Doughnuts Backreef, South Africa
Also within 20 km of Gqeberha
- Port Elizabeth Kite spot · 1.7 km from Gqeberha
- Fence Surf spot · 2.4 km from Gqeberha
- King's Beach Surf spot · 2.7 km from Gqeberha
- Denville Surf spot · 3.3 km from Gqeberha
- Humewood Surf spot · 3.5 km from Gqeberha
- 6 pillars Surf spot · 3.9 km from Gqeberha
- New Pier Surf spot · 4.2 km from Gqeberha
- Pier Surf spot · 4.2 km from Gqeberha
Watch this spot We email you when Doughnuts Backreef is worth the trip.
About Doughnuts Backreef
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces S (188°), so it takes swell from the S. The wind blows offshore from the N (8°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–8 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves moderately: 10 m deep about 400 m out (1 in 38). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would crumble. The sea is about 17°C in August, its coldest month (3/2 wetsuit), and 20°C in January, its warmest (2 mm shorty). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually May and June, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Gqeberha. Within 5 km we also list 3 surf spots.
Water about 18°C: 2 mm shorty. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 30 h 30 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to PLZ, changing at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and Cape Town International Airport (CPT).
See flights MDW → PLZ · Skyscanner from about £790 returnAdGetting there. 35 min from the airport to Doughnuts Backreef.
Accommodation.
Nearest beds: Gqeberha, 14 km (about 25 min by car)Ad
No town with beds to book is nearer Doughnuts Backreef: plan on the drive each day you surf.
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Gqeberha, 14 km away (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Gqeberha 25 min by car · rooms from £40 a night · 86 places to stay · where Doughnuts Backreef stays
Places to stay in Gqeberha · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Gqeberha · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Gqeberha · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Doughnuts Backreef on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
Doughnuts Backreef does not suit beginners. This is the forecast for intermediates, so you can see what it does.
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Scorefor Intermediate | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 0, too big | 9 ft9 smushy | 1,134kJ | wind from the west, 10 knots | 18°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 0, too big | 7 ft9 smushy | 783kJ | wind from the south, 12 knots | 17°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 21, poor | 5 ft8 smushy | 262kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 9 knots | 18°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 0, too big | 7 ft8 ssoft | 641kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 5 knots | 20°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 3, poor | 5 ft10 smushy | 456kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 21 knots | 17°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 0, too big | 11 ft8 smushy | 1,351kJ | wind from the west, 17 knots | 18°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 54, good | 4 ft8 scrumbling | 174kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 3 knots | 21°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 19, too small | 2 ft8 smushy | 56kJ | wind from the south-west, 5 knots | 19°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 39, fair | 4 ft7 smushy | 138kJ | wind from the east, 12 knots | 20°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 31, poor | 3 ft6 smushy | 57kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 11 knots | 22°C |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for intermediate surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly MDW to PLZ, changing at ATL and CPT, then 35 min by road. About 30h 30 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf Doughnuts Backreef
Best 17:00 to 20:00 local time: 5 ft at 8 s, wind 9 kn (16 km/h).
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 13 of 80.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Sat 24 OctSurf Doughnuts Backreef
Best 17:00 to 20:00 local time: 4 ft at 8 s, wind 3 kn (5 km/h).
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly MDW to PLZ, changing at ATL and CPT, then 35 min by road. About 30h 30 door to door
Rough cost
About £1,120–£2,220 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return MDW to PLZ, estimated from distance and season, changing at ATL and CPT, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £790–£1,645 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Taxi | airport and back, shared | £20–£35 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £110–£185 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £115–£210 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £50–£80 |
| Total | £1,120–£2,220 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Gqeberha
- Hungry Lion Mbeki Avenue 1Chicken · 0.3 km from the centre
- McDonald's Gqeberha CBDBurger · 0.3 km from the centre
- Hungry Lion Mbeki Avenue 2Chicken · 0.4 km from the centre
- Thats FishyFish and chips · 0.4 km from the centre
- Zebro'sChicken · 0.4 km from the centre
- Kindred KitchenVegan · 0.6 km from the centre
Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits
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