Port St Johns

Wild Coast river-mouth town between sandstone peaks, beaches, forest reserves, and rough-road waterfalls.

Port St Johns is the Wild Coast in concentrated form: a small Xhosa coastal town squeezed between the Mzimvubu River, green hills, sandstone peaks, and the Indian Ocean. It is rough around the edges, sometimes chaotic, and far more memorable than the neat beach towns farther down the coast.

The town sits at the mouth of the Mzimvubu, where Mount Thesiger and Mount Sullivan form the Gates of St John. Second Beach is the easy beach stop, while Silaka Nature Reserve protects a small pocket of coastal forest, grassland, rocky shore, and quiet coves just south of town.

Port St Johns also works as a base for bigger Wild Coast days. The airstrip road climbs Mount Thesiger for big views over the river mouth, and Magwa Falls is a demanding but worthwhile excursion toward Lusikisiki if road conditions are kind.

This is not a polished resort. Come for walking, beaches, forest, river trips, fishing, and the feeling of being on a coast that still resists easy packaging. Drive in daylight, ask locally about road and beach conditions, and treat distances on the map with suspicion.

Guide

Beaches

The town has several beaches, but Second Beach is the one most visitors remember. It sits south of the river mouth, backed by green slopes and close to Silaka Nature Reserve.

The Wild Coast sea is powerful. Swim only where locals say conditions are safe, watch for rip currents, and be especially cautious after heavy rain when river mouths and surf can change quickly.

Guide

Getting There

Port St Johns is reached by road from the N2 via Mthatha, then east on the R61 and the final road down to the coast. The drive from Mthatha is about 70 km, but it is slow enough that you should avoid arriving after dark.

Public transport is by minibus taxi from Mthatha. Backpacker shuttles and private transfers are sometimes available, but confirm them directly before relying on them.

Guide

Things to Do

Port St Johns is about landscape first: beaches, river, forest, cliffs, and viewpoints. Spend one day between Second Beach, Silaka Nature Reserve, and the Mount Thesiger airstrip viewpoint; add Magwa Falls only if you have a full day, a suitable vehicle, and current local advice on the road.