The Purple Haze Eco Hotel. Picture: booking.com

The age of environmentally friendly hotels has seen a rise in recent years, with South Africa hosting its fair share of eco hotels across the country. 

One of those hotels happens to be the Purple Haze Eco Hotel based in the Eastern Cape. 

Located between Haga Haga and Khamanga Bay just east of East-London on the verge of the old Transkei, the eco hotel sits perched upon a hill surrounded by the nationally-protected Amathola coastal forest on all sides, and an uninterrupted 360º view over the 15km of deserted, achingly beautiful Indian ocean coastline that is Moonlight Bay. 

Far away from the bustling city, Purple Haze offers a relaxing space for you to put your feet and rest your body while listening to the uninterrupted sounds of the ocean and stargazing during the night time. 

The eco hotel offers a number of wheelchair-friendly units that each serve as flatlets - allowing guests to self-cater during their stay or dine at a nearby restaurant. 

These units go by the name of: Sleepy Yoda, Jillybean, Orange Chameleon, Sanctuary, and Bay Dream.

Activities at the hotel include: hiking, biking, mountain biking, horse riding, surfing, kite surfing, fishing competitions, kayaking, a round of golf, game viewing, the annual Wild Coast Jikeleza Festival, market days, microlight & helicopter trips, quad biking, zip lining, beer tasting - all within a 15 minute drive radius of the lodge.

The Purple Haze Eco Hotel contributes to protecting the sensitive environment of the Eastern Cape by using lightweight steel and timber products to build their units, as well as biodegradable paint.

Majority of the products used to create the hotel are recyclable, with the geysers operating using gas and solar panels. 

IOL