Chintsa
Road Trippin ’ Through The Feral Coast
Over planning is the number one hazard when travelling through the Wild Coast of South Africa . Situated on the Eastern coastline of the Southernmost African country this area is best enjoyed with no real destination or time frame in mind . And that is how Celeste and I decided to tackle this region , not for the first time . We drove up and down the coast on a combination of the N2 and various coastal roads , not all tarred , starting from Chintsa and ending just inside of Kwa-Zulu Natal in Port Edward . The swell reports we were following were a week old and the information about the waves was dubious and thirdhand , but away we travelled stopping at campsites and dodgy restaurants .
Inspired by the sense of adventure that the Wild Coast offers we decided that summer would be the best time to explore the area previously known as the Transkei during the bad old apartheid days . There is a connection between curiosity and an epic landscape that leads travellers through this majestic and underrated portion of South Africa . We mention just a few of our highlights from this trip .
Chintsa
The long unspoilt beaches around Chintsa are a major reason why many residents have converted from occasional visitors to locals . We first met Antonio in J ’ bay . A keen surfer and surf coach , one would imagine that leaving J ’ Bay would be a serious no-no . But for Antonio , relocating to the paradise that is Chintsa is a no-brainer . We went for a walk with him through the forest footpaths down to the beach and he pointed out all the reasons why “ Buccaneers Backpackers and Lodge ”, his current home and business location , is a popular tourist destination . Nestled in the hillside amongst a forest of thick trees and overlooking both the lagoon and sea , Buccaneers is as idyllic as it gets . The table tennis table ,