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The edge of the sea
The Dunes Country House, St Francis Bay
The Dunes Country House, St Francis Bay.
© Chris Marais
Did you know?
St Francis Bay has the tallest lighthouse built from stone in South Africa. It was built in 1878.
Ever dreamed of bagging a raucous toad or common caco and helping conservation in the process? Frogging safaris are one of the more unusual activities at The Dunes Country House not far from St Francis Bay in the Eastern Cape.
It’s just 1 of the activities at this Fair Trade in Tourism-certified destination that will help bring you closer to nature.
The Dunes Country House is situated in a particularly beautiful part of the country, and the owners have dedicated time and trouble to preserving the delicate coastal vegetation, fynbos and nearby wetlands.
The frogging safaris, which are a voyage of discovery into the noisy nocturnal love lives of 13 frog species particular to the area, help fund that conservation.
The money goes towards eradicating water-greedy alien plant species. And the wood harvested in this way is used in winter to keep guests and staff warm.
The guest house is set within a large nature conservancy where you can take long rambles with a guide who will open your eyes to the many plant species unique to this ecosystem.
You may want to end your walk at the intriguing dunefields, where you’ll find shell middens and other traces of human life in this region thousands of years old.
But don’t take any little arrowheads or shells with you. It's illegal to do so and you’ll disturb what must remain intact for future generations.
Alternately, you may want to spend a few hours on the large verandah watching out for more than 100 bird species that occur around here.
Many vegetables for the splendid meals are grown close by, which has in turn created a job for a local entrepreneur. The Dunes Country House has supplied him with an earthworm composter, all the better to grow healthy vegetables.
Upliftment opportunities for in-house staff include training to prepare food, to work in the on-site spa and to be involved in conservation work.
Travel tips & Planning info
Who to contact
The Dunes Country House
Tel: +27 (0) 42 294 1685
Cell: +27 (0) 82 324 3484
Fax: +27 (0) 42 294 1687
Email: reservations@dunesstfrancis.com
How to get here
From Port Elizabeth, take the N2 westwards along the coast. After an hour or so, you take the Humansdorp/St Francis Bay turnoff. Go through Humansdorp and turn left at the T-junction. Follow the signs to St Francis Bay along the R330. Carry on straight at a traffic circle (don't turn into St Francis Bay village). About 800m further on, you'll see the sign to The Dunes.
Around the area
There are superb golf courses nearby. Or you can go sea-kayaking, scuba diving or surfing, or just laze on the beach. Don't miss a trip to the penguin rehabilitation centre near the handsome lighthouse.
Length of stay
At least 2 or 3 nights. There's so much to do - not just at The Dunes, but also in the region.
What to eat
Food at the guest house is fresh and delicious. But this is also a region where chokka boats haul out fresh calamari, so good it's usually exported. Try it at the local seafood restaurants.