Thandi's Khaya

About Thandi's Khaya

The Eastern Cape Province of South Africa celebrates the Xhosa culture in many ways - from traditional African villages to the beaded arts and crafts sold in city centres. In the serene seaside village of Morgan Bay, Thandi’s Khaya is just one of the ways that visitors and locals get to enjoy the Xhosa culture and delicious food.

Thandi’s Khaya (which means Thandi’s home) belongs to Thandi, who lives in Gxara Village, Morgan Bay. Her hospitality and grace extends to visitors that are just passing through as well as to those looking for a place to stay for a few nights. During your time here, Thandi makes sure that she exposes you to various aspects of her life and culture. Taste home-cooked meals and the traditionally-brewed beer, called umqombothi. This beer is dense and filling, with distinct yeasty overtones.

Her vision is to unite communities by helping different people to understand one another or, at least, aspects of one other’s culture. She believes that there is strength in diversity and that, once that diversity is celebrated, the strength will only increase.

Gxara Village is an RDP development, which means that most of the houses are more formal than the shacks of the informal settlements. It is diverse, multi-faceted and intriguing. There is a non-stop vibrancy about the village, and visitors will love meeting the friendly locals and being part of the hubbub of music, song and dance.

Thandi’s Khaya includes a modern brick house as well as a traditional mud hut so that visitors can experience authentic African culture while not leaving behind the amenities of everyday life. There is also a grassy patch for those that would prefer to camp in this African village.

Morgan Bay is just over an hour from East London, four hours from Coffee Bay in the Transkei, and 4.5 hours from Port Elizabeth.