Audley in The Wild Coast
This pristine coastline running from East London in the Eastern Cape up to the border with KwaZulu-Natal is one of the least touched but most beautiful regions of South Africa.
Just inland is tribal Africa, with thatched huts, cane fields and free-roaming cattle, separated from the pictureperfect beaches by a thin strip of dense mangrove vegetation. Rivers wending down to the ocean form placid lagoons behind the beaches, perfect for swimming and fishing. Hikes take you along the cliff tops past glorious aloes, peering down on the Indian Ocean rollers as they crash onto the shore. Sensible self-drive is possible here: the roads in the Wild Coast are potholed, and huge cows lazily cross in front of you, accompanied by horses and young children with broad smiles. Accommodation is also simple, so it is not an area for those seeking real luxury.
But for those wanting to escape the crowds and experience some of the most attractive and unspoilt coastline in the country, it is perfect.