Port Elizabeth Holidays

Beaches offer everything from watersports and swimming to picnics in the shade and seafood dinners by the shore. Nature reserves invite you to hike through dunes, forests, and grasslands while birds fly over and native animals scurry around. Delve into the past on the Donkin Heritage Trail with its 150-year-old lighthouse, pyramid memorial, and towering Campanile. Stroll along Route 67 to find a collection of artworks inspired by Nelson Mandela's 67 years in the service of humanity.

Indulge in leisurely hours among the cafés, restaurants, arcades, and venues of The Boardwalk entertainment centre. Wait for sunset and see the dancing fountain show as Gqeberha lights up. Learn the stories of apartheid at the South End Museum or the journey of aviation at the South African Air Force Museum. If you visit at the right time, you could even catch an afternoon of cricket at St George’s Park.

Gqeberha isn’t just a city by the sea, it’s home to some of the best Blue Flag beaches in South Africa.  Surround yourself with playgrounds, entertainments, and restaurants at Kings Beach. Enjoy safe swimming and windsurfing at Hobie Beach. Rest in the shade at Humewood. Or grab a board and go surfing at Pollock. Head west for diving and snorkelling in the marine reserve of Sardinia Bay where horse riders and hikers wander along the unspoiled sands at sunset and sunrise.

Paddle at the ocean’s edge to the lighthouse at Cape Recife Nature Reserve. Feel like fishing? Bluewater Bay and New Brighton Beach are the ideal angling spots on the north side of the city. Families will love Wells Estate, where waterslides and swimming pools sit beside perfect picnic spots. Whatever your preference, there’s a beach for you in Gqeberha.

Just a short drive from the Eastern Cape game reserves and less than three hours from the wildlife sanctuaries of Plettenberg Bay, Gqeberha offers easy access to some of the best animal experiences in South Africa while reserves and parks close to town provide nature without the travel. Spend hours beachcombing and peering into rock pools along the five-mile pathway through Cape Recife Nature Reserve.

Get up close with rescued penguins and other marine birds at the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds. Keep your eyes peeled for caracals, vervet monkeys, and little antelope on the shoreline forest and dune Busbank trail of the Island Nature Reserve. If you have time, head a little further west to amble among colourful flora and thick woodland at the Van Stadens Wildflower Reserve.

Year-round good weather in Gqeberha means the best time to visit is the time that fits best with your plans. Summer, from December to April is the warmest period with temperatures rising towards 30°C and crowds at their highest. Rainfall is also higher during this season but continuous rain is rare.

The coolest months are May to August but average temperatures between 15°C and 25°C and dryer days with lower visitor numbers still make this an ideal time for flexible travellers. Whale watching can be enjoyed all year but humpbacks are more common between June and August and again from November to December while southern right whales arrive from July to November. Game viewing in the nearby Eastern Cape is at its best in the drier winter months of June to September.