Friday, January 15, 2021

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Port Elizabeth City Tourism, Map, Weather, Hotels, Beaches, Townships, Attractions, Accomodation, Municipality

 
 
Port Elizabeth or Nelson Mandela Bay often known by its initials PE and colloquially as "The Friendly City" or "The Windy City", is a major seaport city and most populous city in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Port Elizabeth is the seat of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa's second largest metropolitan district by area,circular reference It is the most-populous city of the Eastern Cape, the sixth most-populous city in South Africa and the cultural, economic and financial centre of the Eastern Cape. The city is among the top five cities in the world for pleasant weather, according to a 2014 scientific climate study of 600 global cities.Port Elizabeth is known for many blue-flag beaches along the city's urban coastline; its popularity as an international and local holiday destination; and its rich and diverse cultural heritage. It is a tourism gateway city for the Eastern Cape and the only city with the closest proximity to malaria-free big five game reserves.

The economy of Port Elizabeth is primarily oriented towards automotive assembly, manufacturing and export industries, and the city is also a major South African and sub-Saharan African destination for investment. Foreign direct investments of $19,8 billion has been secured over the past decade.Several Fortune 500 companies have a presence or their African operations headquartered in Port Elizabeth. The city's most prominent landmarks are Shark Rock pier, the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, and the Donkin Reserve.

Port Elizabeth is a popular domestic and international holiday destination. It is a gateway city for Eastern Cape's adventure, outdoor and African big five game, malaria-free safari tourism.

Port Elizabeth is located in the south eastern coast of South Africa. It is situated on the western portion of Algoa Bay, adjacent to the Indian Ocean. The city lies 770 km east of Cape Town, between South Africa's Garden Route and Wild Coast. Port Elizabeth covers 251 square kilometers of the Nelson Mandela Bay metropolitan area, South Africa's sixth largest metropolitan municipality.Fortune 500 companies are present or have their African operations headquartered in the city.Port Elizabeth is the second oldest city in South Africa. It was founded in 1820 by the government of the Cape Colony when 4,000 British colonists settled Algoa Bay to strengthen the border region between the Cape Colony and the Xhosa. The city's moderate subtropical climate ranks among the top ten cities in the world for highly pleasant, all year round weather, according to a Syracuse University climatology study.

Port Elizabeth is a popular tourist holiday destination. Shark Rock Pier, a prominent installation on the shoreline of Port Elizabeth's Summerstrand precinct, is the city's most famous landmark. Port Elizabeth is a tourism gateway city for big five game viewing,[14][15] South Africa's national's arts festival,outdoor recreation, adventure tourism and numerous nature conservancies, including the Baviaanskloof mega-reserve, Port Elizabeth was one of the host cities for the official tournament of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. 
 

Tourism

The Donkin Reserve in Port Elizabeth, taken in September 2014. It portrays both the older and parts of the newer sections of the monument.

Located at the end of the picturesque Garden Route along the Cape coast, the city has beaches in and near it. The most popular swimming beaches include King's Beach and Hobie Beach.

Many local historic attractions are linked by the Donkin Heritage Trail. These include the Campanile (bell tower), built in 1923 to commemorate the arrival of the 1820 Settlers and offering a viewpoint over the city; the city hall (1862); the Donkin Reserve park and monument; and the old stone Fort Frederick itself (1799). The CBD also boasts the towering Eastern Cape post office headquarters.

Route 67 is a walking trail consisting of 67 public artworks, symbolising 67 years which Nelson Mandela dedicated to the freedom of South Africa. The artwork is a celebration of South African culture and history and is scattered along the route as it starts from the Campanile, up the stairs to the Vuysile Mini Market Square and to the large South African flag at the Donkin Reserve. The artworks were created by local Eastern Cape artists.

Other attractions include the gardens at St George's Park, the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum (formerly known as the King George VI Art Gallery), the museum and oceanography room at Humewood, and the new Boardwalk waterfront complex.

The wider area surrounding PE also features game viewing opportunities, including the Addo Elephant National Park, 72 kilometres (45 mi) to the north near the Zuurberg mountain range.

Port Elizabeth is also a destination for whale watching with humpback whales sighted between June and August, and again between November and January, southern right whales sighted between July and November, and Bryde's whales sighted all year round.

Transport
  • Roads
Port Elizabeth lies on the N2 road. To the west the road travels the Garden Route to George and Cape Town; to the east, the road runs through the Border Country through Makhanda, to East London then on to Durban, terminating in Ermelo in Mpumalanga. The R75 connects Port Elizabeth to Despatch, Uitenhage and the Karoo. The major routes within the city are numbered as metropolitan or M routes

  • Air

Port Elizabeth Airport (IATA airport code PLZ, ICAO airport code FAPE) serves the city for both passenger and cargo traffic. It is the fourth busiest airport in South Africa after O.R. Tambo International Airport, King Shaka International Airport in Durban, and Cape Town International Airport.

International visitors to the city must currently fly to either Johannesburg, Cape Town or Durban, and then take a domestic flight to Port Elizabeth. An upgrade to the terminal building, completed in 2004, created the necessary facilities to handle international flights although none are scheduled as yet.

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