Is South Africa the ULTIMATE road trip adventure? | NO CONTEST OFF TOUR

To millions of intrepid travellers South Africa is an incredible country teaming with wildlife and outdoor adventure, but for surfers “The Rainbow Nation” is even better still. From the gritty city vibes and sand-bottomed barrels of Durban, all the way down to the world-renowned right points of Jeffreys Bay and Cape Saint Francis, 1000km away at the southern end of the Transkei, lies a ribbon of ocean that is as wave rich as any comparable coastline on the planet.
It's not just the waves that draw you to Africa however, as Ashton Goggans discovers in the latest episode of No Contest. Aided by South Africa’s preeminent surfing adventurer, the venerable Alan Van Gysen, and hosted by global surfing icons Jordy Smith and Mikey February, Ashton and a crew of local characters surf their brains out in world class waves while discovering the history of this colourful corner. The big names like Jordy and Mikey aren’t the only ones to steal the show. Zulu surfer “Surprise” Maphumulo is a beautiful revelation, demonstrating why he’s affectionately known as Little Italo; hard charging Durbanite young guns Shane Sykes and Sophie Bell prove to the world their invitations to the Vans Pipe Masters last year were no fluke, and Luke Thompson and Luke Slijpen showcase that the future of South African surfing is bright.
Never one to miss a meal, Ashton samples local fare the length of the coast, and learns the fun way that in South Africa the exchange rate is always in your favour. As boardshorts and bikinis give way to heavy duty rubber, the crew sign off in Jeffreys Bay, the jewel of African surfing, and the world’s greatest pointbreak.
“J-Bay is South Africa’s pride and joy,” says Mikey February, before Jordy Smith, the best to ever do it out there, sums his favourite playing field up even more precisely. “It’s everything a surfer could ever want; speed, power and flow in one wave.” Hit play on the video above then start booking your flights to one of the wildest wonders of the surfing world, South Africa.
#nocontest #southafrica #surfing
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[@RedBullSurfing]

Hungry for more? Tune in on Red Bull TV for all the latest No Contest action: win.gs/3UvMVOO

[@planetvegeta26]

Absolutely love SA such an amazing country I drove the whole garden route stopped at J Bay, Petenberg bay, Knysna too and all the way past Hermanus and up to Cape Town it was the trip,of a lifetime, much love from the UK

[@ivanlabuschagne8324]

Germans and Dutch are buying up the houses between Cape Town and port Elizabeth

[@PA96704]

I worked in the Middle East and all my best mates are South African. I finally visited there and wondering if I should sell my things in Hawaii. I love the People, food, country, and life style....20 to 1 is a cherry on top. Mahalo Brothers I'll be back!

[@deanhapgood7090]

What an amazing job. Well done Team Red Bull. Thank you

[@jennymcewan8258]

So awesome to see places and people I know portrayed in such a positive way! I'm inspired to do the road trip again.❤

[@Janickoriti]

Just loving this series so much, South Africa has so much to offer even living here I haven’t explored enough yet

[@ca9968]

I grew up in Jhb but holidayed at my aunt and uncle`s place in Port Alfred for many years between 1987 and 2008, I learned to fish, spearfish and surf there with my cousin and his friends...sitting here now in a very cold, wet and miserable UK and seeing this, I need to go home...

[@higherresolution4490]

All your videos are first-rate, and then some! I'm from Laguna beach, California, but I lived in Australia during the 1980s. However, I never paddled over to South Africa. This was a fascinating video showing a bit of what town & surf life is like up and down the coast. Many thanks!

[@AVOVAMEDIA]

Australia and South Africa are actually not paddling distance from each other, so good thing you didn't.

[@higherresolution4490]

​@@AVOVAMEDIAI love your humor!

[@UnhappyHippo]

Great video! Loving these, nothing better then sipping that morning coffee and chucking one of these on before going out for a surf 🏄‍♂️ Just got back from Jbay, didn’t score though 😢

[@icguys]

I moved to Cape Town from New Smyrna Beach Florida and have been living here for almost a year I can tell you it’s not for everyone but I would never move back to the US if you can stay earning USD you will live the best life here and the people here are also way nicer then most Americans

[@ErloBrown1]

Beautiful film. Thanks for not blowing up any of our spots in the Western Cape.

[@TaranakiGreenfields]

Epic! What a country. Loved watching this. YEOW!!! CHUR FROM THE NAKI NZ

[@patriciaoreilly8907]

Beautiful country.

[@johanmaritz9849]

Great video!!! Sorry you could not stop at Nahoon reef on way down to JBay😃

[@vanlifewanda6290]

I love attending the Gunston 500!! Shesh that was a long time ago. Done this route a few times - awesome vlog love my country!

[@ryanmatthews4239]

Love this. Thanks, Red Bull. Great work. Live in Salt Rock, KZN. Waves everywhere and great people. Best Acai bowls at Shane's Mi Acai!

[@user-eh5ln2sd1n]

I love everything about this ❤shows us differ things to do for self

[@thefutureofsurfing]

epic production. well done.i did the same route, hitchhiking solo in 94-95

[@brannoxaf]

Siiiissssa come alive no one way!!

