Port St Johns

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Geography and History

Port St Johns is quite possibly the jewel of the Wild Coast! Situated on the Wild Coast of the Eastern Cape province in South Africa, Port St Johns offers an authentic piece of Africa at the mouth of the Umzimvubu River, surrounded by subtropical rainforests. The Pondo king Faku, represented by his son Ndamase, settled here in 1845. In the year 1878, the area became part of the Cape Colony, on request of the Pondo king. Two British officers, Thesiger and Sullivan, travelled to Port St Johns in the same year and set up the Union Jack. They gave the two impressive mountains on each side of the river their names. Port St. Johns stayed a white enclave, until it became part of the Transkei in 1976, to make Paramount Chief Matanzima agree to the homeland policies of the Apartheid regime.

Activities

Port St. Johns is an African village and visitors will be treated by the colourful folk here, as it has become a Mekka for hippies.

Port St. Johns is a popular holiday destination due to the excellent fishing spots at the river and at the sea.

Port St. Johns has three beaches. The Second Beach, 5 kilometres east of the village centre, is the prettiest, surrounded by evergreen rainforest and wild banana trees.

Other activities on offer include: golf, hiking, boat based dolphin viewing, quad biking, fly fishing, Silaka Nature Reserve excursions, surfing and much more.