Coffee Bay - A Locals Guide
Transkei, South Africa
By
David Savage
The Transkei, South Africa. During Apartheid in South Africa, the Transkei was made a Homeland for the Xhosa People. It was the Apartheid Government's way of segregating whites from blacks. They may have given them a homeland but the land they gave had little economic prospects or worth. Racism was so well propagated amongst whites that the Transkei still has a stigma attached to it as being dangerous because "that's where the blacks live".
Fortunately, South Africa is emerging from those dark ages along with those attitudes, which are now dying out. The reputation of the Transkei as being a dangerous place is a legacy left over from the fear bred by the Apartheid years. In reality, the Transkei is a homely and hospitable region of South Africa and an essential part of any traveller's itinerary.
The Transkei is my favourite part of South Africa. The coastline is astoundingly beautiful. The solid, dramatic cliffs remind me of coastlines in Cornwall, Ireland and Tasmania. The only differences are the Rondavel Huts dotted here and there housing the various Xhosa communities. The Transkei is something special and it is no more dangerous than any other part of the world. Common sense will keep you more than safe here.
The Xhosa people themselves are very friendly, inquisitive and helpful. A smile goes a long way and whenever I used one, I was always returned one.
One of the places I stayed at in the Transkei is Coffee Bay. You are likely to hear many good things about this place from other travellers and from travel agents, with good reason too. Coffee Bay is named so because of a ship that was wrecked here years ago. The local Xhosa People collected the coffee beans that it was carrying as cargo, and planted them in their fields. Most of the plantations are now gone and the land is mainly used for grazing.
This stretch of coastline is also popular with hikers and famous for the five-day Port St. Johns to Coffee Bay Hike. A coastal path takes you along the cliffs and will get you to places roads just don't reach.
I stayed at the Coffee Shack (+27 047 575 2048, email: coffeeshack@wildcoast.com, which is right on the beach. This is a very chilled, surfy kind of hide-out for surfers and travellers alike. You are very likely to want to stay longer here, the atmosphere pulls people together and there is something laid on for guests everyday. The man who owns the Coffee Shack is David, a well travelled Ex-Pro Surfer who now has a reputation for potting the black at fifty yards with a number nine golf club... ask him.
The Coffee Shack has a small but friendly bar with a 'fine' pool table of a quality you'll likely never see again. In David's line up of staff is Phil, instigator, director and executioner of "Pheel the Phear Day Trips". Abseiling, Hiking, Kloofing and Canoeing are all in his repertoire. The Coffee Shack also offers guest great value seafood meals at R25 a head.
The hostel also works with and supports the local Xhosa Community. They can arrange home stays for Backpackers in the village. This is where you get to meet the people, learn about their culture, experience their singing and dancing and eat their food, sleeping in one of their homes as part of the family. I had this experience and it was great BUT, take note, book through The Coffee Shack. A friend and I didn't, we arranged a stay with a local lad, only to find out that 50% of what we paid went to Bomvu Backpackers. The Hostel manager there, Mandy, takes a 50% cut because she provided cheap foam mattresses to the family we stayed with. It seemed pretty capitalist to me that she took such large cut when the family organised and laid on all of the entertainment and provided the food. This doesn't strike me as working for the interests of the community.
The Coffee Shack, on the other hand, operates differently. They even have a Craft Corner that sells locally made crafts and the hostel's Xhosa staff are very much involved in the development of the hostel. They also have an agreement with the local kids. They have a roster and when a traveller needs a guide to walk along the cliffs or into the village, one of the kids will be paid to do the job (R15), providing his attendance at school has been good. The kids are happy with the deal, it encourages them to get an education and travellers benefit from the interaction and local knowledge. A good day hike is to "The Hole in the Wall".
As to what time of year to visit the Transkei, take your pick, the winters are mild but the peak season is April to June. With all that, the Transkei should not be missed.
Questions?
If you want more information about this area you can email the author or check out our Africa Insiders page.
