About Port Elizabeth

Port Elizabeth, also known as Nelson Mandela Bay in honour of South Africa’s ex-president, is the commercial capital of the Eastern Cape, a major sea port and a popular tourist destination. Part of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, Port Elizabeth (aka the Windy City and the Friendly City) is a big city with a warmhearted, small-town attitude. Gateway to the scenic Eastern Cape, it can be found at 33°57’29”S 25°36'00”E or half way between Cape Town and Durban on the N2 highway.

Not only is it home to the Coega deepwater harbour and the country’s motor industry, but it also boasts an international airport, swathes of beautiful beaches and a rich cultural heritage traceable back to the San people, and then Bartholomew Diaz and Vasco da Gama. The 1820s saw the arrival of shiploads of British settlers to its shores: many of their quaint houses are still standing in the town, which Sir Rufane Donkin, acting Governor of the Cape Colony at the time, named after his wife Elizabeth. (The oldest surviving settler’s house is the lovingly-restored 7 Castle Hill, which dates back to 1827.)

Today, Port Elizabeth comprises numerous residential, commercial and industrial suburbs. Despite the tough economic climate, construction and renovation is widespread. Excellent schools abound, as do medical and sporting facilities, shops and restaurants.

Wildlife enthusiasts are sure to be bowled over by Port Elizabeth’s wealth of nature reserves, which include the Addo Elephant Park. Home to the Big Seven, namely elephant, lion, buffalo, rhino, leopard, the great white shark and the southern right whale, it is also inhabited by a multitude of antelope species and other animals.

PE’s sub-tropical climate makes it possible to enjoy the beaches and sea almost year-round. (For the record, the Windy City isn’t the windiest place on earth. This attribute belongs to Cape Denison on Commonwealth Bay in Antarctica, which has an average wind speed of 20 m/s. The windiest place in South Africa is Cape Point with an average wind speed of 6.9 m/s. Information courtesy weatherSA.co.za)

Increasingly regarded as South Africa’s water sports capital, “The Bay” has a wealth of water activities on offer, from scuba diving, snorkeling and kiteboarding to windsurfing, surfing and fishing. Alternatively, there are ocean cruises, ghost tours, museums, art galleries, libraries, golf courses, bowling greens and a host of other activities to enjoy.