Port Alfred

Port Alfred
Experience the magic of the Heart of
the Sunshine Coast
Sunshine Coast Tourism
Photo courtesy of Brett Smith

Photo courtesy Brett Smith
Popular East Beach
PORT ALFRED, heart of the Sunshine Coast, situated between
Port Elizabeth and East London is the perfect playground for
holidays. Lazy stretches of golden beach, lapped by the alluring
Indian Ocean, stretch for kilometres. Perfect for swimming,
hiking, walking the dog, surfing, fishing or just relaxing.
The beautiful tidal Kowie River runs through the centre of
town, and is navigable for 22km, commencing in Bathurst and
winding past game farms and breath taking scenery before
flowing into the Indian Ocean. Images of hundreds of sailing
ships from the 1800’s spring to mind, offloading exotic wares at the Customs House, an exquisite stone building,
now home to an excellent restaurant. Rounding the bend, the wreck of the Buffalo Tug, deliberately
wrecked by a disgruntled captain in 1899 is still visible.
Breath taking scenery follows as you wind your way up the river, past game farms, an array of water birds and
green stretches of bush. One of the most popular activities
in Port Alfred are boat cruises up the Kowie River.
The more energetic can canoe up the river, and overnight
in cabins at scenic Horseshoe Bend, returning the next day
at ebb tide. Water skiing and supping are other popular
sporting activities, as is river fishing.
The iconic Nico Malan Bridge, traverses the Kowie River
joining the east and west banks through the centre of the
CBD, and leads on to the picturesque 250 berth Small Boat
Harbour and Royal Alfred Marina.
A number of boat cruises are available and are
a must-to-do.
Photo: Kowie River Cruises

The harbour is home to the Halyards Hotel, restaurants, boat
shops and a Spa. Boat cruises commence at the Small Boat
Harbour, or hire a canoe and explore the canals!
The Port Alfred River and Ski Boat Club is adjacent to the harbour
and the perfect place to charter a boat for a spot of deep
sea fishing, or enjoy a meal overlooking the river. If you enjoy
fishing, enter one of the many fishing competitions.
Kiddies beach is a sheltered tidal inlet, ideal for little ones to play
and is home to Outdoor Focus Adventure Centre. If you can
dream it, you can do it. Always wanted to get your skippers license?
Imagine time out in this picturesque setting to spark off
your boating leisure time. Want to horse ride with the wind in
your hair and kick up spray along the beachfront? You can!
Fishing boats alongside the Port Alfred River
and Ski Boat Club with the iconic Nico Malan
Bridge in the background
The hotly contested University Boat Races
take place in September each year on the
Kowie River, transforming the town into a
hive of student activity.

Talk about spoilt for choice! Tickle your taste buds at over 30 restaurants,
coffee shops, fast food outlets and pubs in Port Alfred, from luxurious interiors
to al fresco dining, catering to all tastes.
Funky van der Riet Street is home to eight restaurants, including Graze by
the River, Trip Advistor’s top rated restaurant in Port Alfred.
Stop off at
The Courtyard and enjoy an al fresco meal, and browse an exquisite Antique and Décor Shop, whilst stopping off
to buy fresh flowers. Niche offers homemade delights and preserves as well as excellent meals, or stop off at
Athena’s delight—a Greek speciality shop.
to My Pond Hotel’s Lily Restaurant.
offers good home cooked fare.
Legendary Ocean Basket is on the banks of the Kowie River, adjacent
Fancy freshly caught fish—stop off at Skippers Catch, or funky Stoom Pot
Historic Wharf Street is home to another Trip Advisor favourite, Wharf Street Brew Pub, housed in a beautifully
preserved stone building, the original Customs House. Next door, visit our very own Craft Brewery, Little Brewery
on the Wharf and sample some of the finest beers and ales.
An unexpected pleasure awaits you behind an
excellent antique shop—where you will step back in time to courtyard dining and a quaint wine bar.
Our three Hotels offer excellent dining in beautiful surroundings.
Highlander Pub and fine dining at the Thistle Restaurant.
The Royal St Andrews Hotel sports the iconic
My Pond Hotel, on the banks of the Kowie River has
excellent dining at the Lily Restaurant or enjoy a meal at Halyards Hotel, for unparalleled views of the Small Boat
Harbour and Marina. If you love wildlife, you are in for a fine dining treat at Oceana Game Reserve, or visit one
of two coffee shops at the pretty Duck Pond in the CBD and enjoy the multitude of water birds.
Meet the locals at quirky Saloon 72 on the R-72, or Kenny’s Pub in the CBD.
or organic home grown food at the Bean and Olive at the Beavers Centre.
beachfront—watch the sunset and fishing boats go out to sea and enjoy a great meal.
The Links is a firm favourite,
situated high on the hill overlooking the Kowie River, Marina and Ocean.
Enjoy a family favourite at Wimpy
Another favourite is Guidos on the
Our two malls, offer a number of choices. Grab a takeaway at Debonairs or Fishaways at the Heritage Mall in the
CBD, or have a break from shopping at Rosehill Mall and visit Coffee at the Mall for homemade treats, or take the
kids to Spur.
MENU
Eat, drink and be merry @
over 30 restaurants, coffee
shops & pubs in Port Alfred
Other great spot for views and excellent meals are Harry B’s at the Ski Boat Club on the banks of the Kowie River,
or Tash’s on the Small Boat Harbour where you can enjoy craft gin and beers and excellent family meals.
Whatever your choice, even if you were to visit one restaurant a day for a whole month, you still will not have
exhausted all the possibilities.
The Kowie takes it’s food seriously!!!

