Port Elizabeth, top city in the Eastern Cape, is a cosmopolitan city and a country town all rolled up into one extremely pleasant holiday experience. The shopping centres of Walmer, the beachside restaurants of Summerstrand, the glorious architecture of Central and the well-run, accessible local airport all combine to make Port Elizabeth a very entertaining city.
Amazing Bathing
The main attraction of Port Elizabeth is its 40 km of stunning beaches. This is where the surfer and the swimmer find delight – the waters are warm, the weather is temperate and the waves are world-famous. From Humewood Beach to Hobie Beach to Kings Beach, sunbathing and bodysurfing are the order of the day. And quite often you’re well within sight of a pod of dolphins having their own good times out at sea.
One of the most popular seaside activities is beach trekking, and the coastline of Port Elizabeth is especially suited to this. The hiking trails vary in intensity to accommodate most levels of age and fitness.
Colourful Culture
First came the San (Bushmen), then the Khoisan (Iniqua Hottentots), followed by the Xhosa and then various European arrivals, culminating in the arrival of 4 000 British settlers in 1820. In fact, a short stroll around Central and Richmond Hill will reveal more than a touch of English culture in the nature of the architecture. Standing in Havelock Square, for instance, is like being in any of a 100 spots around London.
But the city has also played host to Chinese, Indian and Cape Malay families for centuries, and today that has been added to by the arrival of West Africans, Zimbabweans and Mozambicans who have come to find their fortunes in the friendly city by the edge of the Indian Ocean.
Township Tours
Besides an opportunity to learn about more the city’s anti-apartheid struggle history, guided-tours of Port Elizabeth’s informal settlements offer a fascinating glimpse into hot-and-hip modern-day township life in South Africa. Red Location in New Brighton is one of the one of the best known township s. Established in 1903, the township earned its name from the rusted iron sheets of the buildings and everyone began calling the settlement Red Location.
Red Location was a hotbed of political activity from the fifties through to SA’s first democratic elections in 1994. Many of the ANC movement’s leaders came from this place or operated from here. One of the newest additions to the regular township tour is the Red Location Museum. The museum, which has won international design awards, is themed and shaped around the “memory box” concept. Migrant mineworkers used to carry memory boxes with them, full of items that would remind them of home.
Especially for Kids
The city is primarily geared for family holidays at the sea, with special emphasis on children’s entertainment. Take the kids on the Sea Breeze Express, a mini-train operating along the Kings Beach Promenade. A long-time favourite, Happy Valley, is still going strong. Here, families wander through a lush park festooned in night lights of all colours. The various freshwater pools and tidal pools come with water chutes and snack bars and lifeguards.
Night Life
For the older ‘kids’ who like another kind of night life, live entertainment abounds in the various music venues of the city. Port Elizabeth has seen a boom in the development of local talent, and the level of creativity and fun is at an all-time high. From the shopping mall movie complexes to the township shebeens that pulse with excitement and local atmosphere, to the late-night taverns and the all-round leisure attractions of the Boardwalk Casino and Entertainment World in Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth after dark is a different animal to its daytime persona of family vacation spot.
Many Museums
Port Elizabeth is filled with interesting museums. Visit the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Museum, Eastern Province Society of Arts and Crafts ( EPSAC) and the Cuyler Street Galleries to see the work of local and international artists. Of special interest is the new aviation art gallery that displays depictions of the old flying machines of yesteryear alongside more recent locally-flown aircraft.
Literary Treasures
Of special interest are the second-hand bookshops where you can hunt down literary gems and bargains. If you’re looking for good, affordable Africana literature, Port Elizabeth is where you’ll find it. Books & Bygones in Central, Classics and Fogerty’s (both in Walmer) are the city’s 3-favourite second-hand and new bookshops.
Musical Roots
The Opera House and Feather Market Centre are the city’s 2 prime performance venues for dance, drama, opera, symphonic music and various cultural shows reflecting the province’s Xhosa roots.
With its mix of pristine coastline, natural beauty and breadth of cultures Port Elizabeth spells magic for holidaymakers.
© Donkin Memorial photograph courtesy and copyright of Chris Marais
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