Port St Johns Accommodation | Wild Coast Backpackers

ABOUT PORT ST JOHNS & THE WILD COAST

The Wild Coast is in the south-eastern part of South Africa and stretches 250 very rugged kilometres from the Kei River in the south to the Mthamvuma River on the border of KwaZulu-Natal. Its hilly terrain and political history have made it less accessible and less open to development than the rest of SA, and this, together with the unpredictable waves and rocky shores that have wrecked so many ships over the centuries, gives it its name.

The area is home to the Xhosa people, the country's second-largest tribal group. During the last half of the 20th Century the area was known as the Transkei and was administered as an "independent" homeland by the Apartheid government of the day. It is now part of the country's Eastern Cape Province but, to a greater extent than anywhere else in the country, has retained a traditional ethos, with tribal justice being dispensed by the King and his Chiefs and Headmen. Another result of its troubled past is that the area has largely escaped western-style building and industrial development. In fact, it has retained such an "African" feel that the it's popular as a movie location for films set in the remotest parts of the continent. Parts of "Blood Diamond," starring Leonardo DiCaprio were filmed nearby, as were the Dutch feature "Wit Licht" and many others.

The idyllic town of Port St Johns is the unofficial capital of the Wild Coast and is often referred to as its "Emerald Gem." Its location is probably the most exotic in the country, with a dramatic approach through the golden cliffs lining the Umzimvubu River (SA's 4th largest), and surrounded by thousands of hectares of rare Afromontane jungle, with mile upon mile of pristine beaches and spectacular cliffs stretching into the distance.

PSJ, as it's known, was named after the Sao Joao, a Portuguese caravel which was wrecked here in the 16th Century. Another theory is that it was named for a nearby cliff face which is said to resemble St John the Evangelist, although how anyone knows what he looked like remains a mystery.

Prompted by the growth of the colony of Natal and the growing number of ships sailing up the coast, the town was established in 1878 as a supply port. However, with the increased range of more modern ships its importance declined, and with the silting of the Umzimvubu River mouth in the early 1940's, the port was closed.

Today the town remains the biggest on the Wild Coast, with around 3,000 inhabitants. It actually consists of two hamlets, First Beach and Second Beach, seperated by a 5 km jungle-and village-lined road.

The whole town has a very casual feel to it, but First Beach is its busy centre, with a taxi-bus rank, several supermarkets and ATMs, clothing shops, street stalls, a few restaurants , a petrol station and a museum / art gallery. Low-intensity tourism is an important industry and there are several accommodation establishments, ranging from guest houses and b&b's to a backpackers.

Second Beach is very laid-back and higgledy-piggledy and consists of a few more establishments and restaurants arranged around a beautiful little lagoon fringed with banana trees.

Due to its isolation in the midst of so much jungle, Port St Johns' climate is unique. The scientific name is Afromontane forest, and this is one of the few remaining patches left on earth. It contains subspecies of flora and fauna found only here, in particular the extremely rare southern subsecies of the endangered Samango Monkey, several troops of which are seen daily around the town. Cape Parrots, which are dependant on the predominantly Yellowood forests, are also present - some of the estimated 300 remaining in the wild.

Also due to its isolation, Port St Johns has aquired a reputation as a refuge for eccentrics, and local characters such as Ben Decker can often be seen strolling the streets in outlandish garb.

All of which adds up to a truly magical place with a unique African atmosphere, as different from Europe, America or Australia as chalk is from cheese.

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION

PORT ST JOHNS, WILD COAST, SA

ABOUT PORT ST JOHNS & THE WILD COAST