/ 30 March 2010

Port Elizabeth: heritage

Port Elizabeth: Heritage

As the country’s second-oldest city, Nelson Mandela Bay has a wealth of historical attractions and museums.

Addo National Park
Situated about 70km north of the city centre, Addo National Park is the most popular of its kind in South Africa and home to more than 450 elephants. It was opened in 1931 to save the Cape Buffalo and Eastern Cape Elephant from extinction. Today, the park offers an unrivalled opportunity to view the ‘big seven’, consisting of the buffalo, elephant, lion, leopard and rhino, plus the Southern Right Whale and Great White Shark. In 2006, the park received a top accolade: the government’s coveted Kudu Award for the best national park, ranger and park manager in South Africa. — Fifa

The Boardwalk
The Boardwalk Casino and Entertainment World is a stylish location on Port Elizabeth’s beachfront, a carefully selected mixture of specialist shops, crafts, restaurants and entertainment venue. The casino has electronic, smart-card operated slot machines and its gaming includes wide-area progressive slots. Games such as Dream Machine, Superslam and Millennium Mania are on offer, while the tables offer American Roulette and Magic Poker. The complex is open 24 hours a day. — Fifa

Main beaches
Most visitors enjoy the city’s main beachfront area along the Marine Drive, which leads to the legendary Humewood, King’s, Hobie and Pollock beaches. These form part of the city’s 40km expanse of magnificent, unspoiled golden beaches. Humewood Beach, Hobie Beach, Wells Estate and King’s Beach all have Blue Flag status, a top international award for safety, amenity, cleanliness and strict environmental standards. As you stroll on the golden sands, you may see pods of dolphins at play and cormorants hunting in the Indian Ocean. Stop to watch the intertidal sealife in the sheltered rocky pools, and then proceed to the pier, which offers a magnificent view of the Bay. — Fifa
The Donkin Heritage Trail
As the second-oldest city in South Africa, Nelson Mandela Bay has a wealth of historical attractions, museums and places of interest. Follow the popular Donkin Heritage Walking Trail, which encompasses 47 places of historic interest, many of them magnificent Victorian and Edwardian buildings. The city centre square in front of City Hall boasts the city’s main library, a spectacular Victorian Gothic structure. In front of the Library is a white Carera marble statue of Queen Victoria. A highlight is a visit to No. 7 Castle Hill, one of the oldest surviving cottages in the city, which is furnished in period colonial style. — Fifa

  • Tel:041 585 8884
  • The Kragga Kamma Game Park
    In a hurry, but want to experience African safari close up? Then visit the Kragga Kamma Game Park, situated barely 25 minutes from City Hall. The Park is home to white rhinos, buffalo, cheetah, giraffe, zebra, nyala, bontebok, lechwe and many more species. All the animals roam freely, unrestricted in natural surroundings. As no hunting or other disturbance of the game is permitted, visitors always get close up views and great photo opportunities. Either take a drive through the park on the well-maintained roads (no need for a 4×4), or choose the two-hour guided tour in an open Land Rover with a professional guide providing you with interesting information on the animals and the historical background to the area. — Fifa

    • Address: Kragga Kamma Road, Port Elizabeth
    • Tel:041 379 4195
    • Website