The Home of the Perfect Wave
Situated 75km (47 miles) west of Port Elizabeth, Jeffrey's Bay is an easy detour on the way to or from the Garden Route, particularly if you feel like stopping for lunch on the beach: Follow the signs to Marina Martinique and you'll find the rustic Walskipper (tel. 042/292-0005 or 082/800-9478); order a plate of prawns, calamari, mussels, scallops, and crab sticks, but don't expect finesse -- meals come on enamel plates, with chunks of freshly baked bread, and waiters are more often than not barefoot.
Considered one of the top three surfing spots in the world, "J-Bay" (as it's affectionately known to locals) shot to international fame in the 1960s cult movie Endless Summer, which featured the break at Supertubes -- the fastest and best-formed break on the South African coast, as well as "Bruce's Beauties," a rare right-point break you'll find a little farther west, at the quiet coastal hamlet of Cape St Francis. To find out where the surf is, or for lessons, call Brenton at the South Coast Surf School (tel. 083/549-6795; R200/$28/£14 for 2 hr., includes all equipment). For more activities in and around J-Bay, contact Ed from J-Bay Sandboarding (tel. 042/296-2974 or 072/294-8207). The best place to stay in J-Bay is Diaz 15 (tel. 042/293-1779; www.diaz15.co.za; Oct-Apr R1,800-R2,940/$250-$408/£129-£210 double; May-Nov from R1,000/$149/£71 double), comprising two- and three-bedroom apartments and located right on the beach; nos. 3, 5, and 10 have the best sea views. You'll want to be right on the sea, because J-Bay is architecturally a fright; you'll find much classier lodgings in St Francis Bay, a small coastal town a 20-minute drive west of J-Bay. The best options there are The Sands@ St Francis (tel. 042/294-1888; www.thesands.co.za) and Beach House (tel. 042/294-1225; www.stfrancisbay.co.za), each offering 180-degree ocean views, beach access, and luxurious accommodations for around R1,600 to R2,600 ($222-$361/£114-£186) double, including breakfast. For more information, contact the J-Bay Tourism Office (tel. 042/293-2923; www.jeffreysbaytourism.org).
