters edge. Most sandy beaches will reveal cowries, cones and murex shells, among others, and it is a good idea always to look in the nooks beteween beaches and rocky points. The rock pools at low tde offer a rich world of marine life. The best beaches for shell gathering are at the Qolora, Qora and Mtata mouths, at Coffee Bay, and especially at Dwesa. 

Birdwatching 
Bird watching along this stretch of coast is disappointing, but the coastal forests host many colourful and exotic species such as paradise flycatchers, trumpeter hornbills and narina trogons. The rare mangrove kingfisher is a shy resident of the mangrove swamps, while four other kingfishers are common waterside birds in the area. 

Boardsailing 
This coast is not really for those who like wave jumping, but for gentle lagoon rides there is no shortage of venues and most of the hotels have boards for use free of charge to residents. For beginners, there is nothing to beat sailing gentlyh up the wild river coursesl. 

Boat Trips 
Most Hotels have boats for use or hire, while local entrepreneurs operate ferry services across most deep rivers. 

Bowls 
There are greens at Qolora, Mbashe and Coffee Bay reserves, as well as in Umtata and Butterworth. 

Camping and caravanning 
There are official camp sites with no facilities at Qolora mouth, Nxaxo Mouth, Mazeppa Bay, Qora Mouth and Mbashe Point, as well as the more remote spots of Cebe and Xora Mouth, for which permits must be obtained from the forestry offices in Umata or Butterworth. Wherever you intend caravanning, it is essential to carry your own drinking water. 

Canoeing 
The many rivers are superb venues for canoeing, with wild and often convoluted courses that are often navigable upriver for 10km or more. Most hotels have canoes for free use by residents but these are not always sleek and speedy models so if you intend doing any serious rowing, you should bring your own boat or make inquiries before you arrive. 

Diving 
When the water is calm and clear, which is most likely from January to May, the diving on the Wild Coat is indeed wild and prolific. Rocky outcrops and shallow reefs are the best for snorkelling. Never benture into the open sea when it is anything but lear as the presence of sharks will almost certainly be a problem. 

Drives and viewsites 
From the N2 to each spot on the coast is in itself a worthwhile drive with breathtaking biewsites and exquisite scenery, but the roads are not always kind to cars. The best sign of a passable road is that of one that leads most directly to a well known resort. 

Golf 
There are golf courses at Idutywa and Umata, while at Qolora Mouth there is an 11 hole course at Coffee Bay an elevated nine hole course , and at Butterworth and Mbashe there are nine hole courses. 

Libraries 
Umtata has two public libraries. 

Powerboating 
Mtata Dam is a pleasant powerboating and skiing venue, whle Coffee Bay on the coast offers the most convenient launching site for powerboats. 

Shipwrecks 
The Wild Coast has claimed more than its fair share of shipwrecks over the centuries but very little of these remains to be seen. The Jacaranda , a light coaster wrecked off the coast in 1971, is the only wreck that remains to be virtually intact and it is a popular destination for hikers from the Qolora resort area. 

Surfing 
Only in recent years has this coast begun to be explored for its surfing possibilities. There are many beach breaks that work when swells and winds are right, but it is the river mouths that promise the most consistent and exciting breaks. 

Coffee Bay is perhaps the most frequently surfed area, but Nxaxo also has a fairly consistent pointlike break. Sharks may prove to be a problem in murky water around the river mouths. 

Swimming 
There are excellent swimming beaches at all the resorts and in fact you can swim virtually anywhere along the coast. The water is usually cool to warm and clear, but you should never swim in the dirty water around the river mouths after floods. 

Tennis and squash 
There are tennis and squash clubsin Umtata and Butterworth, and onlyt the smaller, more rmote resrts such as those on Nxaxo and Mtata mouths do not offer visitors fine all weather tennis courts. 

Walks 
The resorts here are set in the most wonderful natural environments with yawning stretches of river and sea frontage, and hills, forests and villages to the landward side. 

Many hotels offer organised outings or will prepare picnic lunches for those going out on self guided tourrs. There are also official hiking trails along most of the coast, for which you must book and stay in the overnight huts provided.