After a year of international travel in 2016, I’ve made it my mission to see more of South Africa this year, and the first place I just HAD to see was the Hole in the Wall in the Transkei.
Situated right in the heart of the Wild Coast, Coffee Bay has been a dream destination for nature and adventure seekers for years and it’s not hard to see why.
Getting there is all part of the adventure you see, because not only will you be dodging crazy taxi’s speeding and pot-holes down the narrow rural roads, but cows, goats and pigs too!
The roads have improved somewhat over the years, but they are still pretty sketchy in places and driving at night is a big NO NO!
While you’re in Coffee Bay, there are plenty of back-packers to choose from like the world famous Coffee Shack, but we opted for the Ocean View Hotel while we were there, which has the most epic views of Coffee Bay from the top rooms.
The Hole in the Wall itself is about 10km from this hotel, but make sure you’ve got an SUV or a 4X4 to get there in because it’ll be around 40 minutes of driving to get there and the road is all gravel.
Some areas of the road have also been washed away, so if you are in a sedan or something that shouldn’t really be on gravel roads, ask the hotel (if you’re staying at the Ocean View Hotel that is) as they do guided tours there in their own vehicles.
Seeing this amazing sight for the first time, was a really epic experience because as we arrived at the top of a hill looking down onto the Hole, we had a few cows and bulls pose for a few photographs before we started the Facebook Live we had scheduled there for the day on the Facet Travel by Tastemade Facebook Page.
– – Watch our Hole in the Wall Facebook Live Here – –
Useful info you should know when visiting the Hole in the Wall:
- There will be loads of locals surrounding you and asking you to choose them as your guide to the Hole. It is up to you if you want to use them or not, but they will charge you anything from R50 and up for a tour.
- These guys are harmless, but always keep an eye on your gear and be smart about how far you go off alone.
- If there are cows, they are usually pretty chill and chewing their cud, but always be cautious not to piss them off as a charging bull is probably not ideal.
- Take your swimming trunks with because if the tide is low enough and the currents aren’t too bad, a dip in the water where the Mpako River meets the Indian Ocean is quite a story to tell your friends.
i want to visit