Born near Umtata in the Transkei and educated at the University of Fort Hare, Nelson Mandela brought the spotlight to a gem of an area, where people are still down to earth and most parts of nature still unspoilt!
Port Elizabeth is the main city and its airport is the choice of entrance to this natural beauty.The airport has connecting flights from Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.This region of South Africa is quite impoverish and more known for it's motor manufacturing and associated industries.
From Nature's point of view it is a hidden gem, waiting to be found.The diversity can be seen at the dense indigenous forest along the Tsitsikamma National Coastal Park, with a high rainfall and the Big Tree with a cicumference of nearly 9 metres, adjacent to a barren area that can experience droughts for up to eight years. Flights from Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth are very popular amongst businessmen and tourist to visit this region.
If you travel west from Port Elizabeth, then you will find some of the best camping sites in South Africa at Beachview. Every site has it's own seaview and there is an excellent tidal pool. A few kilometres further you'll find high sand dunes at Willows and Maitlands beach, a never ending stretch of white beach and excellent white mussels. From this coastline you may even experience the sights of dolphins hunting or whales blowing.
Seventy kilometres from Port Elizabeth you reach the the town of "white gold" and "the ultimate wave", Jeffreys Bay.You will only hear the words "JBay" from professional surfers as they try to keep it secret. Jeffreys Bay is known as the mecca for squid fishing, hence the white gold, and the "supertubes" where winter time is the best for the ultimate wave, when the wind direction comes from inland. Here property is still way undervalued and many times a surfer has
decided to stay and hence the cosmopolitan nature of this town!
Further west you find Cape St. Frances, with its whitewashed houses and thatched roofs, before you drive into the Tsitsikamma Forest.
The warm Indian Ocean causes mild temperatures along the coast line, though during peak summer times 40 degrees Celsius is not out of the question. Winter times an average 10 degrees is the norm.
The Tsitskamma Nature Reserve has excellent walking routes,stretching some 80 kilometres, though some can be dangerous for the inexperienced and a local guide is advisable.The deep river gorges and rapids is the playground for white water rafting and kayaking for adrenalin junkies.
Fishing is still excellent along this coast and in Nelson Mandela Bay, so is snorkelling and spearfishing that bags most of the national records from this area.
Unpolished gems are Nature's Valley and the Langkloof.Nature's Valley lies in a hidden enclave
along the sea, with only a few houses and little development.The locals will not encourage further development along this unspoilt white beach.In the Langkloof time has stood still.
If you travel east from Port Elizabeth, you will see long stretches of white beaches,drive through dense bushy areas and reach the Coega area, a multibillion rand industrial development complex and deepwater port.If you turn inland, towards the Sundays River Valley, the best quality export citrus can be found, so too some of the best hunting farms in South Africa and getting a Kudu trophy, the pride of the big buck in this region, is the ultimate! Visiting game farms, without the risk of malaria, is a big positive for this region. It is only a two hour flight from Johannesburg and it's hustle and bustle, to experience the real deal.
It is here the culture of the people to provide you with a meal when you visit them.It is all hospitality with no hidden agenda.
Enjoy it !
Andre Niemand is a dentist,with a love for travel.Find out how you can easily book your own dream holiday at at http://www.johannesburg-flight.com and at http://www.travelpud.com
No comments:
Post a Comment