Hostels in Port St. Johns, South Africa

Located on South Africa's two-hundred-fifty-kilometer-long Wild Coast, commonly called 'The Transkei', Port St. Johns (Port Saint Johns), South Africa, is one of the primary stops for international travelers on their way across the country. The town sits just under a hundred kilometers east of Mthatha, the main transport hub for this stretch of coast, on the N2 highway between Durban and East London. Although Port St. Johns is a small town, it's a bustling place where the whole town seems to be part of the minibus station, especially at weekends and holiday time!

Port St. Johns sits at the mouth of the Umzimvubu River in Eastern Cape Province. The river flows through a sandstone gorge, and this sandstone is quarried in the area. It's quite a wild place, with bush encroaching right to the edge of town. You can take walks into the surrounding forests, and the beaches are popular with weekenders, when impromptu music festivals materialize during the summer.

Hippos used to roam here, but the last one was shot in in the early twentieth century, and her remains can be seen in the town museum. Nowadays, you are more likely to see some of the smaller antelope species, vervet monkeys or baboons.

There's a wide choice of accommodation here, including backpacker hostels in Port St. Johns (Port Saint Johns), South Africa. The town is extremely popular with backpackers and the Port St. Johns (Port Saint Johns), South Africa hostels are well versed in catering to budget travelers' needs. They organize walks, horse rides, and boat trips. The five-day hike to Coffee Bay, another backpacker stronghold with a wide choice of hostels, is very popular.

The walk takes you through rural Xhosa villages, almost untouched by the modern world, along pristine beaches and rolling hills. Hiking in the adjoining Silaka Nature Reserve or boating to spot dolphins and whales are also high on the agenda of many travelers who visit. Bulolo and Magwa waterfalls can also been seen on a day trip. Port St. Johns is packed with adventure for those up for it -- or you can just lounge on the beaches.