Spend a long weekend at Coffee Bay, Eastern Cape

If you are drawn to travel to parts of South Africa where you can be humbled by nature and experience a digital detox under the stars, you will be excited to discover Coffee Bay in Eastern Cape. It is located along the rural coastline of the Wild Coast.

You may have heard of Hole in the Wall. This is where you will find it. Coffee Bay is incomparable to any other place I have been before. It’s extremely high up on my top recommended destinations in South Africa.

This blog post gives you a taste of what you can look forward to at Coffee Bay and ends with the option to purchase a downloadable itinerary for your trip.

Where is Coffee Bay?

Coffee Bay is located in Eastern Cape, South Africa. It is along what is known as the Wild Coast which gets its name from the rough waves that have been the cause of many shipwrecks.

How to get to Coffee Bay

East London and Mthatha airports are the closest airports to Coffee Bay. It is unavoidable that you will have to do some driving to get to Coffee Bay. Always remember that places that are harder to reach in South Africa are usually the best ones.

Where to stay in Coffee Bay

I stayed at White Clay Resort, which is made up of neat log cabins on a hill facing the ocean. It’s very remote and is therefore a great getaway if you are looking to digitally disconnect – the signal is weak. It’s also relaxing as you literally see and hear the wild waves crashing from your cabin.

This accommodation is suitable for the whole family. There is a restaurant there which serves fresh seafood. Read my review of White Clay Resort to learn more.

Things to do in Coffee Bay

Hike to Hole in the Wall

The hike to Hole in the Wall is a 9km hike from Coffee Bay over hills, along the beach, across streams and on the edge of cliffs through rural Eastern Cape. I found the hike quite physically challenging because of the uphills but it was worth it because of the incredible VIEWS.

The cows there are like none other – they sunbathe! I joined them 🙂

You will be hiking with cows, sheep, donkeys and goats. I found this fascinating because, to me, the beach was such an unsuspecting setting to find these animals.

When you arrive at Hole in the Wall, your jaw will drop at the beauty of the natural rock artwork. Once you pick your jaw back up, SWIM! The water is warm and clear. It is not like most popular beaches with hotels and restaurants all along it’s shore, it is almost completely undisturbed. It’s like having a giant wave pool all to yourself!

Swim in Mapuzi Caves

To get to Mapuzi Caves you will need to hike. This hike is shorter (5km) and less strenuous than the hike to Hole in the Wall. As with the hike to Hole in the Wall, the views on this hike are spectacular. The coastline is so undisturbed and peaceful and it’s natural beauty is well sustained.

Hike to Mapuzi caves and dip in a cave pool. The cave is just off of the rocky shore and the pool is about the size of a Jacuzzi.

I spent a moment sitting on the rocks on the shore, admiring the shells. They are scattered so perfectly over the rocks – they tell a story of how alive the ocean is.

Lastly, jump off cliffs into rock pools. You may have second thoughts while you are standing on the edge and looking down – do it anyway.

Coffee Bay captured my heart. I left there wanting to shout out to the world: GO TO COFFEE BAY!! It’s a great option for a refreshing long weekend away. I hope this blog post inspires you to visit Coffee Bay.