South African Break Aways

Magical Weekend at Morgan Bay (2), South Africa

March 2023

If you missed our first post about lovely Morgan Bay, you can read about it here.

***

After watching an absolutely amazing sunrise from our hotel porch and taking a long walk on the beach, we were ready for a hearty breakfast.

Breakfast room at Morgan Bay Hotel

At breakfast and dinner, you are shown to your table (which will be your table for as long as you stay in the hotel). At each table is a newsletter from the hotel. In our newsletter during breakfast, all guests who arrived the previous day were welcomed by name. And they are also saying goodbye to those who are leaving. I thought this was a very special touch.

In this newsletter there is a weather report for the day and what there is to see and do around Morgan Bay. They also remind guests of the complimentary tea and coffee station and what time home-made snacks will be served in the lounge. It’s almost like reading a newspaper (with only good news) during breakfast!

Breakfast time

We enjoyed such a delicious breakfast! We had a choice of the following:

  • Fresh fruit juices, as well as coffee and tea,
  • Freshly cut fruit can be enjoyed with assorted yoghurts,
  • Hot porridge and a variety of cereals,
  • Eggs (to order), bacon, tasty taters, pork cocktail sausage with sage, tomato bredie (stew) and toast,
  • And if you’re still hungry, there are a wide variety of baked goods (such as cinnamon swirls, muffins and coconut bread).

There’s definitely enough to get you through a day, but don’t even dare think we skipped lunch!

View from the breakfast room

After filling our tummies with all that goodness, we walked around the hotel. There are so many comfy and cozy sitting areas where you can relax without actually being among the other guests.

Lounge area

Relaxing areas

Lounge area

Tastefully decorated

It was hard to drag ourselves out of this lovely hotel to explore the area, but it was such a great day to be outside that we soon got in the car to take a scenic drive.

As we drove slowly up and down the few streets in Morgan Bay, we came across a herd of goats. Some of them feasted on one of the residents’ spekbome (also known as Portulacaria afra), while others rested in the middle of the road.

Goats wanders around the village

We drove to Kei Mouth which is only 13km (8 miles) from Morgan Bay. Kei Mouth is also home to the ‘Pont’, one of South Africa’s three remaining car-transporting pontoon river ferry services. This is firmly on our list, so we will not elaborate too much now … but it is a lovely place.

Cattle on the bank of the Great Kei River

After our visit to Kei Mouth we drove to the Double Mouth Nature Reserve which is about 5 km west of Morgan Bay. Here two rivers meet in a pristine estuary that carves a single course through forested dunes to the sea.

Double Mouth Nature Reserve

To our delight, we saw a lovely campsite! The campsites have the most beautiful views over the sea … we are already planning how to transport our camping gear from Langebaan!

The campsite is at the bottom of this road

Once again, our road was blocked by farm animals

View over the beach at Morgan Bay

The view back towards Double Mouth Nature Reserve

When we got back to the hotel, we walked over to the complimentary coffee station where we got some hot drinks and bran muffins. We sat outside on the hotel’s patio and enjoyed our drinks while looking out over the sea. I can do this every day!

Mid-morning drinks at the hotel

Next to the hotel were a few local ladies who made and sold lovely bracelets and necklaces, as well as handmade wicker baskets. I bought two pretty bracelets and Berto got a basket – great memorabilia to remind us of our time here at Morgan Bay.

A local woman with some of her hand-made jewellery

During our early morning drive we saw a sign to a place called Bay View Farm. After reading more about this place, we decided it would be our ideal lunch spot.

Bay View Farm, where they grow their own veggies and herbs

The old-style Cape Dutch house is truly a hidden gem. Besides their beautiful restaurant and bar, they also have accommodation. Apparently, this is also a great place for weddings … and we could see why, nature is breathtakingly beautiful.

Old-style Cape Dutch house

We loved the interior of this place! There are so many antiques and it was good to see how new and old blend perfectly.

Inside Bay View Farm

Beautiful double doors at the entrance

Ostrich eggs and old-fashioned till

Inside sitting area and bar

Since it was such a hot day, we joined other guests and decided to sit outside while enjoying lunch. We had a lovely view of the garden and could hear different birds chirping in the tall trees.

View of the lush green nature

We ordered our drinks – Berto enjoyed one of the local beers from Emerald Vale Brewery (a farm we’ve visited twice) and I had a cocktail. We also each enjoyed a Cactus Jack shot (a true Mexican tequila with tabasco sauce and black pepper) … if you haven’t tried it before, try it, you’ll be surprised how well these flavours work together!

Our drinks

Our lunch was not only tasty but also well presented! It’s always nice to see when a restaurant puts effort into their food. Berto ordered a spicy burger with chips and onion rings, while I was very pleased with my chicken pasta with olives and mushrooms.

Lunch

After lunch we went straight back to the hotel. Now it was time to get into our bathing costumes and relax by the hotel pool for the rest of the afternoon. It was now quite warm and we enjoyed the cold water of the pool. There was a large tour group from the UK and it was funny to see how they preferred to lie in the sun, while we went to the sun umbrellas! I suspect they had had enough of their cold winter and now just wanted to enjoy the sunshine.

Relaxing at the hotel’s swimming pool

I was surprised to see a cow next to our room’s patio – happily grazing on the green grass. The receptionist mentioned earlier that they have to chase the cows away often … however I thought that they probably don’t need a lawnmower if the cows are ‘willing’ to do the work for them! But then again, it’s not so nice when they leave their ‘evidence’ on the grass when they’ve had enough.

Our ‘neighbour’ is enjoying an early dinner

It’s almost impossible to imagine that after our delicious lunch, we got ready for dinner again! But it was a very special meal and we certainly didn’t want to miss it.

We enjoyed complimentary canapés in the Lounge Bar before being taken to our table for a delicious 4 course meal.

Canapés – sushi rolls and roasted salmon toasties

Dinner was a real feast! The menu looked like this:

  • Starter: Pan grilled Kingklip with lemon butter
  • Soup: Coconut Red Lentil soup with crisp melba toast
  • Main meal: Well matured Dutch beef fillet with glazed carrot batons & sprouted broccoli
  • Salad greens with crispy croutons
  • Dessert: Vanilla Cheesecake/Lemon Jelly & custard/South African cheese board and biscuits

Grilled Kingklip and Coconut soup

Main meal

I was looking forward to the cheese board and biscuits, but I had reached my limit for the day of eating delicious food! However, Berto rarely passed up a cheesecake and he enjoyed his dessert.

Decadent Vanilla cheesecake

It was lovely to be treated to such a delicious meal and we went to bed peaceful and happy after enjoying a wonderful day.

The only thing left for us to do was to appreciate another glorious sunrise while enjoying our coffee and tea on the patio … while we watched over the beautiful Indian Ocean.

Our last sunrise at Morgan Bay

Early morning hot drinks

After packing and taking our luggage to our car, we had one last delicious breakfast.

Our last breakfast at Morgan Bay Hotel

What a lovely weekend! We were spoiled with hospitality, great food and amazing views. It was a privilege to be able to stay in such a beautiful hotel … and we wouldn’t mind if the opportunity presented itself again!

Advertisement

Published by

wetanddustyroads

50 thoughts on “Magical Weekend at Morgan Bay (2), South Africa”

  1. What a lovely place to spend a weekend Corna. Both the location and the hotel itself looked gorgeous. With delicious meals, a comfortable room and a sparkling swimming pool I’m not surprised you were reluctant to leave. I can imagine the U.K. tour group wanting to make the most of the warm sunshine after enduring a long winter. I used to live sunbathing but I mostly prefer to relax in the shade nowadays.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. It really is a lovely place Marion! We spoke to some of the UK tourists and they couldn’t stop talking about the sunshine and beautiful beach 🙂 . You’re up early on this Monday … wishing you a great week ahead.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  3. Morgan Bay Hotel needs to be added to my bucket list. You just gotta love a hotel if it is situated right on the beach with the most beautiful views. It certainly looks like a wonderful place to enjoy all that the magnificent Wild Coast has to offer, Corna, especially given how close to the unspoiled beach and breathtaking cliffs the hotel is located. Thanks for sharing and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I can tell you this Aiva, Morgan Bay Hotel should be on anyone’s bucket list 🙂. It is perfectly located and the fact that they provide 5 star service made this an unforgettable experience. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your week.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  4. Wow, what a special hotel, and what delicious food – although I would have had to skip lunch in order to appreciate it properly! And although I’m from the UK I would be under those umbrellas, not baking in the hot sun 😀

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Yes, in hindsight we really should have skipped lunch too … then we sure would have enjoyed our dinner more! I was very surprised by the UK guests who went baking in the sun (I’m not that brave in our hot SA sun)!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  5. Morgan Bay sounds like the perfect place for a getaway! I never get enough of the seaside landscape, I love the sea, the cliffs, the waves, the beach, and the salty breeze🙂
    I had a chuckle at those people who would stay under a strong sun too much. This reminded me that I was also trying to get all the sun for myself sometimes when going to sunny destinations.. I learned my lesson, as I’m turning red too easily LOL
    Have a lovely week ahead! xx

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. You’re right Christie, the seaside landscape is one of the most beautiful nature scenes for me – maybe because it’s constantly changing. Although I have a fairly strong skin, I have also been caught off guard by the hot SA sun a few times … you learn as you get older, right? Hope you have a good week too 🌞.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. Ai Aletta, ek sukkel om gewoond te raak aan die son wat uit die see opkom (en nie daar ondergaan nie) 😄. Ons sal graag weer wil teruggaan Morgan Bay toe, dis so rustig daar en die natuur is ongelooflik mooi.