Port Alfred is surrounded by
an abundance of malariafree
Game Reserves,
mostly Big 5, each reserve
offering unique experiences.
Whether you plan for a
day trip, or an overnight
stay, this is a must-to-do.
EXPLORE THE WILD
Situated on the eastern side of Port Alfred, spectacular 5 Star Oceana Beach
and Wildlife Reserve (pictured above) is “where heaven, earth and the ocean
meet”. Set in a spectacular and unique environment, this luxurious 5 star
reserve offers luxurious accommodation, and is open for day visits including
game drives, meals and spa treatments. Read more …..
If you fancy a hike in a game reserve, or a day out with the kiddies,
Mansfield Game Reserve is situated in Port Alfred on the banks of the Kowie
River. This 10,000 acre reserve has no dangerous game, however, it is
stocked with various species of antelope, zebra and giraffe. It offers a
variety of overnight accommodation, including camping facilities and has a
great picnic / braai area and children’s play park. Read more... Similarly,
Pomeroy Lodges east of Port Alfred offers self catering luxury lodges, hiking
trails and is stock with non-dangerous game. Read more…..
Sibuya Boat Transfer
White Lion at Pumba
To the west of Port Alfred, situated in Kenton-on-Sea, two Big 5 reserves,
Sibuya Game Reserve and Kariega Game Reserve can be found. The unique
‘Sibuya Experience’ starts immediately with a 45 minute boat transfer up the
Kariega Estuary. It is unrivalled as a birding destination, and the
breathtakingly beautiful game reserve is sanctuary to an abundance of
diverse wildlife, including the Big 5. Sibuya proudly boasts two luxurious
Eco-Destinations, and pride themselves on delicious buffet-style meals
served el fresco. Day trip game drives are available. Read more….
Kariega Game Reserve is a 10,000 ha family-owned Big 5 private reserve of
pristine African wilderness and two abundant rivers. The reserve has safari
lodges and offers game drives. Find out more about Kariega
Travelling north of Port Alfred, Eco friendly Pumba, a proud member of the
Green Leaf Conservation Initiative, provides an intimate African safari experience
and is home to the Big 5 as well as rare white lion (pictured left), hippo,
hyena, cheetah, giraffes, and various antelope. Game drives, spa treatments
and meals are available. Read more...
Kwantu Game Reserve is a magical blend of nature and history. It is a Big 5
reserve offering game drives and Afro Asian traditional cuisine. Click here to
read more...
There are over 400 bird species recorded in the area. A day trip
with a qualified birding guide is a treat. Explore coastal estuaries
and wetlands, riverine and dune forests, valley thicket, Eastern
Cape Fynbos, savannah and grasslands or freshwater pans.
For information on birding click here.

