South Africa #3: Jeffrey's Bay & Prince Albert
21 days in South Africa, from Johannesburg to Cape Town. Thousands of kilometers and at least as many impressions. In the coming weeks I will take you on a journey along our route through South Africa, through word and image and with lots of tips and tricks. This week: Jeffrey’s Bay and Prince Albert.
DAY 9: JEFFREY'S BAY
After a one-hour flight, we land a thousand kilometers further in Port Elizabeth. We pick up our rental car and head for Jeffrey’s Bay. This village in the Eastern Cape of South Africa is a real surfing paradise and especially popular with European tourists. We’re only staying there for one night so we won’t be getting on a surfboard, but we’re sleep in what I dare to call the most wonderful accommodation of the whole trip. Dolphin Sunrise is a beach villa in every sense of the word and the reason why I recently started dreaming of owning one myself. The villa has five en suite rooms and a terrace where you’ll sit front row to spot dolphins. The living room with open kitchen is shared with the other guests and as soon as you step outside, you’re literally ON the beach.
In Jeffrey’s Bay we had an early dinner at Nina’s Real Food, a hip and cozy eatery where you’re guaranteed to bump into some surf boys. On the extensive menu: everything from huge pizzas and big burgers to healthy chia pots and vegan poké bowls. Gotta love Jeffrey's Bay!
day 10: tsitsikamma & plettenberg bay
After a short pit stop in Jeffrey’s Bay it’s time for the culinary part of our trip: two nights in foodie town Prince Albert. Before we head towards this village in the middle of nowhere, we’re making a stop in Tsitsikamma National Park. The nature park stretches about 80 kilometers along the coastline and is the perfect place to enjoy some hiking. Looking for something more challenging? A kayak trip is what you’re looking for. Near the park you’ll also find the Bloukrans Bridge, the largest single span bridge in all of Africa. The bridge hangs about 216 meters above the Bloukrans River and is the ideal place for bungee jumping. If you dare, that is! We kept it to a short hike, because we still had a few hundred kilometers to go to our next accommodation . When entering the park you get a map with a number of hiking routes. If you follow the Mouth Trail like us, you’ll walk for about two kilometers along suspension bridges and breathtaking views. With a bit of luck you might even spot a sea lion sunbathing on the rocks. Extensive photo stops included, the trip took us about an hour.
As walking makes you hungry we stopped at Le Fournil De Plett in Plettenberg Bay, a bakery/eatery on a cozy courtyard. The bread is freshly baked, so be sure to order one of the lavishly topped toasts. Add a homemade lemonade and you’re ready to tackle the rest of the day. Have some time left? Hang out in Plettenberg Bay and spot some seals and dolphins. In September you might even see a whale. And then it’s time to drive, because from Plettenberg Bay to Prince Albert you still have to drive for another three and a half hours.
DAY 11 & 12: PRINCE ALBERT
It’s already getting dark when we arrive in Prince Albert, an hour and a half since we passed the nearest village. In Prince Albert it feels as if time is standing. There’s this crazy atmosphere and at first we didn’t fully understand what we were doing there, although a stay at African Relish Cooking School was enthusiastically recommended. Luckily for us, the next morning it would immediately become clear why. We check in at Deurdrift 1, one of the cottages that African Relish operates in the village. As soon as I see the bathroom, I know we’ll be okay. Hello black and white tiles and freestanding bathtub!
The next morning sous chef Rowina is expecting us in the kitchen of African Relish. She teaches us how to make the perfect samosa and an hour later, our driver picks us up with his tuk-tuk for a visit to some local traders. We end the day with an afternoon in the kitchen. Together with two other couples and under the all-seeing eye of chef Alexa, we conjure up an extensive, locally inspired dinner. It’s a day with a golden edge and possibly one of my favorites of the whole trip. Curious to find out more about our stay at African Relish Cooking School? You can read all about it in this article.
DAY 13: ON THE ROAD AGAIN
After saying goodbye to our newly made friends at African Relish, we drive out of Prince Albert and into the semi-desert for the last long drive of our trip. Destination Stellenbosch! After two weeks full of adventure, it's time to relax… with a South African wine in hand. But more about that next time. Stay tuned for the fourth part of our road trip through South Africa!
Missed the previous parts of our trip? You can discover them here:
- South Africa #1: Johannesburg to Swaziland
- South Africa #2: St. Lucia to Drakensbergen