Coffee Bay Accommodation

The rustic town of Coffee Bay, near Hole in the Wall, is a popular Wild Coast destination, offering laid-back accommodation with an African vibe.

Regarded by many as the Wild Coast's "second town", Coffee Bay attracts visitors from all over and is especially popular with backpackers from abroad, who come to experience the alternative lifestyle and get a taste for rural South Africa.

Bomvu Backpackers

Bomvu Paradise is more than a backpackers: If you're in the mood for some action, we offer great activities to various destinations allowing you to explore the local area on foot, on horse, on surfboard or by 4x4!

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Bomvu Backpackers

Coffee Bay Hotel

Recently renamed, the Coffee Bay Hotel & Conference Centre and is waiting to welcome back old friends and introduce new ones to the magic and mystery of this very special patch of the Wild Coast.

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Coffee Bay Hotel

Eagles Nest

Three bedroomed self catering cottage with magnificent sea view. The cottage sleeps up to 10 people and is on top of a hill overlooking the village.

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Eagles Nest

Gecko's

Gecko's B&B and Self Catering provides clean, comfortable accommodation in double rooms with en-suite bathrooms, at very affordable rates with friendly and personal service.

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Gecko's

Ocean View Hotel

Nestled between towering cliffs and a sparkling sea, Ocean View is an accredited three star country hotel and has earned the highly recommended accolade from the AA Travel Guides.

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Ocean View Hotel

Sea Shells Guest House

Sea Shells Guest House offers Bed & Breakfast and Backpacker accommodation only a short distance away from the beach. Dinner B&B is available on request.

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Sea Shells Guest House

Sugarloaf Backpackers

Sugarloaf Backpackers is a newly renovated and impeccably neat little establishment situated right on the beach at the mouth of the Mnenga river.

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Sugarloaf Backpackers

White Clay

White Clay Resort is situated 1,5 km south of Coffee Bay on the "Hole in the Wall" road on the Wild Coast, nestled between the cliffs and only 100 m from its own private beach and bay.

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White Clay

Coffee Shack Backpackers

Explore, discover and enjoy a unique taste of rural Africa! Coffee Shack is a backpackers tropical paradise located right on the beach at the Bomvu River mouth.

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Coffee Shack Backpackers

Bomvu Music Festival

The Bomvu Cultural Music Festival takes place on the 29 and 30 July 2012 (TBC). Once again, the local Chief has agreed to open the event and give his blessing to the three day cultural extravaganza. The beautiful grounds of Bomvu includes their natural rock amphitheatre – the ideal location for the festival creating an amazing musical sound and offering guests a journey through Xhosa dance, drums and music of Africa.

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Bomvu Music Festival

Hole in the Wall Hike

The amazing hike to Hole in the Wall traverses high sea cliffs and rolling green hills and is approximately 3 hours in either direction. Along the way, the hiker passes Xhosa villages and the Baby Hole and is treated to spectacular views of the coastline. A steep path up the Whale's Back provides a different view of Hole in the Wall, for those with enough energy left.

Hole in the Wall

Nearby Hole in the Wall is the most photogenic landmark on the Wild Coast. Known to the locals as esiKhaleni (the place of the sound), this offshore stack of stratified sandstone, with its iconic wave-worn hole through the centre, is a geological masterpiece and a wonder of Mother Nature. You can't claim to have visited the Wild Coast unless you've seen Hole in the Wall.

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Hole in the Wall

Petrol Station

Coffee Bay sits in magnificent surroundings at the mouth of the Nenga River (meaning river of the whale). The town looks out over a kilometre-long stretch of beach, backed by gentle hills and steep cliffs, crisscrossed by a network of trails that lead through nearby villages to secluded spots. Not only is the beach safe for swimming, but the area off the bay's southern point offers one of the few consistent surfing waves on the Wild Coast.

Three small rivers, the Nenga (river of the whale), Bomvu (red) and Maphuzi (place of pumpkins) reach the sea in the area of Coffee Bay. The locals also refer to it as Tshontini, the name of a dense wood there.

Coffee Bay is one of only two former Transkei towns to be serviced by a tarred road (the other being Port St Johns). Hole in the Wall is 10km away by road. Accommodation in Coffee Bay consists of two hotels, two backpackers, a caravan park / campsite and a few self-catering cottages.

History:

It's not quite known where Coffee Bay got its name from, but general consensus is that the name comes from the wrecking of a ship there in 1863. The ship is said to have deposited its entire cargo of coffee beans on the beach. Some of the beans are said to have taken root, only to give up some years later.

Coffee Bay Map:

The fully detailed, GPS-compatible, waterproof map of the entire Wild Coast, from which this inset is taken, is widely available from bookshops and sports stores in most major centers, and Wild Coast Holiday Association resorts.

The retail price is around R75 (around $10) and can be purchased on-line at www.themaps.co.za.

"Your Wild Coast map - it's magnificent"
Don Pinnock, Editor, GETAWAY Magazine.

"A MUST-HAVE for travellers in the area"
Janna Cooper, Strandloper Ecotourism Board.

Retail and trade enquiries for the Eastern Cape and KZN: phone Gavin Stewart at 083 708 2719... or email morstew@iafrica.com

Directions from East London:
Take the N2 towards Mthatha and drive for approximately 170km until you reach the Viedgesville turnoff (a few kilometres past Qunu). Turn right. Follow the tar road for 75 kilometres until you reach Coffee Bay.

Directions from Durban:
Take the N2 south until you reach the Viedgesville turnoff (approx. 20 kilometres past Mthatha). Turn left. Follow the tar road for 75 kilometres until you reach Coffee Bay.

Coffee Bay Accommodation and Information

History:

Coffee Bay Map: