Location

Eastern Cape; on the Sunshine Coast about halfway between Port Elizabeth and East London.

A residential (largely retirement) and resort town noted for its fine golf course, its pleasant beaches and its myriad seashells (about 2000 different kinds have been found at the water's edge.)

Port Alfred is situated at the mouth of the Kowie River, which is navigable for about 20 kilometres upstream. Here one can bathe in safety, fish both the river and the ocean (surf , rock or deep-sea), canoe upstream (there's a two-day trail) or hike along the lovely banks. Flanking the river is the small Kowie nature reserve, a popular day-trip destination best reached by boat.

The area's primeval cycad plants and its bird-life are fascinating; the latter includes the imperious African fish eagle. On the seaboard to the north-east is the Great Fish River wetland reserve, where a myriad waders (little stints and greenshanks among them) probe the mudflats of the estuary at low tide.

About 150 years ago efforts were made - very expensive ones - to develop Port Alfred as a major harbour town but the engineers were stalled by tricky technical problems and, when the railway between Port Elizabeth and Grahamstown hosted its first traffic, the project became redundant and was abandoned. Marina (attractively carved from the natural lagoon) dotted with leisure craft and, on its islets, with holiday homes.

Attractions

The Kowie museum features local history. The early Settlers' Methodist church is worth a brief visit. West and Kelly's beaches are much favoured by bathers, sun-worshippers and collectors of marine shells. The local dive school shows scuba enthusiasts the wonders of the deep. And of course there's the nature reserve and the golf course.

Amenities

The tourist information centre, which doubles as a tea-room, is on Causeway. Port Alfred is unusually well served by hotels, guest-houses, B&Bs, self-catering accommodation and camping-caravaning sites. Half a dozen restaurants (including one specialising in exquisite Thai food) cater for the inner person.

Nearest Towns

Grahamstown lies 60 kilometres to the north; Port Elizabeth is along the coastline to the west and East London to the east (the N2 highway is probably the easiest connecting artery; the R72 coastal route meanders inland).

Select a
Place of Interest

NOTE!
The menu above is a jump-menu. Once a name is selected, that page will load immediately

PORT ALFRED

Locations
Attractions
Amenities
Nearest Towns


PROVINCES

Western Cape
Gauteng
Eastern Cape
Free State
Kwazulu Natal
Mpumalanga
Northern Cape
Northern
North West