Entering Jeffreys Bay for the first time, it’s immediately apparent what dominates the lifestyle of this once sleepy village. Colourful surf shops line the town’s streets, and board shorts and bleached-blonde hair are more prolific here than anywhere else in South Africa. J-Bay is renowned as one of the world’s most famous surfing destinations, thanks to the long right hand point break along the west side of the bay. The Super Tubes section of the wave hosts the annual World Surf League Billabong Pro event every July, with the months from May to mid-September regarded as the peak surfing season, although good waves can occur anytime of the year.
During the swinging sixties and super seventies, J-Bay was a peaceful hippie hangout. Surfers had already discovered an epic right hand point break at nearby St Francis Bay, but soon stumbled across an even faster, stronger, hollower and more consistent wave at J-Bay. In the decades since, the village has evolved into one of South Africa’s fastest-growing urban areas. During summer, J-Bay becomes a buzzing holiday hotspot, best-suited to visitors keen on partying, fun in the sun and shopping at the plethora of surf and craft shops. With surfing being the most publicised attraction, the town boasts a number of surf schools teaching the sport. By the end of a few lessons, you’ll hopefully have mastered the board enough to be able to ride one of J-Bay’s legendary waves. A host of other adventure activities have emerged around the surfing culture, with various operators offering kite-surfing, sea kayaking, ocean cruises, beach horse riding and fishing.
The Blue Flag status Dolphin Beach, home to Super Tubes, is a wide beach with a multitude of activities for non-surfers. As the name suggests, the beach is regularly visited by playful dolphins, and boasts a lovely reef for snorkeling at low tide, whilst Dolphin Beach Entertainment is a popular family attraction with a water park and 18 hole putt-putt course. The beach hosts almost as many beautiful sea shells as classic surf breaks, and the Jeffreys Bay Shell Museum just down the road displays a collection of more than 600 shells from around the world.
You won’t have any trouble finding a vibey restaurant in the town, most of which have remarkably laidback dress codes. You can walk straight off the beach into The Kitchen Windows Beach Restaurant, which has picturesque sea views, no-nonsense food and a jumping castle on its front lawn. From seafood joints to Greek, Mexican and Italian restaurants, there’s something to suit every taste. The Jolly Dolphin pub and restaurant (otherwise known as The Party Ship) has been a social hotspot for locals and visitors alike for many years, offering large bar areas, sea-facing decks and a perennial party atmosphere.
A number of accommodation venues are based on the beachfront, ranging from the surfer-chic On the Beach Guesthouse, to the cozy Beach Cabanas holiday units. In keeping with the vibrancy of the town, you’ll find most of the venues to be absolutely jampacked with character, whether in terms of the decoration, the staff or both.
Jeffreys Bay may be a bit busy for some, but it’s an iconic destination that perfectly fits the bill for a fun-filled Festive Season holiday.
*This article was written by a TWNA journalist, Dale Hes for The Traveller magazine.