There are still places in South Africa where you can walk for hours on a beach and not see another person. Places where the hills roll down to the sea in unbroken green waves, where traditional rondavels dot the headlands, where horses run loose on the sand, and where the culture of the people who have lived here for centuries is not a performance for tourists but a living, breathing reality. The Wild Coast is those places.
Stretching roughly 250km along the Eastern Cape’s northeastern coastline — through the territory formerly known as the Transkei “homeland” — the Wild Coast is South Africa’s most undeveloped and, for the right kind of traveller, most rewarding coastline. It takes effort to get here. The roads are rough, the infrastructure minimal, the distances from South Africa’s tourist centres substantial. But the Wild Coast keeps its secrets precisely because of these barriers, and the visitors who make the journey almost universally describe it as one of the most profound travel experiences of their lives.
Overview
The Wild Coast occupies the former Transkei homeland — a territory that was nominally “independent” under apartheid’s homeland system from 1976 to 1994, geographically separated from the rest of South Africa. This political isolation had a curious consequence: while the rest of coastal South Africa was being developed, subdivided, and packaged, the Transkei coast was left entirely alone. There are no beach resort developments, no golf estates, no hotel strips. There are small backpacker lodges, community-run guesthouses, and one of the most celebrated responsible tourism operations in Africa — Bulungula Lodge.
The landscape is extraordinary: green, rolling hills (the “Wild Coast” toponym refers in part to the wild, rolling, uncommercialised quality of the landscape) dropping to rocky, wave-battered shores, with river mouths creating natural breaks in the beach every few kilometres. The Xhosa people who farm and live on these hills have maintained a cultural life largely undisturbed by the 20th century — traditional homesteads (rondavels with carefully painted interiors), umqombothi beer fermenting in clay pots, cattle herded by boys in traditional dress, women in the striking orange-red ochre and blanket combinations of rural Xhosa tradition.
Coffee Bay — The Wild Coast Hub
Coffee Bay is the Wild Coast’s most accessible and well-established hub — the place where most travellers begin their Wild Coast experience. Approximately 220km from Mthatha (the last 90km on gravel), it’s a small, beautiful village on a bay with a reliable beach break for surfing, several backpacker lodges, and the starting point for walks along the coast.
Coffee Bay Backpacker Lodges
The backpacker scene at Coffee Bay is the heart of Wild Coast tourism. Ocean View Hotel and Coffee Shack Backpackers (the most famous) have been accommodating travellers for decades — they’re relaxed, social, perfectly positioned, and offer organised activities including horse riding, coastal walks, and guided trips to the Hole in the Wall.
Coffee Shack has an extraordinary setting directly above the beach. Dorm beds from approximately R250 per person; private rooms from R700.
The Hole in the Wall Walk
The coastal walk from Coffee Bay to the Hole in the Wall (approximately 8km one way, 3–4 hours) is one of the Wild Coast’s essential experiences. The path follows the clifftops and beaches, crossing rivers at low tide, passing Xhosa homesteads, and eventually arriving at the dramatic arch of the Hole in the Wall — where the sea surges through a natural tunnel in a detached cliff section.
Hire a local guide for this walk (approximately R150–R200 per person) — they know the tides, the crossing points, and the paths. Their local knowledge transforms the experience from a hike to a cultural journey.
Bulungula Lodge — A South African Original
Bulungula Lodge sits in the Nqileni village community approximately 60km north of Coffee Bay (4 hours from Mthatha on very rough roads — a 4x4 or high-clearance vehicle is essential). It is, simply, one of the best places to stay in South Africa.
The lodge was co-created by Dave Martin and the Nqileni community in 2004 on a genuine partnership model — the community owns the majority of the business, all staff are from the village, food comes from community gardens, and every rand spent at the lodge stays in the community. The model has attracted international recognition and multiple awards.
The accommodation: Traditional-style rondavels on a sandy promontory above the beach, with views of the Bulungula River and the Indian Ocean. Simple, clean, and extraordinarily atmospheric. Solar power, compost toilets, bucket showers (heated on a wood fire). From approximately R500–R800 per person per night (including dinner and breakfast).
The activities:
- Horse riding on the beach: An hour at sunrise or sunset on the wide, empty beaches is a defining Wild Coast experience (approximately R250 per person)
- Canoe trips up the Bulungula River through mangroves and past hippo (guides compulsory)
- Xhosa village walking tours visiting traditional homesteads, meeting the community’s women’s beadwork cooperative, and learning about daily life
- Evening braai and fire with community musicians — spontaneous, genuine, and often extraordinary
- Surfing: A beach break in front of the lodge; boards available for hire
The walk there: Some visitors deliberately walk the Wild Coast trail to Bulungula from Coffee Bay — a 2-day journey through the most beautiful section of coastline in the Eastern Cape. Arrange a guide and overnight accommodation in advance.
Port St Johns — The Wild Coast’s Town
Port St Johns is the Wild Coast’s largest settlement and has a slightly different character from Coffee Bay and Bulungula — more permanent, more structured, with proper restaurants, ATMs (importantly), and a wider range of accommodation.
