THE WILD COAST

Break away to the Wild Coast – unspoilt, untamed, unforgettable! Protected for years by limited road access, the Wild Coast offers a combination of rural tranquillity, traditional African lifestyles and architecture, incredible scenery with fascinating flora and fauna and the opportunity to have a great beach holiday with time to sit and gaze at the whales and dolphins.

Accommodation on the wild coast

Stretching from East London to Port Edward the "Wild Coast" is rugged, remote and fairly unpopulated. Renowned for its fantastic surfing and excellent fishing, Windsurfing is offered at Hole in the Wall, while there is also potential for good diving but the conditions are not consistent and there is very little infrastructure. Snorkelling and scuba diving can be done at many sites along the Wild Coast.

Divers and treasure hunters find endless excitement in searching for coins, crockery, cannons and other relics from numerous old shipwrecks along the coast.In July itinerant dive operators move into the area to take advantage of the sardine run, which is one of the greatest migrations on earth.

Nature reserves, hiking trails and 4x4 Routes are plentiful though tourists are advised to explore these trails with a recognised guide as there are no maps available and much harm is done to private property and the environment. No driving on the beaches is allowed so that the marvellous character of this enchanted coastline will be maintained.

As for the hotels - some are great, some a little run down, but all offer fantastic views and, invariably, excellent and plentiful seafood. This is a wonderful family holiday destination and almost all the hotels have family rooms, babysitting services, children's programmes and children's meals.
Probably the best way of experiencing this area is to spend some time with the local people. Today it remains an area dotted with villages of traditional mud and thatch huts. Cattle are grazed on the grasslands and the land is toiled by hand and oxen to provide a subsistence living.There is a fantastic community project on the northern Wild Coast, which offers horse riding, hiking, canoeing and fishing from a beautiful tented camp overlooking a turquoise-blue lagoon. Here you can chat with the local people, learn how they live and go fishing with them, or foraging for wild foodstuffs.

This stretch of coast offers some of the best angling, hiking, diving and of course the casinos. The scenery here is magnificent and the cultural diversity alone makes the Wild Coast well worth visiting. The swimming is safe and warm in the warm Agulhus current and undisturbed along this peaceful and magnificent stretch of coast. The road traversing this length of coast may not be the best and you should watch out for wandering cattle who know no boundaries.The vegetation of this area is rather unique, as many of the biomes of South Africa come together here, so you will find some unusual plants in what botanists call the Pondoland Centre of Endemism. The Wild Coast is also a paradise for bird watchers with some 320 species of birds listed.

From fisherman’s hideaways to fully serviced hotels, there’s a range of accommodation along the Wild Coast to suit all tastes and budgets. Notable landmarks include the centres of Xhosa culture, Umtata and Qunu, the birthplace of former President Nelson Mandela. The Nelson Mandela Museum in Umtata is worth a visit.

The Wild Coast is the place to be for anglers! Winter and spring bring game fish but all year round there is good fishing. Deep-sea charters are available as well as rock, surf, fly and spear fishing. Fishing licenses are required and can be obtained from your local post office.

Hiking along the Wild Coast is something special. Don a backpack and experience the beauty of the coast.Exploring here is a delight for the nomad. The entire Wild Coast is ideal for walking, with many caves, bays, shipwrecks, cliffs and capes to explore. The entire coastline can be traversed on foot on what has become known as the Wild Coast Hiking Trail. Tramp down sandy beaches where the only footprints are your own or catch a glimpse of the way of life of a people that has remained unchanged for centuries. The trail is marked with white footprints painted on rocks and trees. The Wild Coast with its dramatic and savagely beautiful landscape beckons you along the coast where you are certain to see fish eagles as they perch on the skeletons of wrecked ships..

A notable resident of this region is the illustrious Nelson Mandela, who comes from the inland village of Qunu near Umtata.