Herolds Bay

Herolds Bay was named after Tobias Herold, the first minister of the Dutch Reformed Church in George. The first holiday cottage was built in 1895 for a family from the Blanco area outside George. The bay has been a local retreat ever since, and the pattern has held — it is primarily a destination for people from George and the surrounding Garden Route, not an international tourist stop.

The beach sits in a rocky cove sheltered from the south-easterlies that can make other Garden Route beaches uncomfortable in summer. Swimming is safe. The bay faces roughly north, which means morning sun and protection from the afternoon wind. The Gwaing River valley opens up behind the village, providing access to indigenous forest and good birdwatching on the river banks.

The Oubaai Golf Estate, which borders the village, was the first Ernie Els signature course in South Africa. The 18-hole layout runs between the Gwaing River valley and the Indian Ocean across dramatic coastal terrain. It is a serious golf course, not a resort amenity.

The Heritage Trail is a 12.6-kilometre circular route that runs through indigenous forest, along the Gwaing River, and back along the coastal cliffs. It takes half a day and shows you the range of what the area holds. Dolphins are visible from the cliff sections regularly. Whales from May to November. The fynbos on the headlands is good botanically.