Lwandile, South Africa
Also within 20 km of Coffee Bay
- Coffee Bay point Surf spot · 0.9 km from Coffee Bay
- Hole in the Wall Surf spot · 6.3 km from Coffee Bay
- Mdumbi Surf spot · 8.8 km from Coffee Bay
- Sharpleys Reef Surf spot · 13.9 km from Coffee Bay
- Presleys Bay Surf spot · 16 km from Coffee Bay
Watch this spot We email you when Lwandile is worth the trip.

About Lwandile
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces SE (123°), so it takes swell from the SE. The wind blows offshore from the NW (303°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–9 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 21°C in August, its coldest month (2 mm shorty), and 26°C in February, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best month is usually June, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Coffee Bay. Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots.
Water about 22°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 32 h door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to UTT, changing at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB).
See flights MDW → UTT · Skyscanner from about £795 returnAdGetting there. 1 h 30 from the airport to Lwandile.
Accommodation.
Nearest beds: Coffee Bay, 14 km (about 25 min by car)Ad
No town with beds to book is nearer Lwandile: 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 Coffee Bay, 14 km away (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Coffee Bay 24 min by car · rooms from £40 a night · 15 places to stay · where Lwandile stays
Places to stay in Coffee Bay · Booking.com AdHole in the Wall 34 min by car · rooms from £40 a night · 8 places to stay
Places to stay in Hole in the Wall · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Coffee Bay · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Coffee Bay · GetYourGuideAd
Where it is
Lwandile on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
Lwandile 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 | 16, poor | 5 ft10 smushy | 397kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 9 knots | 24°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 11, poor | 4 ft8 scrumbling | 190kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 16 knots | 19°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 28, poor | 4 ft8 smushy | 185kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 8 knots | 21°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 40, fair | 3 ft8 smushy | 80kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 2 knots | 25°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 0, too big | 8 ft9 ssoft | 1,036kJ | wind from the south-west, 2 knots | 23°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 0, too big | 7 ft8 ssoft | 630kJ | wind from the south-west, 10 knots | 23°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 21, poor | 6 ft9 ssoft | 479kJ | wind from the north-east, 12 knots | 23°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 28, too small | 3 ft7 smushy | 78kJ | wind from the south-west, 12 knots | 24°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 32, poor | 3 ft6 smushy | 86kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 5 knots | 21°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 15, too small | 2 ft8 scrumbling | 72kJ | wind from the north-east, 12 knots | 23°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 UTT, changing at ATL and JNB, then 1h 30 by road. About 32h door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf Lwandile
Best 17:00 to 20:00 local time: 4 ft at 8 s, wind 8 kn (16 km/h).
- Wed 21 OctSurf Lwandile
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 8 s, wind 2 kn (3 km/h).
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 35 of 80.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly MDW to UTT, changing at ATL and JNB, then 1h 30 by road. About 32h door to door
Rough cost
About £1,155–£2,280 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 UTT, estimated from distance and season, changing at ATL and JNB, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £795–£1,655 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £50–£85 |
| 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 | £1,155–£2,280 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Coffee Bay
- Zac's Seafood Kitchen0.2 km from the centre
- Papazela's Pizza0.5 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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Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.