If you are visiting, the best way to reach Jeffreys Bay is to fly into nearby Port Elizabeth from either Cape Town or Johannesburg, and then arrange transportation to your hotel, timeshare resort, B&B or other accommodation. The most popular time for tourists to visit Jeffreys Bay is from June to August when the waves are at their best, but many surfers also visit in the winter months when you can still surf with the right wet suit.

Some always say that Jeffreys Bay was initially used as a harbour and trading post and was established in 1849 by one, a J.A. Jeffrey, a whale hunter by trade, originally from St. Helena. As time passed, Jeffreys Bay became a small fishing village and has since grown into the wonderful and world famous holiday town it is today.

Legend has it that the father of South Africa surfing, John Whitmore, discovered the waves at Jeffreys Bay in the late 1950s as he drove up the famous N2 "Garden Route" between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth on a business trip. As he stood in amazement at the side of the road looking at an as yet unmapped break through binoculars, it would have been extremely hard to mistake those ruler edged corduroy lines perfectly wrapping around a point, giving what could have been a 1.2 kilometre ride.

In 1961 Bruce Brown came to South Africa to film part of his classic "Endless Summer" and captured the magic of nearby Bruces Beauties firing, and with it the imaginations of a million surfers. Not the most consistent of waves, but soon enough the travelling seekers cottoned onto another nearby set-up, Jeffreys Bay, which was to be seen as the best right point-break on the planet, and still is to this day!

Jeffreys Bay - Home to the perfect wave! With its unique combination of beautiful beaches, endless summers, abundant shells, white gold (calamari) and relaxed lifestyle, its no wonder this town has become world renown. Another International attraction is the Billabong Surfing Festival in July each year when surfers from all over the world come to enjoy these flawless formations of rolling surf. The safe beaches are perfect for bathing and all water sports, making it a popular weekend getaway and holiday destination.

The Jeffreys Bay Shell Museum houses an impressive and beautiful collection of local shells gathered on the beaches of Jeffreys Bay, as well as shells from other countries. Visitors are welcome to collect shells which are varied and plentiful. There are a number of small nature reserves in the area, such as the Kabeljous Estuary and Nature Reserve, which is a walk-about reserve with a safe beach for swimming and excellent fishing opportunities as well as bird watching a small animals.

The Noorsekloof Nature Reserve is a 28.7 hectare reserve stretching up to Wavecrest, small buck and many birds can be seen along the 3 km trail running alongside the stream. Then there is the Seekoei River Nature Reserve which is on the Seekoei River estuary. It is a bird watchers paradise, as the hide overlooks the Seekoei River where there is an abundance of water fowl.