Tripology

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South Africa Surfing Route

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Detailed Trip Description

There is so much awesome surf in South Africa, you won't quite know what to do with yourself. But don't despair- just do it all. This trip is, obviously, done with a car but you can do the whole coast on the Baz Bus, which will take you and your board right to the door of a whole load of surfer-friendly backpackers hostels.

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Trip Itinerary

Day 1 - Cape Town

 
Safari

Start off in Cape Town, where the shape of the peninsula and the different prevailing winds and swells ensure that there is almost always something surfable. Stay as long as you need to.


Day 2 - Cape Town

 
Beach

Find out what's working, and if Elands Bay is, head up that way (you need a car for this, it's on the West Coast).


Day 3 - Cape Town

 
Sightseeing

Head back to Cape Town.


Day 4 - Mossel Bay

 
Surfing

Start heading up the East Coast. If you're driving try Stilbaai. If you're on the Baz Bus, head off to Mossel Bay, which can have spectacular surf.


Day 5 - Mossel Bay

 
Surfing

After Mossel Bay, you could stop in Wilderness, which can have some pretty good surf, or Knysna, which has no beach and no surf, but which is really close to Buffels Bay, which is great. And the hostels will do shuttles. Plett is only about 30km further on from Knysna and the surf is good.


Day 6 - South Africa

 
Surfing

Well obviously, Jeffrey's Bay (J-Bay). This is where it all happens. It's a bit overdeveloped and the surf can be crowded but it's worth it. J-Bay Bay is probably the most popular surf destination on the coast, which is not surprising as there are some awesome waves, including the iconic Supertubes. Close by is the small town of St Francis Bay, where Bruce's Beauties (officially one of the top ten waves in the world) works, when it feels like it and when it does, you can follow the pilgrimage from J-Bay.


Day 7 - Port Elizabeth

 
Beach

Port Elizabeth doesn't have anything to match J-Bay but it's a nice town with some cool little waves, and it's worth stopping in en-route further up the coast.


Day 8 - Port Alfred

 
Sightseeing

Your next stop could be Port Alfred, or Kowie, as the locals call it. Take a walk down to the pier and, if it's working, go wild. If it isn't, head off to East London. This sleepy little town has some of the best and most consistent waves in the country.


Day 9 - South Africa

 
Surfing

Stop in at Cintsa, which has some pretty cool surf and a great backpackers, which is very surf-friendly.


Day 10 - South Africa

 
Beach

Kei Mouth is awesome.
Once you've crossed the Kei, you're on the Wild Coast, which is legendary. Travelling the Wild Coast, traipsing down bumpy little roads, walking for miles with a board under your arm, camping on the beach and searching for (and finding) that perfect wave is a rite of passage for South African surfers. But you can also do it the easy way. Whether you're driving or on the Baz Bus, Coffee Bay is your best bet. There is a mega-surfer-friendly backpackers and the waves are ..... well. Try and figure out why one of South Africa's top competitive surfers has retired to Coffee Bay.


Day 11 - Durban

 
Beach

If you can ever bring yourself to leave the Kei, you might then want to head off to Durban, which is surf city deluxe but it's worth stopping over on the South Coast.


Day 12 - Durban

 
Beach

Ok you've finally made it to Durban. There is almost always surf, sometimes absolutely awesome surf, and the beach is right in the town. If there are no waves, there should be something close by on either the North or South Coast.

Sightseeing

And if there really is nothing surfable, you can visit the country?s only surf museum right on the beach.


Day 13 - Durban

 
Surfing

There are some pretty good spots on the North Coast, as well Ballito has a surf-friendly backpackers, and there are some spots further north but you're starting to lose consistency.


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