Port Elizabeth Travel Video
Port Elizabeth Travel video (PE for short) lies on the Sunshine Coast and certainly has good bathing beaches and surf spots. Its also a convenient gateway to worthy destinations in either direction along the coast, as well as to the eastern Karoo. However, the downtown area, like many city centres throughout the country, is mostly run-down and full of fast-food chains and cheap stores. The more-upmarket shops, chic bars and restaurants have moved out to the suburban shopping centres.
Port Elizabeth Travel video, its industrial satellite towns of Uitenhage and Despatch, and the massive surrounding townships, is collectively referred to by the rather clunky Nelson Mandela Bay Metro City.
Wonderful Port Elizabeth Travel video...
Nelson Mandela Bay - Port Elizabeth
PORT ELIZABETH
Port Elizabeths rich cultural heritage guarantees history lovers a unique insight into the Eastern Capes and the citys diverse and remarkable past.
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, early in the second millennium AD. The forefathers of the isiXhosa speaking people arrived on the banks of the Kei River at about 800AD.
While on his epic voyage of discovery searching for a sea route to the East, the Portuguese Bartolomeu Diaz, rounded the Cabo da Roca in February 1488 and entered Baia da Roca Cape and Bay of the Rock (now Cape Recife and Algoa Bay). Dias also gave the name Ilheus Chaos (Flat Islands) to the Bird Islands. In 1497, Vasco da Gama, successor to Dias, entered Algoa Bay on his voyage to India and noted the Bird Islands. His charts gave Cape Recife its name Cabo do Arricife Cape of the Reef. The Bay was later named Baia de Lagoa by navigator and cartographer Manuel de Mesquita Perestrelo in 1576, referring to the lagoon situated at the mouth of the Baakens River.
By the middle of the 18th century, the number of ships passing the Bay had increased. Occasionally, survivors of shipwrecks were given hospitality by Dutch trekboers (farmers) who had trekked from the Cape in search of good farmland. At the end of 1799, the English, fearing that the French would render military assistance to the Graaff-Reinet rebels, decided to construct Fort Frederick overlooking the mouth of the Baakens River as a permanent military post.
Altogether 4 000 British Settlers arrived by sea in 1820, to become the first permanent British residents in the Albany District. On 6 June 1820, Sir Rufane Donkin, Acting Governor of the Cape Colony at the time, named the new sea port in memory of his late wife, Elizabeth. Before the up-country gold and diamond booms, PE developed into one of the major commercial cities in SA, trading in wool, mohair and ostrich feathers. As a result, the harbour became a bustling port. People traveled to the city in search of trade and labour opportunities. Early Port Elizabeth was characterized by the settlement of European, Cape Malay and immigrant communities. The diverse community lived together according to economic and social status, rather than on an ethnic basis. People have been residing in New Brighton since 1903. However, when the Group Areas Act was legislated in 1950, this resulted in forced relocation (under the apartheid law) among the non-white population and the so-called townships came into being.
Port Elizabeth was the first city in SA to establish a fully integrated, democratic local authority and has long been a leader in the political transformation of the country. Presently, Port Elizabeth is fondly referred to as Ibhayi by Xhosa speakers, Die Baai by Afrikaners, and The Bay by English speakers.
Family Hike in the Groendal Nature Reserve - Eastern Cape, South Africa
Our family finally got to hike the Lower Blindekloof (shorter trail) of the Groendal Nature Reserve, in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, just outside Uitenhage.
Through a miscommunication, we were expecting to do an 8km hike, that turned out to be 8km to the halfway mark, and 8km back. We cut it short with the kids, hiking just over 12km.
Driving to the reserve through the nearby town, you wonder if you are on the right road, with so much trash and litter dumped at the roadside. Persevere though, it's worth it. Several minutes later, we arrived at the reserve entrance and were greeted by really friendly staff.
The hike was amazing, walking through fynbos, Eastern Cape bush, forests and along the river. There are some lovely rock pools, although it was a bit cold for us to swim in the winter.
We all managed, however, we should have carried more water and supplies, we did not expect to hike this far. We all slept well that night, having enjoyed a wild day in the nature reserve.
