Safety notice: It is advisable to stick to the well-populated main beaches, wandering off to deserted beaches on your own can be dangerous. If you're looking for quiet out of the way Port Elizabeth beaches enrol the services of a tourist guide / tour operator or rather head for resorts up the coast from Port Elizabeth such as Bushmans River Mouth, Kenton-on-Sea and Port Alfred.

On the south side of the city Schoenmakerskop - a picturesque seaside village - offers picnic spots, coves, rock pools and holiday resorts with safe bathing and fishing in tidal pools. Versatile Sardinia Bay, a Marine Reserve with miles of unspoilt coastline and crystal clear water, is excellent for diving, horse riding and scenic walks or hikes.

The Swartkops River estuary, on the northern edge of the Port Elizabeth, is a unique watersport playground - ideal for power boating, canoeing, sailing, windsurfing and angling - although you will need your own gear or the services of a tour operator. The local surf club's facilities are right next to the estuary mouth and members may be willing to show you around if you contact the club in advance. It's a pity that foul odours occasionally blow into the Swartkops area from a nearby factory, especially when a southwestern wind is prevailing.

Beaches elsewhere along Algoa Bay
Heading north from Port Elizabeth, Colchester on the banks, and close to the mouth, of the Sundays River is a worthwhile stop. Getting access to the river mouth mostly means having to pay an entrance fee at the local camping ground as the access road from town cuts through it. A huge dune field is located between the ocean and Colchester, across the river from the town. If you fly into Port Elizabeth from Johannesburg or Durban you will probably notice it from the air 5 minutes before touching down at Port Elizabeth International Airport. The Sundays River can be navigated by motor boat craft quite a few kilometres upstream allowing for water skiing and boat based fishing.

From Colchester onwards most of the Algoa Bay Coastline is very inaccessible. When you can get to the beach, by cutting across farmland, you will need a permit from the nature conservation authorities to do so. The north and northeastern sections of Algoa Bay consists of pristine natural environments and access is strictly controlled.

The best place to access the northern coastline of Algoa Bay is at its most beautiful spot. By cutting through the Alexandria Forest you can get close to the beach at Midfor (home to the Beyond Adventure gap-year adventure school). From there you can take a path across the overgrown barrier sand dunes to get onto a spectacular beach. Heading west from here along the beach for approx. 5km will see you end up in the awesome Woody Cape Dune Field. A combination of huge dunes, sand cliffs and views onto the nearby Bird Island makes for an unforgettable experience.

Woody Cape and the Alexandria Forest both form part of the Alexandria Wilderness Area, recently incorporated into the ever-expanding greater Addo Elephant Park. While the fenced elephant area of Addo does not remotely reach this far yet, it remains a patrolled and regulated wilderness area. Therefore, before you head out for an experience of a lifetime report at the local conservation office and purchase a permit first! The Wilderness Area is also home to the two-day Alexandria Forest Hiking Trial (which incorporates both the Forest and Woody Cape). Bookings are essential, provided you are fit enough to tackle two 20km days in the coastal heat and humidity. The overnight hut is located in a vegetated dune field, atop sand cliffs with beautiful views across Algoa Bay.

Resort towns on the Sunshine Coast
The four small holiday resort towns of Canon Rocks, Boknes, Bushmans River Mouth and Kenton-on-Sea are strictly speaking just around the northeastern corner of Algoa Bay. They are however located on an extension of the Algoa Bay dune field system and offer a quality coastal experience to tourists looking for non-touristy and non-commercial destinations.

Bushmans River Mouth and Kenton-on-Sea are the most accessible with a camping ground, ample guest houses and B&B's - no hotels. The historic Diaz Cross can be reached on foot from Bushmans River Mouth along a spectacular beach, a ±6km hike that is highly recommended by us. The cross marks the turn-around point of the first European explorer, Bartholomew Diaz, to find a sea-route past the southern point of Africa in 1488. The Bushmans and Kariega (tidal) Rivers extend inland from the sister villages of Bushmans River Mouth and Kenton-on-Sea. Both are perfect for power boating, watersport and fishing.

(source: some of the above information was adapted from the Port Elizabeth Tourism website)