Port Alfred in the Eastern Cape
South Africa is a large country of about 1.2 m square hectares, and this can lead to many people wanting to fly to places like East London and Cape Town. However, it also means that you miss the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful coastline that stretches along the east coast of South Africa to Cape Town. A trip from East London to the R72 will take you to Port Elizabeth, where you can join the main route N2, which takes you along the Garden Route to Mother City.
The distance from East London to Cape Town is about 1000 km and about 13 hours away, but the best way to agree on this is to break it up into several stops along the way. There are many coastal coastal cities on the route, including the city of Port Alfred, located in an area known as the Sunshine Coast, about 1.5 hours drive from East London.
Port Alfred is a relatively small town with a capacity of about 20,000 inhabitants, which attracts many tourists and vacationers. The city lies on the Cowie River, which flows directly into the Indian Ocean. A rather small boat harbor is a feature of the city and South Africans who rest here, using the harbor to launch their boats, which they bring with them. During the summer season, the Cowie River hums to the sounds of small boats filled with families riding on the river to enjoy water-skiing, walking through the swamp, or just having a pleasant cruise.
On the left and right of the entrance to the sea, sandy beaches have spread for miles. Kelly Beach in the west offers safe swimming and usually saves people during the summer season. For walking and landing on the sand, the best beach is the East Beach with its huge sand dunes. This is also the best place to surf.
The Port Alfred Hotel has many guest houses, B & Bs and self-catering apartments. Self-catering is a lightweight option with many local amenities such as Spar supermarket, pharmacies, Woolworths and other major retailers. There are many good restaurants such as Ocean Basket, which is right on the banks of the Cowie River and is an idyllic place to eat and watch the boats going up and down the river.
The city also hosts major sporting events, such as interschool rowing championships and the UK rowing championship. Both participate annually and attract a huge number of people on different weekends. The port of Alfred also has a diving school and several boats offering deep-sea fishing charters.
Kenton On Sea
Just 25 km farther from the R72 from the port of Alfred, heading to Port Elizabeth, another beautiful seaside town called Kenton-on-Sea. Although it is smaller than Port Alfred, with only about 1,000 residents, it still remains a very popular holiday destination on the coast. Kenton is bordered on two sides by two rivers - the River Carega and Bushman. Between Kenton-on-Sea and the beautiful sandy beaches you will find the Joan Muirhead Nature Reserve, but you can go down the city to choose a parking lot next to the beach. There is a car park on the main beach of Kareig, one on the Middle Beach and one on the Bushman River entrance.
If you go to the parking lot on the main beach of Cariaga, Eastbourne Road, you will also pass Homewoods, which is a card and pizzeria restaurant with an excellent deck, with a beautiful view of the Kariega River and the Indian Ocean. This is a popular place for a snack at lunchtime with a pleasant atmosphere.
The beaches in Kenton-on-the-Sea are a mixture of beautiful sheltered bays and long sandy beaches. The beach at Shelly Bay is a real gem and a great family place to enjoy a beach holiday. The rocks around the bay almost form an amphitheater and create the perfect wind for those occasional windy days along the Eastern Cape. The Mermaid Pool is also a good place and a great place to get family photos at sea. The rock formations along the beaches are amazing, especially the Karelian rock, not far from Shelley Beach.
We love Kenton-on-Sea because inbound and outbound tides create a constantly changing environment, and early morning and late evening create beautiful views of the sand and water along the Kariega River. During the whale season, you can stand on the cliffs of Shelly Bay and watch these amazing creatures and dolphins.
The whole family will love hiring paddle boats and touring the Bushman River. Canoes can be rented at Kenton Marina. Kenton-on-Sea is very close to the Kariega Game Reserve and Sibuya Game Reserve, but if you can afford to stay at one of these private reserves, you can always try the “bad person” game disc. This basically entails driving on public roads that pass through these game reserves and see wherever you are. This is good fun, and you never know what lucky you will see one of the Big 5.
You'll find wonderful self-catering apartments in Kenton, such as the Wagtail Cottage, whose owners personalize the friendly people living in the area.
Useful phone numbers:
Restaurant Homewoods: +27 (0) 46 648 2700
Kenton Marina: +27 (0) 46,648 1223
