Oyster Bay or “Oesterbaai” in Afrikaans, is a small coastal hamlet and resort located about 22.5 kilometres (14.0 mi) west of St Francis Bay on the Eastern Cape Coast of, South Africa. It forms part of the Kouga Local Municipality of the Sarah Baartman District.
"This is a largely unspoiled piece of coastal paradise!" Although it is somewhat secluded, there are a quite few things to see and do in this beautiful part of the Kouga. A Beach Dune Safari is one of the exciting experiences you can take through the coastal reserves and along dunes in a beach dune safari vehicle, (LINK IN FURTHER READING). Visitors can take a trot along the 3.5 kilometer beach in the coastal reserve on horseback and enjoy an unforgettable experience. First timers are welcome.
4 hiking trails are available ranging from 3 – 7.5 km each. A guided bird, wetland and fynbos walk within the 235 hectare property comes highly recommended. Over 170 different bird species have been spotted here.
Sand-boarding and Fat Bike tours can also be arranged, (LINK IN FURTHER READING). 'The coastal reserve also lends itself to mountain biking on tough rugged landscape, so you may want to remember a map and refreshments!2
The area is also a registered site for some Geo-Caching fun. (Geocaching is an outdoor treasure‑hunting game where players use GPS coordinates to find hidden containers called “geocaches,” a hobby that began in May 2000 in Oregon and now includes over 3 million active caches worldwide.) There is also a bird walk, which one of the local residents developed.
You will also find some talented artists in this area. The local restaurant has also been taken over by new management recently and is going from strength to strength. Camping and caravanning activities are also available. So, although quite secluded, exclusive and unspoiled, the local reserve and resort does afford non-residents the opportunity to enjoy the best that this area has to offer.
Renowned for long stretches of sandy beach and a strong emphasis on nature Oyster Bay is a wonderful place to stay amidst woods, sand dunes, river deltas, wetlands, lagoons and roaming horses.
As its name indicates, Oyster Bay is also a stronghold of one of the main efforts to conserve the African Oystercatcher that makes the beaches here its home, and there is controlled use of 4x4 vehicles and noisy motorbikes along the beaches. The beautiful enclave of Oyster Bay lies between St Francis Bay and the border of the Tsitsikamma coast.
This part of the Eastern Cape, in which Oyster Bay lies, has an extremely large coastal and marine biological diversity caused mainly by its being a transition zone between cold and warm sea currents. As a result there are some pretty unique ecological and archaeological developments, such as the wind-rift dune ridges - two parallel ridges at Oyster Bay that are 12 kilometres long and rise as high as 177 metres - and some unique examples of dune fynbos on the dune ridges that contain 24 threatened plant species.
You're not restricted to remaining within the little Village of Oyster Bay, as, despite its varied beauty and capacity to allow you to escape from it all, it is a perfect base for day trips to St Francis Bay, Baviaanskloof and the Tsitsikamma Nature Reserve. From here you can follow Route 62 or the Garden Route, or remain within the sanctuary of Oyster Bay and fish, swim, mountain bike and hike.
