Chintsa

Chintsa — the Xhosa word means 'crumbling banks' — sits at the mouth of the Chintsa River about 38 km north-east of East London and 10 km north of Gonubie. The river splits the village into Chintsa East on the northern bank and Chintsa West to the south. Chintsa East is the more developed side, with resort accommodation and a few restaurants. Chintsa West is quieter, more residential, backed by indigenous forest and dunes. Together they frame one of the Wild Coast's most accessible yet genuinely unspoilt stretches of coastline.

The beach here runs for 15 km without a break and without significant development behind it. The dunes are forested. The lagoon is calm. Whales pass the bay regularly, and dolphins are close to a daily sighting. Voluntourism has a strong presence here — Chintsa has become one of the main hubs on the Wild Coast for international volunteers engaging in conservation and community programmes. The vibe is laid-back, international, and unhurried in the way that places far enough from a city tend to be.

Activities are mostly outdoors and water-based: surfing, kite surfing, paddling in the lagoon, horse riding on the beach, hiking through coastal forest. Birdwatching is excellent in the dune forest zone. Mama Tofu, a local institution, is the kind of place you end up spending an entire afternoon at without meaning to.

The subtropical climate keeps temperatures mild year-round. Summer is warm and humid. Winter is dry and comfortable. It is the kind of place that people discover on holiday and begin researching property prices on the drive home.