Beach of Wilderness in South Africa

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Seagull on Wilderness Beach

At the Indian Ocean

It is loud! A constant roar that never stops! It stays like this: day and night. That is the sound that a stay on Beach of wilderness in South Africa so impressive. The waves roll continuously from the vastness of the Indian Ocean. They build up, sometimes more, sometimes less. But they always exist. They are wild. Even on the calmest days of the year!

 

Beach of Wilderness
Beach of Wilderness

 

That has to be in the suitcase

  • The kilometer-long sandy beach of Wilderness lures you to sunbathe. We have what you need for this in this checklist were collected.
  • Note the warning that you are not allowed to swim on this beach. The current is too dangerous. A walk on the beach is also exciting if you comfortable shoes with you.
  • If you want to hike in the area, we recommend one backpack.

 

Like an endless ribbon, they first break at the kilometer-long sandy beach, which stretches from the mouth of the Touwsrivier to the mouth of the Kaaimansrivier - where Highway 2 branches off inland at Dolphin's Point. Farther to the east, the spectacle becomes more dramatic. There, the waves encounter rocky resistance and clamor against it with all their strength and power. They roll along the beach. Incessantly. Without break. The waves of the Indian Ocean are the trademark of the beach of Wilderness.

 

 

View of the beach of Wilderness
View of the beach of Wilderness

 

Dangerous: the waves on the beach of Wilderness

They are dangerous. Time and again, they pull inadvertent tourists who do not believe in the warnings, who everywhere on signs advise against swimming on this beach. Unpredictable currents create them. An underwater sink that inexorably tugs into the depths that it offers. Year after year, victims fall victim to him who want to prove that this is not the case. That they know better. Alone, here you should on the Tips for South Africa hear. The sea and the waves of Wilderness know no mercy. This gives the beach of Wilderness something threatening, but also a wild beauty that inspires the cautious viewer a great humility before the irrepressible nature.

 

Roaring waves
Roaring waves

 

That's why no one in the water can be seen on this miles of sandy beach, except a few unteachable, the hesitant to stretch their toes in the spray, which foaming flows to the shore. At most to the knees, most dare to sea. Anyone who goes further plays with his life.

 

Seagull over the waves
Seagull over the waves

 

Perfect for long walks on the beach - Wilderness Beach

Most visitors to the beach in Wilderness are content with a beach walk for hours instead. Those who prefer the easy way turn west from the mouth of the Touwsrivier towards Dolphin's Point. It is beautiful here. The beach is so long that the summer guests lose themselves on the expanses of the coast. I prefer the wilder, the more varied side of the beach and go east. I am almost alone. Only in the distance do I see a few locals balancing on the rocks and hopefully casting their fishing rods. I wonder if they are actually catching fish in the surf. Here the fine sand soon stops. More and more rocks push in from the sea in through the sand. Farther outside, the wild waves break and perform an impressive spectacle on the last meters of their being.

 

Heron on the beach
Heron on the beach
Rough coast
Rough coast

 

Interesting: looking for clams on Wilderness Beach

Spray whips up! Water splashes in all directions. It leaves puddles in the sand as well as in the rocky hollows that have been created by the waves over the centuries. I find entire beds of mussels in there. Barnacles cling to the edge of the rocks, filtering out their food from the tidal water. Seagulls and herons fly above it, always looking for something to eat. They allow themselves to be carried through the air by the wind, which blows constantly here.

 

Mussels and barnacles
Mussels and barnacles
Seagull on the beach
Seagull on the beach

 

Wilderness Beach is not a beach for bathers. However, if, like me, you are looking for a natural experience instead, this beach is the right place for you. It is definitely easy to reach via Coastal Highway 2, which runs along the Garden Route. Above the cliffs of Wilderness and in the town there are several hotels and guest houses where you can stay overnight with a view of the beach and the constant roar of the waves. If you prefer something quieter, choose accommodation away from the beach. There the ocean becomes a background noise and the view is limited to fynbos vegetation or alternatively the Touwsrivier lagoon.