Please excuse the quality of the footage. I shot this, and the Sacrament Trail on my cell phone - not ideal in the challenging light. That said, I still managed to get some footage and coverage for you to enjoy!!
Amazing south africa group tour
We travel with small groups of 6 to max 12 people..
The biggest advantage of a group: You can see more because you do not have to drive yourself and our expert guides!
Wij reizen met kleine groepen van 6 tot max. 12 personen.
Het grootste voordeel van een groepsreis: u ziet méér omdat u niet zelf hoeft te rijden en door onze deskundige gidsen!
Nelson Mandela Bay - Investment Hotspot
Nelson Mandela Bay has numerous advantages to boost it as a preferred investment destination. These not only include the investment hotspots situated in the Bay, but also the lifestyle and attractions of the Bay as well as its facilities in terms of entertainment, medical and education facilities.
Situated on the shores of the Indian Ocean, this bustling seaport city flaunts an atmosphere of relaxed year-round fun and excitement. Warm, dry summers and mild winter temperatures entice water sport lovers throughout the year. It is home to some of the worlds best sailing venues, first-rate scuba diving with colourful coral species, beautiful reefs and shipwrecks, near perfect conditions for wind-surfing, angling, skin diving, kite-surfing, fly-fishing and canoeing.
Nelson Mandela Bay boasts good telecommunications infrastructure and various modern shopping centres to choose from. In addition there are unspoilt beaches and rivers, ancient rock art sites to clamber up to, about a million hectares of malaria-free game and nature reserves to explore.
The Bay is home to three of South Africas top 10 golf courses, as well as facilities for many other sports. Hiking and 4X4 trailing are popular activities while adventure seekers find adrenalin rushes in activities such as white water rafting and bungee jumping.
Nelson Mandela Bay has beautiful parks, botanical gardens and nature reserves with an abundance of bird life. Many inland and coastal walking trails can be explored in the area.
For nature lovers, the Addo Elephant National Park, situated 73km from Port Elizabeth, offers sanctuary to 170 elephants, the last Cape buffalo and 21 black rhino of the very scarce Kenyan sub-species. A number of other establishments, such as Shamwari, which was named the worlds leading safari and game reserve in 2008, are located in closer proximity to Nelson Mandela Bay offer big-five viewing in a malaria-free environment.
In addition, South Africas only ski resort, Tiffindell, which is situated in the Southern Drakensberg on the slopes of the highest mountain peak in the Eastern Cape (3001 m), is located within driving distance from Nelson Mandela Bay.
Medical facilities in region
Port Elizabeth has three excellent private hospitals and various clinics, as well as four state hospitals. The large hospitals in Port Elizabeth include Netcare Greenacres Hospital and St Georges Hospital. Netcare Greenacres Hospital is a state of the art medical facility that is able to handle virtually all types of medical concerns, from cardiology to dermatology and most any type of surgery. St Georges Hospital is equally modern and well equipped, and like Netcare Greenacres Hospital is recognized in the industry as one of the best health care establishments in the country.
Educational facilities
Port Elizabeth has excellent educational institutions. This includes primary and high schools, technical colleges and two Further Education and Training (FET) institutions. The Bay is also home to the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU), an internationally acclaimed institution of higher learning. NMMU brings together the best traditions of Technikon and university education, and draws on more than a century of quality higher education, in a new kind of university that offers a wide range of academic, professional and technological programmes at varying entrance and exit levels. These range from diplomas to PhDs in seven faculties on eight campuses. With over 20 000 students and approximately 2 000 staff members, NMMU is based on seven campuses or delivery sites within the Nelson Mandela Metro and George (Southern Cape). The educational facilities cater for both local and international students and offer affordable tuition fees.
Kelkiewyn Cafe
Family restaurant in Villiersdorp, South Africa
The last days of Sydenham loco, Port Elizabeth.
South African Tourism - Port Elizabeth / Sunu (Egg Films)
Egg Films' Sunu recently directed 'Nothing's More Fun Than a Sho't Left,' Ireland/Davenport's new domestic tourism spot for South African Tourism with Dr. Malinga.
Smallholding
Smallholding for sale in Theescombe Port Elizabeth
Barrydale
A few houses in the dorp