Mzanzitravel Local Travel Inspiration Issue 11

Discover Mzanzi
sharks and swim with cattle, wander through the
unspoilt forests, mingle with the locals in the village
and dance to some pumping kwaito music over
a beer or two, lounge in a hammock under the
trees sipping long cocktails, or chat to travellers
from all over the world in rustic beach and hillside
backpackers’ lodges.
The town is built on the southern bank of the
Mzimvubu River. In earlier days one could only
cross the river by pontoon, but now a bridge spans
the river higher up inland. There are many camping
sites, lodges, hotels and guest houses in the area.
Ferry trips, other boat cruises and kayaking can all
be undertaken on the river.
Drive out of the village and you enter another world
of traditional Xhosa villages and rondavel huts
clinging precariously to the sides of forested hills.
When you get to the popular Second Beach don’t
be surprised if you have to share your place in the
sun with a herd of African Nguni cattle with their
typical patchwork white and red hides and large,
menacing horns. But don’t worry, they are quite
lazy and harmless, just passing the sunshine hours
on the beach and taking the occasional knee-deep
dip before being herded back to their kraals in the
surrounding villages at sunset. It must be the most
popular beach hangout for cattle in the world.
Far more dangerous here are the sharks. While
Second Beach is very popular with backpackers,
swimmers, surfers and locals, several shark attacks
on surfers have unfortunately taken place here in
the last few years, so be careful when swimming
in the sea. But what this beach may lack in safety
and amenities, it certainly makes up for with some
of the most spectacular scenery. Powerful Wild
Coast waves and a river mouth are set off against
a backdrop of forests, green hills and a wide beach
where time stands still.
The town has about 6,500 permanent residents and
is situated some 70km from Mthatha along a good
tarred road. In former years the river mouth estuary
was used as a port for shipping and, in colonial
times, the local tribe and its chief were heavily
embroiled in the politics of the region and fights with
other royals. But that’s all in the past now.
The area truly boasts some of the most dramatic
and beautiful coastline and natural scenery
imaginable. You can paddle up the river, while
further up are some lovely rock pools in which to
swim. The area is also great for bird-watching, with
over 40 species having been identified. Or visit the
Cape Hermes lighthouse, do a forest hike, or the
Cultural Experience Hike through the Silaka Nature
Reserve, watch whales and dolphins cruising by in
the sea, visit a sangoma for some medicinal advice,
take the ferry across the wide river, go fishing along
the sea or the river, visit the awesome nearby Hole
in the Wall, or climb up to Eagles Nest behind the
town.
There are several other lovely beaches in and
around Port St Johns. And if it’s peace and quiet
in more luxurious settings you are after, you can
stay at the Umngazi River Bungalows and Spa at
the mouth of the Mngazi River a mere 18km away.
Magical Magwa Falls
From Port St Johns take the R61 to Lusikisiki, then
turn off east onto the road leading to the 1,800
hectare Magwa tea plantation, the oldest, largest
and, some say, last remaining working tea plantation
in South Africa. It lies within a beautiful forested area
interspersed by deep ravines and rivers, but its real
treasure is the spectacular Magwa Falls.
The falls are at one end of a deep ravine covered
in dense forest, with a clear river running through it,
plunging down 144 metres over the edge of a cliff
into the narrow canyon below that was formed by
ancient seismic movement of the earth’s crust along
a geological fault, or volcanic activity. Not in scale,
but in sheer beauty, the falls are often compared to
the Victoria Falls. Local lore holds that the villagers
at the seaside end of the ravine collect their wood
only at the edge of the canyon and its forest, not
entering any deeper as they believe it to be haunted
and the dwelling place of ancestral spirits.
Close to the falls is Magwa Volunteers, a small
permaculture project where volunteers can spend
time learning about local sustainable living. There
are also traditional local villages dotted throughout
the area. You can hike along the nearby Sangoma
Trail, or visit the Mkambati Nature Reserve,
Ntsubane Forest and Lupatana Nature Reserve.
This article has really covered only a fraction of all
the wonderful things to see and do along the Wild
Coast. The only way to discover it all, is to go there.
So, if you haven’t been to the Wild Coast before, it’s
time to get out those hiking boots and discover one
of the last truly unspoiled and wild coastal regions
on earth.
sarievanrooyen -iStock
Henrique NDR Martins - iStock
Nathan Chor - shutterstock
Useful Contact Information
Eastern Cape Parks & Tourism Agency:
Tel +27 (0)43 705 4400 or email info@ecpta.co.za.
Port St Johns Tourist Information Office:
Tel/Fax +27(0)47 564-1187.
Magwa Falls Day Tour - Amapondo
Backpacker Lodge:
Tel +27 (0)83 315 3103 or email info@amapondo.co.za.
The Wild Coast online travel guide:
www.wildcoastholidays.com
Kei Mouth: tourism@keimouth.co.za
Coffee Bay Tourism Info:
Tel +27(0)43 701 9600, or email info@ectourism.co.za.
32 |ISSUE 11|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZITRAVEL