In this digital age, the traditional 9-to-5 is evolving, and many of us are discovering the freedom to work from anywhere. South Africa, with its stunning coastlines, vibrant culture, and world class (often empty) waves, is a bucket list destination for any surfer and an awesome place to be a remote worker.
On The Epic Road Trip, we travel from Cape Town up the east coast all the way to Ballito (just north of Durban), with the option to keep going all the way to Mozambique. I first joined this trip in 2019, when I was a fresh faced member of the TTR team, eager to get stuck into the life of a trip leader and surf coach. A whole 5 years later I am back on this adventure, but this time with a fair few more laptop based responsibilities…
I thought it would be fun to do a little blog about how realistic it is to work on this trip, especially as we are seeing more people combine both surf trips with remote work. Currently 5 of our guests are combining travel with some sort of work or study (from writing up a veterinary handbook to part-time data analyst).
Therefore, if you are thinking of joining us and need to do some work/study on the side, good news, it is more than possible. Here’s a breakdown of the locations and their remote work-ability:
Cape Town
We stay at a vibrant backpackers called African Soul Surfer. There is a buzzy communal space with all the remote working necessities as well as a café serving great coffee and food all day. Coffee is a big deal in Cape Town and there’s heaps of coffee shops a stone’s throw from the backpackers. A personal favourite is Hans and Lloyd just next door, which even has a blazing fire which is welcomed after a refreshing September surf (not needed on the January trip as by then the Cape Town water is in the middle of Summer).
Our schedule in Cape Town is pretty busy, packed with surfing and sightseeing, but it was easy to balance working and the trip, with plenty of downtime to chill also.
Sundowners in Cape Town.
TTR Surf Wagon set up.
Plettenberg
Here we enjoy a rural retreat style accommodation – think glamping, starry skies and evenings spent around the Braai (SA BBQ over an open fire). At Firefly Falls there is good WIFI and you can either work from the comfort of your bed (true digi nomad style), or from the large trestle tables in the communal space.
It is so beautiful here and we normally only stop for a few nights – so it’s probably best to try and unplug as much as you can and take time to relax in the hammocks and enjoy the peaceful nature.
A delicious braai for dinner! A must-do when in South Africa.
Cape St Francis
This is a super easy spot to get some work done as the rooms are equipped with a small working area and good WIFI so it’s possible to focus for a couple of hours when needed. On this trip we stayed at Cape St Francis Resort. There is a walkable surf spot, but mostly we took a short drive to surf spots such as Seal Point or Huletts (right by the iconic Bruce’s Beauties from The Endless Summer).
The iconic Bruce’s Beauties! As Bruce’s is a very fickle wave, we surfed a lovely little spot to the left called Huletts.
Making the most of the desk to get through some work.
Jeffrey’s Bay
In J-Bay we stay at the iconic Island Vibe Backpackers, where Ticket to Ride has had the pleasure of visiting since its inception in 2006. This is one of the best places on the trip to easily combine surfing with a bit of work. There are two awesome waves out the front called Kitchen Windows (super fun A-frame) and Phantoms (right hander) and the more famous waves such as Supertubes and Lowers are only a short drive away.
Having these spots right out front makes it really easy to get multiple surf sessions in a day and partake in all other activities on offer. WIFI is good and there are plenty of places all around the backpackers with tables, plug sockets and sofas for working from.
Work views don’t get much better than this – coffee, a rusk, and rolling J-Bay waves in the background.
Productivity essentials = snacks
Cintsa
Buccaneers Beach Lodge is our home in Cintsa, and once again, there is a stunning beach that you can walk to from the accommodation. The views are amazing, nature thriving, and it is really easy to work from your room or from the communal spaces – this is the start of the Wild Coast! We often surf the beach break out front, but also take trips into Yellow Sands or East London to surf Nahoon Beach/Reef.
A little like Plettenburg, it is really nice to switch off here if you can so you really enjoy the natural environment – it is also set up for fun activities such as volleyball, yoga or reading a book in a hammock.
One of the comfiest work set-ups. Self-catering facilities mean coffees and tea on tap.
Cintsa beach is a short walk from the lodge and aside from surfing, is lovely for morning walks or beachcombing for shells.
We scored some super fun waves at a spot called Yellow Sands, just a short drive from the beach lodge.
Coffee Bay
Often one of the most popular spots of the trip, Coffee Bay is situated on the Wild Coast of South Africa. The Transkei is full of beautiful rolling hills, rondavel houses, dramatic cliffs and roaming cows and goats. We stay at the infamous Coffee Shack Backpackers, which is ideally situated near an amazing surf spot. Here 4G can be pretty temperamental, but there is a lovely place to work from at the reception with WIFI connectivity and a charging station.
Once again, it is pretty easy to combine remote work with a real dose of Vitamin Sea…
Coffee Bay Backpackers work station.
We are well and truly on the Wild Coast now!
We have another 9 nights here, then onto Umzumbe, followed by Durban and finally Ballito!
Remote working essentials:
- Laptop, charger and adapter – South Africa have a number of plug sockets but the most common is the rounded 3 pin, so look for for Plug Type D
- Power bank – handy for mobile but can also and can get one that will work for laptops also
- Bluetooth earphones – useful to get in the zone or to take work calls
- Collapsible laptop stand, portable keyboard and mouse – not necessarily essential but handy for a more ergonomic working set up
- Local SIM card – you can purchase a Vodacom SIM card in Cape Town Airport arrivals hall super easily and data is very reasonable. Although all places we stay have WIFI, from my experience it is really useful to have as a back-up to hotspot your laptop, or if the WIFI strength is not that strong. Also it’s great when travelling and advisable from a safety point of view to be connected 🙂
*Please note, accommodation providers are subject to change!
If you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out and drop me a message! Our WhatsApp is +44 20 8788 8668
Some of the crew!