During the hike we came to really understand the name Wild Coast. From rolling green hills to rocky and sandy beaches, this place had it all.

During our South African Road Trip from Jo’burg to Cape Town we made our second stop in Coffee Bay. This tiny town of barely 250 inhabitants is the perfect little base to go hike on the South African Wild Coast. This 250 kilometer stretch of coastline is named Wild Coast because the nature along it is exactly that: wild, untouched, green. Coffee bay is almost perfectly in the middle of this coastline stretching between Durban and East-London. It came highly recommend from a friend that had spent more than a week there hiking, relaxing and surfing. Find out how we fitted this piece of paradise into our packed schedule.

Why Coffee Bay?

It’s the perfect place for the outdoor enthusiast! You can:

• Go hiking along the breathtaking coastline
• Visit the Hole in the Wall
• Go surfing with friends or take a lesson
• Relax in a hammock
• Enjoy a good braai (BBQ)
• Play soccer on the beach
• Get drunk and party in Coffee Shack
• Rent a mountain bike and go explore or do a multi-day guided tour
• Go fishing in the river on on the ocean
• Abseil your way to the beach below
• Quad bike your way along the rugged coastline

Getting there

Coffee bay is about 2 hours of the N2 highway, taking the exit Coffee Bay/Mqanduli right next to the Viedgesville train station. There should be a sign. If you come from East-London that’s about 20 km BEFORE you get to Mthatha. If you come from Durban, well it’s obviously 20 km AFTER Mthatha, but you probably guessed as much.

The road is almost always hardened the entire 80 km to the town so you will not get in trouble without a 4 wheel drive. We did make it with our Ford Figo and even made it back on a rainy day, so we can guarantee you: any car will get you there safely!

If you do not have a car the smartest way to get there is to take a bus to Mthatha. Call the hostel you are staying at and ask if they have a shuttle service to/from Mthatha beforehand.

Lodging/Eating

Lodging

We only stayed one night at the wonderful Coffee Shack hostel. All information about these guys can be found our their handy website or on HostelWorld. But let me give you the gist: the place is right at the beach, offers a parking lot, great food, organised trips and surf lessons. But above all it has a great atmosphere. We found returning local visitors, both families and individual or group travelers of all ages. They have private round cabins across the river and great dorm rooms on the main grounds. In short: everything you need! There are some more upscale options, a camping and other backpacker hostels but you would be missing out.

Eating

Although the restaurant in the Coffee Shack offers great food for good value you can also find a burger/shakes and pizza place in town. We however mostly cooked our own food in the hostel kitchen. There are tiny stores in town but for a big supermarket you have to drive the long way back to Mthatha.

Our Activities

Since we only had limited time our only activities in Coffee Bay were a short visit to the beach, a great party and a memorable hike from Hole in the Wall. Besides that you can also follow surf lessons, wander in town or the green areas around or just relax with a Savanna in a hammock.

Our Experiences

Beach

We arrived in Coffee Bay, in the Coffee Shack, after a long drive from our previous stop near Sani Pass around 4 PM. An enthusiastic young woman welcomes us and shows us to our 6 bed dorm, which we seem to have to ourselves. We immediately put on our swimming trunks, gather up our towels and head for the beach. To get there we just have to follow the dog, which leads us through the hostels yard, across the shallow Mthatha river mouth and into a beautiful green bay with a sandy beach.

We bodysurf for a while but eventually we get too cold and evacuate the chilly ocean. We follow the dog, who waited for us and watched our stuff, up a nearby hill, hoping we could get to the hostel that way. Although it did lead us to a very nice view of the bay, we end up searching our way back down to the hostel. We dry up and take the supplies we got in Mthatha to the well equipped hostel kitchen.

Pool

We take turns showering and preparing our rice/sausage masterpiece. You gotta hand it to the South-Africans: they know their meat! The boerworst tastes delicious and we enjoy our meal outside at the big table. During our meal a Rasta guy comes to ask us several times if we want to take part in the pool tournament. Once we find out some free drinks are involved, we immediately sign up.

Although we got eliminated from the tournament pretty fast and missed the price of having a free guided hike the next day, we still enjoy the free cocktails. After the party kicks off in the tiny bar and we all get hammered on Savanna Ciders, beers and cocktails. We end up befriending a way older but super friendly Afrikaans couple that won the tournament. They tell us they are way too lazy to hike and will probably visit the Hole in the Wall using their own 4×4.

The Drive

After ordering a great breakfast we all try our best to calm our stomachs after the previous night. Some of us succeed better than others but we all end up fed and ready for the hike in time. Unfortunately the plan sinks because of the rain. The hostel’s guided hike to Hole in the Wall was cancelled because their shuttle bus cannot make it over the hills on the muddy roads.

We quickly devise a back-up plan and I go and wake up our African friends. They immediately agree to take us to Hole in the Wall in their 4×4 but it takes them another hour and a half to get out of bed and ready. Guess we were not the only ones who had a rough night. As promised they dropped us of at the top of the hill near the Hole.

The Hike

We courageously started our walk down the hill and after that our long hike back to Coffee Bay. It was not pouring anymore like it had been at night. However the steady drizzle soon made us all soaked to the bone. Luckily the harsh winds were not cold but rather warm. So although we were wet, the cold was not an issue.

It was a hike I will never forget. Not only because of the rain, wind and harsh terrain we crossed. We did not have a clear path or guide to follow. It was especially because of the landscape. We just followed the coastline and figured it would eventually get us back to Coffee Bay. During the hike we came to really understand the name Wild Coast. From rolling green hills to rocky and sandy beaches, this place had it all. And because of the weather we never met anyone and barely any signs of civilization. After an exhausting but breathtakingly beautiful hike of about 4 hours we got back to the hostel.

On the road again

We all got out of our soaked clothes. All took a warm shower and packed our stuff back into the tiny trunk of our Ford Figo. We drove to East-London and stayed the night in the sister hostel Sugar Shack before heading to our next destination on our itinerary: Port Elizabeth.