Port Elizabeth, officially Gqeberha, is the largest city on the stretch of coast between Cape Town and Durban and the eastern end of the Garden Route. It has a long, sheltered bay with genuinely good swimming beaches, and it is the closest city to Addo, one of the few malaria-free Big Five parks in the country.
That combination, beach in the morning and elephants in the afternoon, is what makes the city worth more than the single night most Garden Route itineraries give it.
The beachfront
Algoa Bay faces east and is protected from the prevailing southwesterly, which means the water is calmer and warmer than most of the Cape coast. Hobie Beach and Kings Beach are Blue Flag, netted and lifeguarded, with the paved beachfront running between them past the Boardwalk complex. Dolphins are common close in and, between June and November, southern right whales come into the bay.
Recommended Stay · Summerstrand · South Africa
The Beach Hotel
Directly across the road from Hobie Beach and the Boardwalk in Summerstrand, which is the best-placed address in the city for a beach stay. Long-standing, family-run in feel, and an easy walk to most of the beachfront's restaurants.
Addo Elephant National Park
Addo is about forty-five minutes north of the city and is the third-largest national park in South Africa. It holds well over 600 elephants, plus lion, buffalo, leopard and rhino, and is entirely malaria-free, which makes it the obvious safari choice for families and for anyone who would rather not take prophylaxis. Self-drive is straightforward on good gravel roads, and it works perfectly as a full day from a Port Elizabeth base.
Where to stay
Summerstrand is the beachfront suburb and the default choice, walkable to Hobie Beach, the Boardwalk and the university. Humewood next door is slightly cheaper and equally close to the sand. Richmond Hill, on the ridge above the harbour, is the city's restaurant quarter and has the better small guesthouses. Out of town, the Addo lodges let you start a game drive at first light.
When to come
The Eastern Cape has rain spread through the year rather than a distinct wet season, and the climate is mild throughout. Summer, from December to February, is warm and busy with domestic holidaymakers. The best months are arguably February to April and again September to November, when it is warm, quieter and the whales are in the bay.