[@kakedon6476]

It is so cool i love nevermind and the surf at St Francis is amazing

[@mathysscheepers7007]

Fantastic!

[@robertblackett5906]

After visiting in July, all I want to do is go back and spend more than a couple weeks. Luckily scored the JBay comp before it got removed...

[@josephparko]

These videos will send me broke

[@TextsCentral]

I was in Durban the other day im sure there's another big surf store right next to them all called 42 Surf Shop where Colby surfboards I think the name is called is made. Or did you guys just not include them ahahaha?

[@aaron_jordaan]

They just didn’t include it

[@ryanmatthews4239]

Kevin Colby's boards are sick.

[@papastreets]

I'm really enjoying the surf footage in no contest lately. Lots of pros ripping, interspersed with a tubby surf journo bogging rail.

[@mtbmike1328]

Great to see old friends the Sykes family.

[@790Area]

AVG=Living Legend 😎🤙

[@rodeo241]

Sadly, J-Bay won't be on tour next year anymore 😢

[@pugglesprindle2698]

That looks like a body boarding paradise

[@luckybeanzphoto]

Nice to see SA in a positive light. Though sadly there are some real issues that need to be addressed. Currently many of the beaches from Durban to Cape Town have serious water quality issues and have been closed du to e.Coli outbreaks from raw sewage running into the water. This is due to many of the treatment plants failing from lack of maintenance and lack of power due to ongoing load shedding by eskom, the government run electricity supplier. There is also a serious concern that the country will run out of clean drinking water in the next decade as quality continues to diminish . Add to this the constant concern that your car won't be there when you come out of the water and it really spoils what should be an incredible country.

[@higherresolution4490]

Wow! What an unfortunate predicament. It seems like every utility company, transnational corporation and every federal government in the world is in a state of disintegration due to corruption and greed at the highest levels.

[@roblucci2366]

Oh shut up!

[@ToxicOverdos]

Ashton is like the uncle everyone wants to have

[@BirkhangBoroVloge]

❤❤❤

[@DaveAsher]

Thanks for skipping over East London completely. Locals will be stoked you didn't mention the most consistent surf spot in SA, Nahoon Reef! 😎

[@SVSeaChange]

Yup, but I guess they could not go everywhere. I grew up near Nahoon Reef. Now in Cape Town kitesurfing and they did not stop here either, but then Dungeons only fires rarely in summer.

[@timchristokat9978]

i miss home

[@JanOosterhoff]

Sharing crack!

[@jayd3931]

I find this interesting. I've wanted to travel South Africa for years, but all the former South Africans that live near me tell me the place is fucked, and not to go. Not a single one says they would ever consider moving back.

[@yorkhunt9810]

Visiting is different than living there... The surf is world class it's just sharky

[@bryan_garrick_little]

Don’t listen to those who’ve left . They are notorious for being negative , it helps them justify leaving this incredible (yes it’s complicated) but it’s rewards far outweighs the risk .

[@higherresolution4490]

My niece and her family almost moved to South Africa, having found some fantastic towns along the coast south of Cape Town. They moved to Spain instead, but I don't think their decision was predicated on anything other than the cost of moving all their stuff (horders) to South Africa. Also, a friend of mine and her family who are South African moved back to South Africa 4 or 5 years ago and are happy that they did. What an amazing coastline view they have living in an equally amazing home. In my own experience, all the places I've been warned against visiting have turned out to be fantastic experiences. I think a lot of it depends upon your attitude.

[@rosshamber429]

Yeah I’m a saffa. I lived in Europe for many years and thought I’d never move back but I did. Yes we have our problems - many. But I don’t regret it at all. There’s no place like it. Always be my home

[@dylanmartin4595]

Two words ,racism and crime. But if you can get past that it’s fucking sick bru

[@pkpratt1193]

Sa is the best

[@user-bv5ry7kv9y]

16:39 bro wasn’t even taking pictures :|

[@user-wh5ml4we4u]

Shark spotters eastern cape really???😂😂😂

[@thespartan8476]

Oil, resources, diamond and gold. US and Britain are already in Guyana to protect oil and gold from Venezuela. They really follow the money.

[@colleensainsbury9022]

We live a very good life here on the east coast of Africa Don't believe the moans.

[@davidhavard1908]

So sharky .,

[@nativealaska]

What a great country too bad they ruined it

[@kierenvanderhaar6329]

I'm sorry this a extremely false narrative about south African(Especially S.A surfer culture)!!!!!!

[@nige-cb7jj]

yeah, if you want to die. what a stupid question

[@leosonbentley2770]

Your brain lacks oxygen

[@bodhionultimateride2660]

Stop with your lying that Africans are surfers.

[@Fishnutz737]

Cool video

[@foonatt]

I’m a little confused...do you guys actually want people to come live there? Surf wise I can’t believe that. Or is it just come stay on temp visa and spend boatloads of cash on finite stay that you want?

[@brannoxaf]

🤫🤫❌

[@aaron_jordaan]

South Africa is usually painted in a very negative light due to people being naive this video shows what a wonderful country it is when you look away from the corruption of the government.

[@sunilkumarguptakumargupta6484]

❤❤❤