The 2018 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship is around the corner and tens of thousands of top international triathletes and their families are about to flock into Port Elizabeth for a week. Most will never have visited our beautiful city and will have no idea of what to do while they are here. And there is just so much choice – Nelson Mandela Bay is a traveller’s smorgasbord of memorable experiences just waiting to be tasted.
Whatever direction you decide to head, there is something to see and do, and there is so much variety – beaches, forests and mountains for nature lovers, vibey hangouts for city slickers, waves, wind and bumpy tracks for sporty types and history and creativity everywhere for the arty folk. Whether it involves beachcombing, hiking, surfing, eating, culturing, adventuring, chilling or socialising, our lovely little coastal city has it all.
All this choice can be a little overwhelming, so to help make your travel planning a breeze – for the Iron-men, Iron-women and their families and friends, and for everyone travelling to Port Elizabeth for the first time – here is our guide to Nelson Mandela Bay’s Top 5 must-see tourist attractions.
One of the reasons why Nelson Mandela Bay was awarded the honour of hosting the IRONMAN World Championships is our incredible ocean. In addition to providing a perfect setting for the 1.9km swim, the warm Indian Ocean water that laps our shores is known as the Bottlenose dolphin capital of the world. It is home to over 2000 dolphins, the largest breeding colony of African penguins on earth, the biggest gannetry on the planet, Bryde’s and Minke whales, a wide variety of sharks and an annual migration of Orcas, Southern Right and Humpback whales as well as the yearly sardine run whose bait balls create a marine feeding frenzy that is something spectacular to behold.
Penguin spotting at St Croix Island
That should be more than enough reasons to convince you to make sure you book a marine safari when you visit Port Elizabeth. Whatever the time of year, being out on the ocean and visiting the local islands guarantees an experience you will never forget. Tours can be booked with Stampede Cruises, Raggy Charters and Schotia Safaris.
See Cruising PE’s Islands with Stampede Cruises
Aaaah, the iconic Shark Rock Pier. It juts out into the ocean, providing the perfect platform to stand and view our Bay and a distinctive backdrop for a PE selfie. It is located right in the middle of the main beachfront drag and boasts a promenade in both directions. Whether you choose to walk, run, cycle or Segway, the view is magnificent and there is so much to see and do along the way – market stalls, fine restaurants, outdoor parks, swimming pools and beaches. If you haven’t visited PE’s beachfront, you may as well not have visited PE!
See In search of PE’s best beachfront burger, 5 New Adventure Activities to do In Port Elizabeth
Nelson Mandela Bay is the only city in South Africa that is located less than 30 minutes from a National Park. And what a park it is – Addo Elephant National Park is teeming with elephants and other game and its gentle giants draw visitors from across the world. You can rent a car and drive yourself, or opt for a guided game drive. And Addo is not all – Port Elizabeth is literally surrounded by malaria-free game parks. Most offer day packages that include a game drive and a meal and these come highly recommended as they are a wonderful way to see a large variety of wild animals and learn a lot about nature in a short time. If you don’t feel like driving too far, you can visit Kragga Kamma Game Park which is right in town and offers up close and personal experiences with giraffe, rhino and antelope as well as a cheetah enclosure with a raised walk.
Warthogs at Kragga Kamma Game Park
See Self Drive vs Guided Game Drives, Top 5 Eastern Cape Game Reserves
Port Elizabeth has a rich and vibrant heritage and the best way to experience a taste of this is by visiting Route 67. The route consists of 67 public art works symbolising Nelson Mandela’s 67 years of work dedicated to the freedom of South Africa. In the Donkin Reserve you will get to see one of the largest South African flags in the world above a colourful mosaic leading to a stone pyramid built by Sir Rufain Donkin for his wife Elizabeth, after whom the city of Port Elizabeth was named. You can climb up the lighthouse for an incredible 360 degree view over the city and have a photo holding Madiba’s hand as you lead South Africa’s first democratic voting line.
Whether you have only an hour or a whole day, make sure to visit this brightly emotive part of Port Elizabeth.
Guided tours are available at the Donkin visitor information centre inside the lighthouse building (or can be pre-booked). There is also a self-guided audio tour available on the Nelson Mandela Bay app.
See Port Elizabeth from Above – View from a Drone
Nelson Mandela Bay has some of the country’s most beautiful and unspoiled beaches and Africa is renowned for it’s breath-taking beautiful sunsets in every hue of red, orange and yellow. Watching the sunset from the dunes at Sardinia Bay is the best way to combine these two delightful facts into an unforgettably spiritual experience. There is a daily pilgrimage to the dunes and you might be surprised by how many people gather for this phenomenon.
Once you sink into the soft sand, feel the sea breeze in your hair and take in the 180 degree vista you will start to see why. As the red sun sinks in the West and the entire sky turns every colour imaginable you will feel your mind unwind, your spirit recharge and be reminded what an amazing gift it is to be alive.
Sunset at Sards
Those of us lucky enough to live in the Bay or visit regularly, know that there is just so much more than these five experiences to do and see in our part of the world. There are delights around every corner – Nelson Mandela Bay will equally charm outdoor adventure lovers, urbanites, foodies, arty folk, families, couples and solo travellers.
Here are some handy resources for those wishing to delve a bit deeper into Nelson Mandela Bay, by proudly Port Elizabeth based travel bloggers:
Firefly the Travel Guy – Grab a backpack and take a hike
Going Somewhere Slowly – Explore Port Elizabeth’s Pulse
Passing the Open Windows – Listening to untold stories on a township tour
Chasing the Rainbow – Things to do in Port Elizabeth – 1, 2 and 3 Day Itinerary
We would love to hear about your favourite Nelson Mandela Bay attractions and experiences – please contribute to the conversation by leaving a comment with your suggestions for tourists below.
See you in PE!
Thanks Anje – it was fun to try and think like a first time tourist to Nelson Mandela Bay. Lucky people to be coming here for the first time! And it’s a pleasure – you have so much great content about PE, Eastern Cape and the whole of SA!
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