East London Coast Nature Reserve
The scenic East London Coast Nature Reserve merges ten coastal reserves and two inland state forests along the Eastern coastline of the country.
From north-east to south-west the parks include Cape Morgan, Double Mouth, Cape Henderson, Chintsa West, Kwelera, Nahoon, Cove Rock or Gulu, Kidd's Beach, Kayser's Beach and Chalumna. These reserves occupy 57% of the 250-kilometre coastline between the two rivers. Umtiza Forest and Fort Pato Forest are situated inland on the northern banks of the Buffalo River 14 kilometres and 25 kilometres north of East London.
Activities on offer in the area include multi-day hikes, nature walks, horse trails and fishing. Those who prefer leisure can rest assured that peace and tranquility awaits you when visiting this beautiful coastal retreat.
Double Mouth Beach
Morgan Bay is really an extension of the Wild Coast, just south of the Kei River mouth, complete with an old-style family hotel. It's a gentle place and great for a holiday. But an hour's walk or so west takes you along a line of castellated sea cliffs with the angry surf battering below. The cliffs mellow out as you approach Double Mouth, part of East London Coast Nature Reserve and campsite which itself is one of the most precious, secret spots on the entire Southern African coastline.
Here, two rivers meet in a pristine estuary (hence the name), which carves a single course through forested dunes to the sea. The Double Mouth Beach is the perfect spot for relaxing on the sand, splashing about in the warm water or catching a wave. Keep an eye out for the prolific birdlife, which includes fish eagles, crowned eagles and kingfishers.
Bead Beach
From Double Mouth, there is a splendid nature walk to Bead Beach, where pieces of Ming porcelain dated to the end of the 16th century from a famous shipwreck washes up regularly. The route to Beach Bead is quite easy, and follows a path from the Double Mouth campsite.
After a rocky platform, you’ll round the first point that leads to the mouth of the Quko River. The cliffs above and water below offers breathtaking natural scenery. You’ll have to cross the river mouth to get to Bead Beach, and an easy walk along a stretch of coastline will allow explorers to find the aforementioned treasure. Each low tide reveals the beads and porcelain fragments that have been deposited by the waves, buried in the sea for over 400 years.
Xhosa Cultural Tour
The Xhosa culture is quite prominent in the town of Morgan Bay, with tiny villages lining the cliffs tops, where cattle from freely and the locals are welcoming. Gxara Village in Morgan Bay is home to Thandi’s Khaya (meaning Thandi’s home), where Xhosa local Thandi more than happy to offer visitors insight into the daily life of the Xhosa people. Here you can taste home-cooked meals and the traditionally-brewed beer, called umqombothi. This beer is dense and filling, with distinct yeasty overtones.
There is a non-stop vibrancy about the Gxara Village, and visitors will love meeting the friendly locals and being part of the hubbub of music, song and dance. Thandi’s Khaya includes both a modern brick house and traditional mud hut that visitors can view to get a sense of authentic African culture.