The pretty village of Cintsa is situated on the banks of the Cintsa Lagoon and takes its name after the "crumbling" of its banks by floodwaters. The river separates the village into two areas, known as Cintsa East and Cintsa West respectively. The centre of town, Cintsa East, is situated on the northern shore of the estuary and today there is much development in the area. The village lies 30km north of East London and is in the East Coast resorts area which is marked by little bays and river mouths.