St Francis
St Francis Bay is a working fishing port and holiday destination in the Cacadu district of South Africa.
Understand
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St Francis consists of three closely related, but distinct areas: St Francis Bay, Port St Francis and Cape St Francis.
Not far from Jeffreys Bay lies the charming town of St Francis Bay. It is known for its endemic white houses with either black tile or thatch roofs blending together with the Sardinian-style red tile roofs. Approximately half of the town is built around the largest web of manmade canals and waterways in Africa. Adjacent to St Francis Bay is the pastoral fishing village of Cape St Francis with its outstanding beach and historic Seal Point Lighthouse while Port St Francis is the harbour. Visit Oyster Bay, a town that caters for those who enjoy quiet time and relaxation. Explore this district with its beautiful beaches, rich wildlife and adventures - surf the waves or swim with dolphins.
St Francis Bay is a beach village of Cape Dutch style thatched roof houses build on canals in the Kromme River estuary.
Port St Francis is a working fishing port for the squid/calamari industry. Also home to Station 21 of the national Sea Rescue Institute.
Cape St Francis is home to a working lighthouse build in 1878. Surrounded by beautiful beaches and good surfing spots.
Get in
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By car
[edit]Take the Humansdorp exit from the N2. Drive through Humansdorp and follow the R330 to St Francis. St Francis is 76 km from Port Elizabeth. You could also drive in from Durban (901 km) or Cape Town (690 km).
By plane
[edit]There are two airports located in close proximity to St Francis. The closest is the Port Elizabeth airport which is 76 km away. The East London airport is 356 km away. There are regular flights from Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and other South African destinations to the airports in Port Elizabeth and East London.
By bus
[edit]All major South African coach companies offer regular schedules to and from destinations like Addo.
Get around
[edit]- Budget Car Rental, Sanriver Lodge, ☏ +27 42 294-1152.
See
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- Cape St. Francis. Cape St. Francis is renowned for its peace and tranquility. Nonetheless, surfers from all over the world flock to this coastal town in hopes of surfing a wave at the popular Seal Point. There are a number of nature reserves in the area, and another key attraction for the town is its lighthouse, which was established in 1878 and has since been declared a national monument.
- Oyster Bay. What started off as a coastal farm before 1956 has evolved into the small coastal town called Oyster Bay. Found 14 km west of St Francis Bay, activities such as swimming, and rock, deep sea and surf fishing can all be enjoyed in this seaside town.
- Paradise Beach. Paradise Beach promises a relaxing day on a pristine white beach, away from the hustle and bustle of everyday city life. The name explains it all... it really feels like paradise. Because of its wide and uncrowded beach, it’s also a paradise for windsurfers and kite boarders with good wind all year round.
- St. Francis Bay, ☏ +27 42 294-0076.
- 1 The Cape St Francis Lighthouse, ☏ +27 42 298-0428. Daily 9AM-4:30PM. The lighthouse, called Cape St Francis Lighthouse or Seal Point Lighthouse, was built in 1878 to warn ships of the dangerous reef that stretch more than a kilometre out to the sea. It is the tallest masonry tower on the South African coast standing at a height of 27.75 m. Although it is no longer in full operation, it is open to the public and guided tours of this historic lighthouse are available. R15.
- The Penguin Rescue & Rehabilitation Centre, ☏ +27 42 294-0076. The rehabilitation centre offers you the opportunity to view the vulnerable African Penguin up close. Although the conservation focus is on the African Penguin, the centre deals with all sick, injured or oiled marine birds.
Do
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- East Cape Tours And Safaris, ☏ +27 41 581 6260.
- St Francis Safaris, ☏ +27 82 569-3750, +27 83 441-6397. Game fishing, dolphin and whale cruises, boat and jet ski hire
- Surf. Sealpoint is the best place for surfing
Golf
[edit]- St Francis Links, ☏ +27 42 200-4500. The highly rated St Francis Links is an extremely beautiful and challenging 18-hole, par 72 golf course which compares favourably with some of the best courses in the Cape.
- St Francis Bay Golf Club, ☏ +27 42 294-0467.
- Swartenbosch Golf Club in Humansdorp, ☏ +27 42 291-0569. 9-hole (18 tee) golf course.
Horse, hiking & mountain biking trails
[edit]Small nature reserves in the area provide the perfect backdrop for magnificent hiking and hore riding trails in the area.
Buy
[edit]- Grasmere Ostriches, 26 Cockle St, ☏ +27 82 564 6763, info@grasmereostriches.com. Ostrich leather belts, wallets, handbags, etc.
Eat
[edit]- Barons Grill, Village centre.
- The Butcher Shop, Village centre, ☏ +27 42 294-1982.
- Porthole Restaurant And Bar, ☏ +27 42 294-1123. On the port. Serves delicious calamari, fresh from the sea. Sit on the patio and watch the calamari being unloaded from the fishing boats.
Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]St Francis Bay
[edit]- Osbosch Lodge, ☏ +27 42 294-1001. Self catering and B&B.
- The Sands @ St. Francis, 8 Frank Rd, ☏ +27 42 294-1888. This splendid luxurious five star African Beach House offers five spacious en suite bedrooms all with uninterrupted views of the majestic Indian Ocean and endless stretches of pristine coastline.
- Sandriver Lodge, St Francis Dr (Across the road from St Francis village), ☏ +27 42 294-1052, sandriverlodge@tiscali.co.za. Nice B&B close to shops and golf course. R200 to R250 per person sharing.
- Thatchwood Country Lodge (Across the road from St Francis village), ☏ +27 42 294-0082, fax: +27 42 294-1998, thatchwood@intekom.co.za. They offer various rooms with both double and twin beds R200 to R250 per person sharing.
Port St Francis
[edit]Cape St Francis
[edit]- Lyngenfjord House, 7 Lyngenfjord Rd, ☏ +27 42 298-0444, fax: +27 42 298-0445, elza@lyngenfjord.co.za. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. 4-star. From R250-R550 pps.
- Cape St Francis Resort, Da Gama Way, Cape St. Francis, ☏ +27 42 298 0054, seals@iafrica.com. This is a luxury 5-star resort with three separate villas and 12 en suite bedrooms. You can opt for either self-catering or bed and breakfast accommodation.
Connect
[edit]Local telephone directory: 1023
International telephone directory: 10903
Important u
- Police: 10111 or +27 42 293-1133
- Fire Brigade: +27 42 291-0283
- Ambulance: 10177 or +27 42 293-1311
- Hospital: +27 42 291-0749
Go next
[edit]Nearby
[edit]- Aston Bay. Situated between Jeffreys Bay and Paradise Beach, this area offers long stretches of untouched sandy beaches surrounded by protected nature reserves. Sightings of small buck, tortoises, a large variety of birds, rabbits and mongoose are part of every day life in this nature conservancy and the creatures are much loved by local home-dwellers.
- Jeffreys Bay, ☏ +27 42 293-2923. The home of the perfect wave - situated between Port Elizabeth and the Garden Route is Jeffrey´s Bay, the soul of surfing in SA with a terrain of aloes, perfect points & classic reefs. Once a year the best surfers in the world get together for the annual Billabong Pro surfing competition at Supertubes.
- Humansdorp, ☏ +27 42 295-1361. The pleasant town of Humansdorp can be found en route to Plettenburg Bay from Port Elizabeth. The Kouga Cultural Centre is a famous attraction due to its symbolism and portrayal of the African Renaissance.