      Like

      Reply

    1. Oh Kellye, thanks so much. I’m glad you like Morgan Bay too! We were so surprised with this little place – if you want to stay in luxury and enjoy nature at the same time, Morgan Bay Hotel is the place!! Hmm, maybe someday 😉 …

      Like

      Reply

  8. What a great weekend. I bet you wished you could make it a week. That hotel reminds me of hotels in the Caribbean, all open to the breezes and bright. Stunning beach too. I am amused about the cow. I was once sunbathing (being British!) in the garden and suddenly looked up to see a cow beside me. In those days I was still afraid of them. The British so appreciate the sun and most of us end up with bad burns. Now I am covered in freckles as a souvenir. I love Cape Dutch architecture, All very nice indeed!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Definitely a weekend we will remember for a very, very long time Carolyn! Well, if this hotel reminds you of the Caribbean, I will definitely like that part of the world 🙂. I had a good laugh at your cow story! They are quite stubborn, we had to wait a long time for them to move out of the way before we could continue driving and this one next to our hotel room was not bothered by our presence. Oh yes, we also love the Cape Dutch building style (there are so many of this type of buildings in and around Cape Town).

      Like

      Reply

  13. Ah Corna, further evidence that this is such a lovely hotel. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard of a newsletter of this kind, it’s a nice touch and proof that sometimes it’s the little things that can charm us. The lounge and relaxing areas are wonderful, I can picture myself sitting there with a coffee working on a blog. You guys often lead the way when it comes to food in your blogs and this trip was no different. I would eat it all with abandon, ha! How would you describe the taste of an ostrich egg? If we ever make it to SA and are in the region, I think we simply have to find time for a stay at this hotel.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. We were really impressed with the morning newsletter (never come across it before either) – such a personal touch! Oh yes, I would be able to sit in any of those cozy seats for the whole day/weekend and blog (or just read … or just stare at the sea for that matter)! As for the ostrich egg: It tastes very similar to a chicken egg (of course, it’s times 24 normal chicken eggs) … and it’s preferable to scramble it (and have your whole family, all your friends and neighbours over for breakfast 😄). I can guarantee you, you and Sladja will really enjoy Morgan Bay Hotel. Thanks so much for stopping by Leighton – have a nice week.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. Linda, you can be sure, if we can get our camping equipment here, we will definitely be camping at the Double Mouth Nature Reserve for a weekend! However, the hotel stay was lovely and we wouldn’t mind going there again – maybe a good choice for the winter ahead 😉.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  15. Sounds like a wonderful relaxing weekend, sometimes it is so nice to stay in a hotel and not have to shop and cook for oneself. More time to relax and explore. You certainly had enough to eat! Love the Cape Dutch style of architecture and love Kingklip!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Yes, it really was a big treat! We were well rested (and ate absolutely too much) 😉. Kingklip is one of our favourite fish dishes and this one was perfectly cooked. Oh yes, I wouldn’t mind living in a Cape Dutch style house …

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  17. I would also look forward to spending another weekend at such a beautiful place. Thank you Corna, I’m taking note of this lovely place filled with great food, amazing views and great hospitality, and adding to my list of places to visit in the near future.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. We had never heard of Morgan Bay before we came to East London – it really is a hidden gem here on the Wild Coast! And we felt really spoiled at the hotel – it’s definitely worth a second (and third) visit 😉. Thank you for catching up on our posts Henrietta, I hope you have a great week ahead.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  18. It’s just so beautiful and the exact restorative break needed. Those views from the breakfast room are incredible – I can see why you didn’t want to leave the hotel. But then those goats….adorable. And the food looks so good. A wonderful place 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I could actually just sit at the breakfast table and stare at the sea all day 🙂. We see a lot of goats on the roads around here and Berto now knows he has to drive slower so I can take photos – they are so cute (especially the little ones). What a lovely weekend – we felt so spoiled!

      Like

      Reply

    1. Yes, when you look at the animals like that, you actually realise why they call it the Wild Coast 🙂. And the food was delicious – that 4 course dinner in the hotel was an absolute treat! Thanks for stopping by Diane, have a great weekend.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Please log in using one of these methods to post your comment:

Gravatar
WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Cancel

Connecting to %s