- Destinations
- Africa
- South Africa
- Port Elizabeth
- St. Francis Bay
St. Francis Bay
St. Francis Bay is a picturesque holiday village lying at the
gateway to the Garden Route, one of South Africa's premier holiday
destinations and an hour's drive from the city of Port Elizabeth.
First sighted in 1575 by a Portuguese sailor, he named the area St.
Francis after the Patron Saint of Sailors. The climate is temperate
with warm summers and mild winters.
The Kromme River borders the one side of St. Francis Bay, and is
navigable for 6 miles (10km) upstream from the river mouth. The
River and River Mouth is popular with fishermen, boaters,
canoeists, windsurfers, kite surfers and marine creatures which
shelter in its waters. Linked to the river is a magnificent marina
lined with white walled thatched homes, some of which offer bed an
breakfast accommodation. Canal cruises at sunset are popular here
or else one can enjoy drinks or a meal at a Restaurant overlooking
the canals.
Port St. Francis, a small harbour resort village, lies in a
sheltered nook of the bay and provides a colourful setting and safe
anchorage for calamari boats, pleasure craft, and ocean going
yachts.
Cape St. Francis, a rustic fishing village, sits adjacent to St.
Francis Bay. Popular for surfing at Seal Point, its beautiful
stretch of beach and historic lighthouse built in 1878. Walking
trails wind along the rocky coast, through the Irma Booysen Floral
Reserve, and along the Cape St. Francis Point, linking it to the
village of St. Francis Bay.
Information & Facts
Activities
Whales can be spotted in the Bay from May to late October and
dolphins can be seen daily on their way back and forth between the
Bays of Cape St. Francis and Jeffrey's Bay. The Cape Clawless Otter
is also ever present, frolicking in the waves and rock pools around
the Port of St. Francis area and at Otters Landing.
Nature lovers can enjoy the hiking trails meandering through the
nature reserves and along a dune river system, with its unique
landscape, where you can view the area's "Fynbos" (fine leafed
indigenous plants) and see antelope roam freely. Over 200 species
of birds have been recorded including the rare African Oyster
Catcher and magnificent Fish Eagle.
St. Francis Bay also has two 18 hole golf courses, St. Francis
Bay Golf Course and the St. Francis Links, a Jack Nicklaus
Signature Course.
The Addo Elephant Park, situated in a malaria free area is a
mere hour and a quarter's drive from St. Francis Bay and offers the
best elephant viewing in the world.
Language
South Africa has 11 official languages, including
Afrikaans, English, Xhosa, Zulu and Sotho. English is widely
spoken.
Money
South Africa's currency is the Rand (ZAR), which is divided into
100 cents. Money can be exchanged at banks, bureaux de change and
the larger hotels. ATMs are widely available (there is a daily
limit for cash withdrawals) and major international credit cards
are widely accepted, except in petrol stations where cash is
required. Visitors should be vigilant when drawing cash from ATMs,
as con artists are known to operate there. Travellers cheques and
some foreign currencies are accepted at larger hotels and shops,
but commission is charged, otherwise all commercial banks will
exchange them.
Negatives
St. Francis Bay is an hour away from a major city (Port
Elizabeth) and offers limited night life. St. Francis can be windy,
so a windbreaker is essential.
Night Life
Eating out is popular and the restaurants and bars offer an
opportunity to sample our large range of South African wines, which
are very affordable in comparison with other countries. Nearby
Jeffrey's Bay provides a much bigger range of nightlife
options.
Restaurants
St. Francis Bay has a wide variety of restaurants and coffee
shops that offer a good reasonable selection of meals. Most
restaurants in South Africa have a reputation for good food at
affordable prices and St. Francis Bay is no different. Most of the
restaurants focus on seafood, with local calamari being a menu
highlight. Popular restaurants include Porthole Restaurant and Bar,
and Trattoria San Francesco.
Shopping
The village has several small shops and art galleries that will
cater to almost all your needs and ensure that you find some
souvenirs to take back home. There are two fair sized supermarkets
which will provide all your basic requirements. In high season most
of the shops are open seven days a week.
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