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. The bay was first sighted in 1575 by a Portuguese sailor who 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 six miles (10km) upstream from the river mouth. The river and river mouth are 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, thatched homes, some of which offer bed and 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. Cape St Francis is popular for surfing at Seal Point, its beautiful long stretch of beach, and the 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.