Art, Heritage and Culture
Port Alfred has an incredible history, dating back to the 1820 Settlers. After
the Napoleonic Wars, 2000 settlers were despatched to the Eastern Cape,
many settling in and around Port Alfred. One of the many problems they faced
was accessibility, and in 1821, it was discovered that the Kowie River could resolve
this problem as a harbour. From 1863, up to 100 sailing vessels called
in annually delivering all manner of goods. Some ten years later, the railway
line between Grahamstown and Port Alfred was built, essentially making the
harbour superfluous.
At the same time, the Settlers were caught in the middle of the 100 year Frontier
Wars, and were pretty much left to fend for themselves. Fine examples of
buildings dating back to the early 1800’s can be found in Port Alfred. The most
notable street, Wharf Street - a hive of activity in it’s day, still has some of the
original buildings, the most impressive being the beautifully restored customs
house, resplendent with original stonework, yellow wood floors and Oregon
beams, and now home to Wharf Street Brew Pub, one of the finest restaurants
in Port Alfred.
Also housed in Wharf Street, you will find renowned artist Bob
MacKenzie’s studio. Maison Décor in van der Riet Street has a
studio and well known artist Mark Hammon’s studio can be
found in the suburbs of Port Alfred. Extending the arty experience,
a visit to nearby Bathurst is a must.
No less that 5 museums have excellent exhibits depicting the history
of Port Alfred. The Kowie Museum, housed in the beautiful
and historic old Station Building has a fine collection, including
the Mors Jones cards, detailing the families and descendants of
the original 1820 settlers.
Port Alfred Airfield, now home to 43 Air School, was a RAF base
during WW11 and has a quaint museum housed in The Wright
Place, an aviation themed restaurant.
Travelling a little further north, the Bathurst Agricultural Museum,
situated just 10 minutes drive from Port Alfred has over 1800 exhibits.
Fine examples of settler homes and historic sites can be
seen in Bathurst, including the Toposcope, Old Mill, St. John’s Anglican
Church dating back to 1834, and the quaint Bathurst
School, built in 1827. The legendary Pig and Whistle Hotel is a
National Monument, built in 1833.
The old station, now home to the Kowie Museum
An excellent self drive historic map is available at the local tourism office.
A Township tour with Lungisile Sinqe (pictured left), tourism consultant at
Sunshine Coast Tourism, is an unforgettable experience. Lungi is passionate
about history, and an engaging guide. Bookings are essential, and
should be planned a day in advance. Your journey will begin with a drive
to Nemato Township, the first township to be named after Nelson Mandela,
in a traditional taxi. You will visit a Sangoma, a Tavern, enjoy a traditional
meal, visit a local creche and historic township sites. The tour
takes approximately 3 hours, and is well worth it.

Where to Stay—parkrun
For all the surfers, and wannabe surfers out there ….. A solid 6° barrel heaves up on a hollow sand bank just off
East Pier at Port Alfred. This wave delivers Adventure some epic stand-up tubes in the right conditions. It peaks in the river
mouth and grinds all the way past the East Pier, with a thick lip rolling over a top-to-bottom barrel. The two most
Shopping
popular surf breaks are on either side of the Kowie River Mouth and are known as East and West Beach. East
Beach is the most popular of the two, and has a good, gnarly right break that works best in moderate swells from
the south, with SW or NW breezes. The East Beach break often ends up with a left breaking peak to make up
some good close-out aerial stuff. West Beach has a beach peak that starts fairly close to the mouth with good left
and right breaks. Learning to surf certainly rates as one of the “coolest” things to do. Longboard champion,
Dave MacGregor offers surfing lessons at East Beach, definitely something to get the blood pumping!
There are fabulous mountain bike trails in and around
Port Alfred. Explore the scenic countryside, or simply
take a ride along the beach on a “fat takkie” mountain
bike for an unforgettable experience.
Horse Riding in Port Alfred is a unique experience—
not only will you ride through Eastern Cape bushveld,
but you will also have the opportunity to thunder
through the breakwater on the beach. An experience
you will remember with joy for a very long time!
Canoe the Kowie—chose
either an hour’s trip, or for
the more adventurous, a
22km up this scenic tidal
river with an overnight
stay is an amazing experience.
Alternatively, explore the
Kleinemonde River on a
three day trail incorporating
hiking, canoeing
and horse riding.