The town sits where the Mzimvubu River enters the sea through two dramatic cliffs (First and Second Beach are on either side of the river mouth). Second Beach in particular is a beautiful stretch of sand with consistent surf and a relaxed, semi-permanent community of long-term travellers and local residents.
From Port St Johns: The coastal walk south toward Bulungula and north toward KwaZulu-Natal offers some of the Wild Coast’s most rewarding multi-day sections.
The Wild Coast Hiking Trail
The Wild Coast Hiking Trail (sometimes called the Wild Coast Meander) is a poorly-marked, imperfectly documented, magnificently rewarding long-distance coastal trail. It follows the coastline for approximately 280km from Port Edward (KZN border) to East London — one of the great multi-week walks in South Africa.
Most travellers tackle specific sections:
Coffee Bay to Port St Johns (approximately 5 days, 100km): The most popular section, passing the Hole in the Wall and through the most scenic part of the Wild Coast. Accommodation in basic huts and community guesthouses; meals arranged in advance. A local guide is essential — the path is not always clear, river crossings require local knowledge of tides, and community etiquette requires introduction by a local. Cost approximately R400–R600 per person per day including meals.
Port St Johns to Msikaba (approximately 3 days): A spectacular northward section with dramatic cliff scenery.
Practical: Book through local operators in Coffee Bay or Port St Johns, or through the Eastern Cape Tourism Board. The trail is not fully formalised — this is part of its charm and part of its challenge.
Xhosa Culture on the Wild Coast
The Wild Coast is Xhosa heartland. The Eastern Cape is the origin province of the Xhosa nation — the people of Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Walter Sisulu, and Oliver Tambo. The rural Xhosa communities of the Wild Coast maintain traditions that are visible everywhere: the elaborate beadwork worn by married women (different bead patterns indicate marital status, age, and regional identity); the practice of ukwaluka (male initiation rites, conducted annually between June and July when young men return as adults in new blankets); the round mud-and-thatch rondavels painted in geometric patterns; and the extraordinary singing traditions of the Xhosa people.
Language: Xhosa is one of South Africa’s 11 official languages, characterised by its distinctive click consonants (represented by the letters X, C, and Q in writing). A few words go a long way: “Molo” (hello to one person), “Molweni” (hello to multiple people), “Enkosi” (thank you), and “Unjani?” (how are you?) will earn genuine warmth wherever you use them.
Cultural sensitivity: When visiting rural communities, always ask your guide about appropriate behaviour. Photography of individuals requires their consent. Remove shoes when entering a rondavel. Accept offered food and drink graciously (umqombothi — traditional sorghum beer — may be offered; it’s polite to at least taste it).
Getting There
By air: Airlink flies daily from Johannesburg to Mthatha Airport. Flight time approximately 1.5 hours. From Mthatha, hire a car (or arrange transfer with your lodge — Bulungula provides this) for the final section.
By car from East London: Approximately 4–5 hours to Coffee Bay via the N2 and R61.
By car from Gqeberha: Approximately 5.5–6 hours to Coffee Bay via the N2 and R61.
By car from Cape Town: A long but spectacular journey via the Garden Route — approximately 12–14 hours. Most visitors fly into East London or Mthatha.
Road conditions: The R61 from Mthatha toward Coffee Bay is mostly tar but with rough sections. The last 30–40km to Coffee Bay is gravel. The road to Bulungula is 4 hours of rough track from Mthatha — not for standard sedans.
Where to Stay
Budget/Backpacker:
- Coffee Shack Backpackers (Coffee Bay): The classic Wild Coast backpacker — directly above the beach, dorms from R250
- Amapondo Backpackers (Port St Johns): Long-established, social, with good surf nearby
Community/Eco-Lodge:
- Bulungula Lodge (Nqileni): The unmissable experience. From R500–R800 per person per night. Book directly at bulungula.com
- Mdumbi Backpackers (between Coffee Bay and Port St Johns): Beautiful beach setting, surf school, community-focused
Mid-range:
- Wildcoast Reservations manages several higher-end lodge options in the area — check their listings for current availability and pricing
Best Time to Visit
April–November: The best time overall. Winter (June–August) brings dry, clear weather and minimal crowds — the best for hiking and culture. September–October is spectacular. The sea remains swimmable year-round in the warmer Indian Ocean.
December–January: The peak South African school holiday season. Coffee Bay becomes extremely busy by Wild Coast standards — accommodation is hard to find and prices spike. The character changes significantly from the rest of the year.
Practical Tips
- Withdraw enough cash in East London or Mthatha before heading to the Wild Coast — ATMs are scarce once you’re past Port St Johns
- Download offline maps (Maps.me works well for gravel roads) before leaving the main roads
- Hire a local guide for all hiking between towns — they are essential, affordable (R150–R200 per day), and the experience is transformative
- Leave your rental car in a secure location (at your lodge) and hire horses or walk — you’ll see and experience far more
- The Wild Coast has no fuel stations beyond Port St Johns — fill up there before going further north
- Pack for self-sufficiency: a small medical kit, water purification tablets for remote sections, and extra food if you’re travelling to Bulungula
