Eerste Rivier Beach

About Eerste Rivier Beach

As one of the best-kept secrets of the Eastern Cape coastline, Eerste Rivier Beach lies in wait for travellers that love to explore. It is rugged and rocky, which means plenty of little rock pools, coves and gullies to discover. It is also surrounded by beautiful indigenous forest, making it that much more special.

Eerste Rivier Beach is part of the Tsitsikamma region, at the gateway of the Garden Route. Its waters are occupied by dolphins and the Cape otter all through the year, which always delight onlookers with their antics. During the second half of the year, whales (most commonly southern rights and humpbacks) may also be spotted in these waters. The forest is home to bushbucks and plenty of bird species, making this a real treasure trove for nature-lovers.

The fossil dunes with their stone formations are one of the highlights of the Eerste Rivier Beach. Blow holes in the rock turn into exciting shows with every surging wave, when the ocean water blasts up in powerful fountains of foam and salt.

The tidal pools and gullies are fabulous for snorkelling, even for little ones. Just keep an eye out for the sharp spikes of the sea urchins and for the rips just beyond the safety of the pools and gullies.

The blue hole is a visually spectacular pool that is awesome for swimming. And, thanks to the warmer waters of the Indian Ocean, this pool makes for a pleasant swim for most of the year. Fishing and spear fishing are popular sports here too, and the sea is teeming with exciting species to catch.

The surrounding vegetation showcases some of the gorgeous endemic fynbos species and there are a number of trails around Eerste Rivier beach that can be walked, run, or cycled.

The beauty and tranquillity of the Eerste Rivier Beach is only 30 minutes from Storms River Village, about 150 kilometres from Port Elizabeth (Nelson Mandela Bay), and about 2.5 hours from the acclaimed Addo Elephant National Park.