• To do and See
    To do and See

Nelson Mandela Bay Activities & Attractions

The metropole of Nelson Mandela Bay, comprises the seaport city of Port Elizabeth, the inland towns of Uitenhage and Despatch, and the riverside villages of Colchester and Cannonville, and was so named to honour the legendary Nelson Mandela. Not only was the late Nelson Mandela an international role model, the first president of a democratic South Africa, anti-apartheid revolutionary, politician and philanthropist, he was Madiba, son of this area, who was born in, and spent his formative years on the rolling green hills of the Eastern Cape.

Algoa Bay Hope Spot

Hope Spots are protected areas in the ocean that have magnified importance in terms of restoring and maintaining ocean health.The Indian Ocean in Algoa Bay hosts a unique ecosystem. Due to dynamic interactions between the dominant Agulhus Current carrying warm water southwards and upwellings of cold nutrient-rich water, the shallow shelf of Algoa Bay provides a perfect platform to sustain a large suite of marine species.

The stunning St Croix and Bird Island groups, seven islands in total, are without doubt the main draw cards of Algoa Bay. St Croix hosts the largest African Penguin breeding colony on earth, close to 50% of the world population. Bird Island is home to the largest gannetry on the planet, a quarter of a million of the vulnerable Cape Gannets.

Nature and Wildlife

Nelson Mandela Bay is the home of the Big 7 (Lion, Leopard, Cape Buffalo, Elephant, Rhinoceros, Southern Right Whale, and Great White shark in the Marine Section), offering an unbeatable blend of seaside and safari holiday in the malaria-free Eastern Cape. Port Elizabeth is within an hour’s drive of several internationally acclaimed game reserves, such as Shamwari and the Addo Elephant National Park.

Historical

Nelson Mandela Bay bears the rich legacy of an area that saw the first meetings of Khoisan, British, Dutch, German and Xhosa people. As the landing place of the 1820 British Settlers, it offers a wealth of historical attractions, such as the Donkin Reserve, the Donkin Heritage Trail, The Campanile, No. 7 Castle Hill Museum, and many more. The Great South African Flag on the Donkin Reserve, measures 12m x 8m, is the biggest in South Africa, and it flies from the highest flagpole (45m) in the country.

Beaches

Port Elizabeth’s pristine beaches are legendary, with wide expanses of golden sands which are ideal for safe, sheltered swimming and other water sport and beach recreational activities. Professional lifeguards patrol most beaches during summer.

As one travels along Marine Drive to the picturesque seaside village of Schoenmakerskop, 24km away, there are picnic spots, coves, rock pools and holiday resorts located along the rocky section of the shore. Pods of dolphins have frequently been sighted in the area. Schoenmakerskop is also the starting point of the very popular eight-kilometre Sacramento hiking trail. Sardinia Bay, situated between Schoenmakerskop and Sea View, is accessed by travelling along Sardinia Bay Road. This popular beach has picnic facilities and is regarded as one of the best walking and horse riding beaches with miles of unspoiled coastline.

Arts and Culture

Nelson Mandela Bay offers a true ethnic mosaic. Various venues showcase a variety of locally produced art work. Nelson Mandela Bay’s “Townships” are steeped in history, tradition and culture, offering Political and Historical Township Tours, and Shebeen (informal drinking halls) Tours. 

The Donkin Reserve, is home to multiple pieces of public art that form part of a collection of 67 pieces of art throughout the city. The “Route 67” arts journey celebrates the 67 years of Nelson Mandela’s political life through a visual collection of works produced by local artists. The result is an incredible tourism route known as the Arts Journey – which includes exhibitions and showcases on the Route 67 and at the refurbished Athenaeum gallery, ArtEC, the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum, the South End Apartheid Museum and Ron Belling Gallery.

Adventure and Sport

Nelson Mandela Bay hosts a variety of national and international sporting events at various venues such as the St. Georges Cricket ground and the state-of-the-art Nelson Mandela Bay stadium, which was constructed for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and regularly hosts rugby and soccer games, music festivals and more. Nelson Mandela Bay is also proud host to Iron Man Africa event annually. 

Port Elizabeth, tagged as the "Water sport Capital" of Africa, offers unrivalled conditions for open water swimming, sailing/yachting, scuba diving, fishing/angling and boat cruises. Boat charters offer breakfast cruises, sunset cruises, cruises to the islands and specialized whale watching cruises. Jeffreys Bay, a neighbouring coastal town, is world renowned as the “Surf Mecca of the world” and is home to the world’s best right hand surf break. 

The action adventurer needs to look no further as Nelson Mandela Bay and surrounding areas are jam-packed with adventure. Activities include hiking trails, horse riding, sand boarding and quad biking over the dunes and along the beach in specific demarcated areas. Cyclists can keep active on safe tarred roads or take the scenic gravel roads through beautiful farmlands and nature areas.