 

Rocks on the beach
Rocks on the beach

 

More travel tips for South Africa:


Travel Arrangements:

Parking at the airport

Here you can reserve your parking space at the airport.

Getting to Wilderness Beach

For example, book yours here Arrival by plane, bus or train*. Condor and South African Airways fly to South Africa. Wilderness can then be reached via Highway 2.

Car Rentals:

Cheap Car Hire - Book Fast and Easy! *

Guided tours, including along the Garden Route:

If you don't want to do the trip on your own, our partner offers Get your Guide multi-day tours along the Garden Route*.

Hotels near Wilderness Beach:

HHotels in Wilderness* you can, for example, book via our partner booking.com under this link.


 

Wilderness Beach South Africa
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Source: own research on site. This trip was not sponsored. Our opinions definitely remain our own.

Text: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Photos: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline

Beach of Wilderness in South Africa

Monika Fuchs

Monika Fuchs and Petar Fuchs are the authors and publishers of the Food and Slow Travel blog  TravelWorldOnline. They have been publishing this blog since 2005. TravelWorldOnline has been online since 2001. Their topics are trips to Savor, wine tourism worldwide and slow travel. During her studies Monika Fuchs spent some time in North America, where she - partly together with Petar Fuchs - traveled to the USA and Canada and spent a research year in British Columbia. This intensified her thirst for knowledge, which she satisfied for 6 years as an adventure guide for Rotel Tours and then for 11 years as a tour guide for Studiosus Reisen around the world. She was constantly expanding her travel regions, but curiosity still gnawed at her: "What's beyond the horizon? What else is there to discover in this city? Which people are interesting here? What do they eat in this region?" As a freelance travel journalist (her articles have appeared in DIE ZEIT, 360° Canada, 360° USA, etc.), she is now looking for answers to these questions as a travel writer and travel blogger in many countries around the world. Petar Fuchs produces the videos on this blog as well as on YouTube. Monika Fuchs from TravelWorldOnline is among Germany's top 50 bloggers in 2021. Find more Information about Monika and Petar Fuchs here.

13 thoughts too "Beach of Wilderness in South Africa"

  1. The pictures are very impressive! South Africa has not been so much of a focus for me yet, but you have good reasons why that should change.

  2. Wilderness: That's where I come from time to time. And although the Kaff is so small, there is still something to see around it.
    Especially the long sandy beach has done to me. And in the past, of course, the steep coast, where I flew for hours paragliding.
    More wilderness, of course, on my blog, which, admittedly, is a bit "South Africa-heavy".

    1. I think the beach is great too! Very varied with the kilometer-long sandy beach section and the rough cliff section at the other end. But I also like the lagoon of Wilderness.

  3. When I see the pictures like this, the wanderlust gets me packing again, even though the last trip to South Africa was only 6 weeks ago. However, this time we were not in Wilderness, but on the beach of Brenton on Sea.

    1. I have already looked at your photos. I do not know the beach of Brenton on Sea. Maybe I'll come to the Garden Route again. Then it is also on my itinerary.

  4. The wild coast of South Africa with whales and seabirds, I've seen more often in nature films and was thrilled. A trip to South Africa will probably be a dream forever. All the better is it to read inspiring blogs like these by Monika and Petar, which stimulate my imagination.

    1. With documentary films from such regions, our travel addiction started many years ago, Andreas :). She has not let go of us since then.

  5. My South Africa trip has been more than 10 years ago. But I can still remember the wave experience you described. Almost naive, I stomped into the water and was surprised with what force the waves took me in reception. With more humility then the next trips went into the water!

    1. I can well imagine. On my travels, I used to go to this beach more often, and the sea gave me proper respect at this point. I preferred to climb over the cliffs and watched the wave spectacle from a safe distance :)

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