Chintsa
A laid-back Wild Coast beach village north of East London — lagoon, backpacker lodges, and the soft entry to the Wild Coast.
Trip Role
Ideal stay
Best for
Our take
The easy Wild Coast beach village — Wild Coast feel without the rough roads.
The easy Wild Coast beach village — Wild Coast feel without the rough roads.
- Trip Role
- Quick Stop
- Ideal Stay
- 1-2 nights
- Best For
- Easy Wild Coast and backpacker beach stays
- Go If
- You want a Wild Coast taste without the remote drive.
Why go
Chintsa is the gentle introduction to the Wild Coast — a lagoon, a long beach, and a cluster of backpacker lodges just north of East London. The easiest Wild Coast stop if you don't want rough roads.
What we love
The lagoon mouth and the dune forest.
What to know
40 minutes from East London; a car helps. A soft entry to the Wild Coast.
Best things nearby
More village in Eastern Cape
Coffee Bay
A barefoot Wild Coast village — Hole in the Wall, cliffs, and the most backpacker-famous stretch of the Eastern Cape coast.
Port St Johns
A jungle-clad Wild Coast village at the Umzimvubu river mouth — dramatic, decaying, and the Sardine Run base.
Storms River Village
A tiny village at the Tsitsikamma end of the Garden Route — the Mouth, suspension bridge, and forest canopy tours.