Pacific World

Port Elizabeth

Port Elizabeth, known as ‘The Friendly City’ stretches for 16 km along Nelson Mandela Bay, and is one of South Africa’s most strategic sea ports.  It is regarded as the official gateway to the scenic Eastern Cape province and is referred to as the ‘water sports capital’ of southern Africa. 

The city has a remarkable history. The nomadic San were the earliest group of indigenous people known to live in the Eastern Cape. The Khoi displaced the San into the mountains and semi-desert area, early in the second millennium AD. Several centuries later, a journey of discovery to find a route to the East brought the Portuguese, Bartolomeu Dias to the area in 1488, naming it “Baia da Roca” (Bay of the Rock). Vasco da Gama (1497), Manuel de Mesquita Perestrelo (1576) and the British Settlers (1820) all form part of Port Elizabeth’s rich past.  

Fantastic weather and an enormous range of attractions make it a great place for a totally relaxing vacation. Port Elizabeth is an extension to the Garden Route, and gateway to the Eastern Cape Safaris including Addo Elephant Park.

Port Elizabeth was the first city in South Africa to establish a fully integrated, democratic local authority and has long been a leader in the political transformation of the country. A host of cultural activities offer you an insight into the lives of the Xhosa people, and other cultures of the region.

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