Fishing in Port Alfred is serious business. The Port Alfred River and Ski Boat Club (pictured below) is a
great place to meet the locals to swop fishing tales and find out about all the secret local fishing spots,
whether it be deep sea fishing, rock and surf or river fishing.
As an excellent excuse for a holiday, booking a few days in Port Alfred to get your Skipper’s license is a wonderful
idea. At the same time, you can learn to scuba dive!
Speaking of clubs and outdoor activities, why not visit the two bowling clubs in Port Alfred, or try your hand at croquet.
Tennis and squash courts are also available. For a fun and healthy family activity why not join in the Port Alfred
Park Run every Saturday morning. It’s free and fun—and set along the banks of the Kowie River. If you are
serious about running, join the Kowie Striders, a running club who meet every week at the Port Alfred Country Club.
Join the Port Alfred
Park Run
every Saturday
morning on the
banks of the
Kowie River
Golfers are in for a treat. The Royal Port Alfred Golf Course is an 18 hole links course and one of four golf
clubs in South Africa granted the right to use the “Royal” prefix. Situated opposite the magnificent Royal St Andrews
Hotel, the golf course is stocked with game, including the spectacular copper springbok. “Words cannot
describe, you have to experience the best of the best” is a quote from a visiting golfer. The golf course has panoramic
views of the Indian Ocean and excellent club facilities and a pro shop.
Nearby, the Fish River Resort sports the award winning Gary Player golf course set in park like gardens, has
magnificent views, great pro shop and self catering accommodation.

Shop till you drop! Explore two shopping malls—Rosehill Shopping Mall has a wide variety of stores including
restaurants and gym. Heritage Mall in the CBD is another option as are many unique and funky
stores scattered throughout the CBD, if you are looking for that unusual gift. Men are not left out of the
equation—explore hardwares, outdoor and boating stores as an option.
If you are a foodie, there are speciality shops offering locally grown products, including olives, fresh fruit
and vegetables, home made pickles, preserves and jams.
Delicious home made treats are available at a number of outlets.
Handcrafted luxury : Visit Adele’s Mohair
workshop, situated on a beautiful farm east of
Port Alfred. This labour intensive cottage industry
produces designer knitting yarns, accessories
and home textiles. The luxurious natural fibres
are locally sourced and of the finest quality.
Rosehill Cinema offers the very latest
in box office hits. It’s a great way
to unwind or to entertain the children
on a rainy day.
It’s a great outing for the family and the children
will enjoy interacting with the family dogs. On
the way out, stop off at Nature View Farm stall
for delicious homemade pineapple juice and preserves.
Relax, unwind and spoil yourself. Port Alfred offers many Spas,
therapy treatment centres and hair stylists, and there are a number
of packages available for individual or couples.
Hotels offer special packages for stay and spa treatments or combine
a stay at one of the game reserves and indulge in a Spa treatment as
an added extra.
St Francis Health Spa specializes in stress relief, weight loss and natural
healing. For the ultimate treat, book a week-end, 7 or ten day
package, and indulge in the ultimate body cleansing programme.
Only have an afternoon? Take a walk at the labrynth to rebalance
mind and soul.
Join a pilates or
yoga class, or if
you enjoy more
energetic exercises,
join the gym
for a spinning
class, weight lifting
or aerobics
work out.

So much to do, but where to stay?
The possibilities are as wide as your imagination.
Whether you chose to stay in a luxury game reserve, hotel, bed and breakfast, guest house, self cater,
backpack, holiday home, caravan or camp, there is absolutely something to suit everyone’s needs and
tastes. Click here to find your ultimate holiday accommodation.
Alternatively, you can chose a permanent holiday home, or make the switch to change your lifestyle by living
in glorious Port Alfred. If you would like to find out more about properties, click here.
This publication is proudly produced by Sunshine Coast Tourism.
Visit our offices in Port Alfred or Kenton on Sea for
more information.
To find out more about activities, what to do, or where to
stay, visit our website. Contact us via email.