Destination: Port Elizabeth,
Eastern Cape, South Africa
Description:
Port Elizabeth is the fifth largest city in South Africa and is situated on the east coast. A main city in the Eastern Cape Province, it has a large harbour, beautiful beaches, a developed infrastructure and a good local university.
Tourist must-sees:
This area is a great draw-card for tourists with everything from white sandy beaches to a mixed bag of friendly locals, to the sprawling National Addo Elephant Park only 40 minutes out of the city.
Some top recommendations from me include:
- King’s beach and the Boardwalk shopping complex
- Schoenmakerskop – village and seaside experience
- Bluewater Bay area – beach days, picnic and children’s activities
- Sunday’s River – ferry, estuary and holiday resorts.
- National Addo Elephant Reserve – with “Big 5” and easy driving. It includes whale and dolphin sightings on the coastal reserve side.
- Van Staden’s Wild Flower reserve – hiking, picnicking, bird-watching
My favourite place:
This is, by far, Sardinia Bay – a magnificent white beach with impressive sand dunes, rough coastline and endless rock pools to explore further down the beach. Great for any time of the day, early morning runs, picnics, beach days or romantic evening strolls.
Day Trips:
From Port Elizabeth, a day trip to the following destinations is a breeze: Port Alfred, Addo Elephant Park, St Francis Bay, Bathurst, Grahamstown, Kenton-on-Sea and Plettenberg Bay.
Don’t forget to do the absolutely beautiful drive along the coastline to the north of East London. Grab a picnic lunch and beach gear and explore the coastline to find the hidden treasures of Glen Gariff, Haga-Haga and Morgan’s Bay too!
Fun facts:
Nicknames: The Friendly City, The Windy City, Algoa Bay, P.E., The Bay,
Title: Port Elizabeth was not named after Queen Elizabeth as often assumed, but after the late wife of its founder, Sir Richard Donkin.
