Cape St Francis

Cape St Francis is a gorgeous seaside town along the Sunshine Coast of South Africa. It is between Stormsriver and Jeffrey’s Bay and a perfect family holiday town. The greater St Francis Bay area encompasses St Francis with its canals and white houses with thatch roofs (this is where the ‘fancys’ stay), Port St Francis and Cape St Francis. Cape St Francis is a lovely laid back seaside town with a gorgeous beach and a surfer hotspot.

Cape St Francis is a great stop along the way if you are heading further up the East Coast of South Africa. Add it as a stop over on your Cape Town to Coffee Bay road trip or if you’re heading up to explore the Wild Coast.

Where to stay?

Cape St Francis Resort is a lovely little accommodation estate which boasts a variety of different options for various group sizes and budgets.

Cape St Francis Resort’s budget spot is Seals Backpackers. They have two double room self-catering cottages available and one house that sleeps four. You can browse your options here. Luke and I have stayed in their double cottage twice and loved it. It is basic but ticks all the boxes. They have a communal outdoor braai and boma area. Prices start at R1000 for a double per night.

If you have a bigger budget or a bigger group then check out Cape St Francis Resort houses. They have the beach break which is 5 star luxury with ocean views, the village break which includes a variety of 4 star cottage accommodation options and the club break which includes 3 star smaller apartments. Browse all the options here. As a family of five we stayed at the Greenpepper cottage (village break) which is a 4 bedroomed place with a private plunge pool, braai area, kitchen, lounge and outdoor seating area. To book follow this link. Prices start at R1400 per night for a 6-bedroomed house.

Getting there

The closest airport to Cape St Francis is Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport in Gqeberha. You can book your flight to here. Check out GetTransfer.com to organise your airport pick up in advance to make your arrival as stress-free as possible:

Alternatively, if you are hiring a car you can check out DiscoverCars for some of the best car hire deals:

What to do in Cape St Francis?

Head to the beach

Cape St Francis is a laid back beach town where the best thing to do is head to the beach. If you’re a surfer then be sure to catch some waves here. If you’re staying at the resort you can walk out the back of the resort straight onto the beach. Swimming is not recommended directly in front of the resort as riptides can be strong. Rather walk towards the right hand side of the beach and swim closer to the lighthouse side.

Have lunch at Nevermind

Nevermind is a stunning bakery, cafe and restaurant located at the Seal Point Lighthouse. Make sure you stop by their fresh morning bakes, delicious brekkies, lunches and dinners. Follow them on Instagram for menus and opening hour updates.

Visit the Seal Point Lighthouse

Seal Point Lighthouse is a stunning spot to check out during your stay. There are various paths and walkways that you can follow to head towards the ocean, the rocks, the lighthouse and beyond. Sunset here is a real treat!

 

Watch the sunset from the dunes

Another great spot for golden hour is the dunes just outside the Cape St Francis Resort. Check it out for a cheeky sunset spot.

 

 

We absolutely loved our time in Cape St Francis. It’s the perfect family holiday destination where the only agenda is beach and relaxation! I could easily spend a week soaking up the sunshine here but it works just as well as a 2 night stopover on a greater roadtrip. For this trip Cape St Francis was a halfway break in the journey to quickly get us from Cape Town to the Wild Coast. Next up: Bulungula, Wild Coast.

Roadtripping around South Africa? Check out my blog post on Cape Town to Coffee Bay (which includes guides to Nature’s Valley, Yellow Sands, Coffee Bay and Hogsback) for more South African roadtrip inspiration. If you’re looking for Garden Route guides check out my comprehensive guide to Knysna.