The Eastern Cape
We’ve compiled the best of the best in The Eastern Cape - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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21. Obesa Nursery
This astonishing cactus and succulent specialty nursery is worth getting lost in for a while, as its expansive garden wends and winds like a fantastical maze among thousands upon thousands of spiky plants and quirky sculptures and animal skulls. Johan Bouwer, a retired lawyer with eccentric tendencies and very strong, colorful opinions on just about everything (including American politics—you've been warned), started his cactus collection in about 1960. The garden, which is believed to house over 2 million plants and around 5,500 different species (some of them extremely rare) is the result of a relentless obsession and unfettered passion.
49 Murray St., Graaff-Reinet, Eastern Cape, 6280, South Africa27-079-496–8067Sight Details
Rate Includes: R30, Closed Sat.–Sun. -
22. Observatory Museum
An intriguing study of Victorian-era cutting-edge science, the building was constructed by a watchmaker and amateur astronomer H. C. Gulpin, who built a cupola above his shop to house his instruments. The museum contains a two-story pendulum and the only genuine Victorian camera obscura in the Southern Hemisphere. You can stand in the tower and watch what's happening in the town below—pretty useful if you've lost your companions.
10 Bathurst St., Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, 6139, South Africa046-622–2312Sight Details
Rate Includes: R20, Mon.–Fri. 9–4:30, Closed weekends and public holidays -
23. Oceana Beach and Wildlife Reserve
Oceana Beach and Wildlife Reserve is set on 2,471 verdant and rolling acres of land that hug 7 km (4 miles) of private beach and pristine Indian Ocean. Though this isn't Big Five country, the reserve is home to white rhino, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, blue wildebeest, and a variety of antelope. The reserve's close proximity to both Port Elizabeth and East London make this a great game-viewing option for those who have only a few hours. The pristine, untouched beach is guaranteed to be unlike anything you've experienced in the States. There are no lifeguards or signs to restrict you from walking on the dunes, which are vertical not horizontal. Be sure to wear shoes, as the sand is peppered with coral. Swimming is prohibited, but this is a great place for rock and surf fishing.
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24. Pollock Beach
Adjacent to the suburb of Summerstrand, Pollock Beach is one of the better swimming beaches, with a lovely small natural tidal pool. It also offers great surfing. (Generally the surfing in Gqeberha isn't too challenging, unlike at Jeffreys Bay, just over an hour's drive to the west, which has some pretty exciting waves.) The far end of Pollock Beach is best avoided, as it can get crowded with somewhat boisterous, picnicking, partying crowds. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguard; parking (free); toilets. Best for: partiers; surfing.
10th Ave., off Marine Dr., Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, South Africa -
25. Route 67
CentralConsisting of 67 public artworks by the Eastern Cape's local artists, the route symbolizes the 67 years that the late Nelson Mandela dedicated to the South African fight for freedom. The route runs from the city center to Donkin Reserve and the old lighthouse above that overlook the harbor and the ocean beyond. Here there's a large pyramid built by the city's former governor Rufane Shaw Donkin in honor of his deceased wife, Elizabeth, for whom the city—originally called Port Elizabeth—was named. Stretching from the pyramid toward a towering South African flag is a long and colorful mosaic that references various important aspects of the historic and cultural legacy of the city and the Eastern Cape. Beneath the huge flag is a life-size metal cutout of Mandela (he was taller than you might think) with his fist raised in triumph, and snaking down the steps behind him is a line of South Africans (also life-size) of all ages, colors, and creeds lining up to vote in the 1994 elections. Sixty-seven colored steps lead from this point back to the city below, and along the way you'll find a number of inspiring quotes from Mandela on sheets of metal made to look like pages ripped from a book. Combined with all the other colorful wall paintings, sculptures, and texts, the route has both revitalized and contextualized some of the previously more run-down areas of central Gqeberha, and tells important stories about where South Africa came from and where it is headed.
Donkin Reserve, Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, South Africa -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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26. Sardinia Bay
For a truly fantastic Gqeberha beach experience, very little can beat Sardinia Bay Beach, outside the bay and about a 20-minute drive from the main beaches. Here, miles and miles of deserted, snow-white sand are great for long walks. It's best to come on weekends, however, as during the week it can be isolated and there have been a few incidents of muggings. On weekends there are plenty of people, and you will be perfectly safe. It's also a popular beach for scuba-diving and this part of the coast has been declared a marine reserve, so no fishing is allowed. There are also fire pits so come prepared for a braai. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguard; parking (free); toilets. Best for: snorkeling; swimming; walking.
Sardinia Bay Dr., Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, South Africa -
27. South End Museum
HumewoodSouth End was once the most vibrant part of Gqeberha, until it was flattened by the apartheid-era government to "tidy up" the city and put everything and everyone in their places. At the South End Museum a map, photographs, and paintings give you an idea of what the old South End was like in its heyday.
Humewood Rd. at Walmer Blvd., Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, 6001, South Africa041-582–3325Sight Details
Rate Includes: Donations welcome -
28. Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds
If you'd like to glimpse penguins up close, this dedicated seabird rehab facility at the Cape Recife Nature Reserve offers informative small-group tours, on the hour, from 9 am until 2 pm. Guests learn about the habits and behaviors of African penguins, and watch them waddle, hear them squawk, and—during certain hours—see them being fed. The tour also offers insight into the many threats facing these endangered birds. Be sure to schedule time to explore the nature reserve, a coastal conservancy with excellent bird-watching, and a lighthouse built in 1849.
Marine Dr., Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, South Africa27-41-583–1830Sight Details
Rate Includes: R45 -
29. Steve Biko Centre
The state-of-the-art heritage center, which opened in 2012, is in Ginsberg township in King William's Town (now officially known as Qonce), where Steve Biko grew up. It's actually about a 40-minute drive out of East London, but it's well worth a visit for anyone interested in South Africa's "struggle" history, as well as the development of its young democracy. There's a museum, an archive, a library resource center, a commemorative garden honoring human rights activists, performance and production spaces, training rooms, and a community media center. The center is also the focal point for a heritage trail that consists of various sites that pay tribute to Steve Biko, the South African activist and leading Black Consciousness Movement proponent who died in police custody in 1977 at the age of 31. Biko has often been held up as one of the greatest martyrs of the anti-apartheid movement. Imonti Tours offers a Buffalo City Heritage Tour which includes stops at the center, as well as historic sites in East London, Mdantsane, and Bisho.
1 Zotshie St., Ginsberg, Qonce, King William's Town, Eastern Cape, South Africa+27-043-605–6700Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Closed Sun. -
30. Valley of Desolation
Within Camdeboo National Park, these tall, slender dolerite towers stand some 150 meters (492 feet) tall, rising from the valley floor like russet-colored sentinels at attention, as they have for around 200 million years; in the background, the Sneeuberg mountain range is simply sublime. The scene is extraordinary, and it's no less mystifying any time of day, but try to time your visit for sunset as the rock towers glow crimson in the softening pink light of the Camdeboo dusk. There are a few picnic areas.
Off the R63 to Murraysburg, Graaff-Reinet, Eastern Cape, South Africa27-049-892–3453Sight Details
Rate Includes: R150 -
31. Winged Angel of Peace
The statue of the Winged Angel of Peace commemorates the dead of the Second South African War (1899–1902), also called the Boer War. The site was chosen as one that was "in the midst of our daily work," so it would be seen often and would serve as an inspiration for peace.
Bathurst St., Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, 6139, South Africa
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