Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth): A City That Feels Lost.

I had just had an amazing week on the Garden Route, exploring wineries, seeing whales, and enjoying hikes, coffee, food, and South African hospitality. Enjoy some of the photos! When my Baz Bus minibus (great service by the way) reached Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth, we arrived in a very different world.

A power failure had struck. Streets were dark, traffic lights blank or flashing. The driver found a pothole as big as a car. Motorbikes zipped around it, but the bus and trailer couldn’t. On a darkened street, he reversed and turned around, taking the long way. This felt emblematic of the city. Across three days, Gqeberha felt like a city that has lost its way: a spectacular coastal setting wrapped around crumbling public spaces, closed attractions and constant warnings about crime. Everywhere I went, people were worried about my safety. From the hotel clerks to cafe baristas to my shop staff to Uber drivers to tourist staff. That tells you something.

Port Elizabeth Then

The city was named after a guy’s wife. Seriously. Sir Rufane Donkin, a grief-stricken governor, founded it in 1820, naming it after his late wife, Elizabeth, who had never visited there. No other reason. 4,000 British arrived soon after to act as a buffer against the native Xhosa people after the 1818 war against them. The city grew fast and became so wealthy for the white minority that it was nicknamed “the Liverpool of South Africa.” For most of the 20th century, it was a major industrial centre but under apartheid, forced removals moved black and coloured people far from economic centres.

Gqeberha Now

The city was renamed in 2021 after the Xhosa name for the Baakens River. Most people still call it Port Elizabeth or “PE”. I worked hard on my pronunciation (roughly “GOMM-berra”—the “Gq” is a Xhosa click sound). It’s the sixth-most populous city in South Africa, with 1.3 million people, and is the cultural, economic and financial hub of the Eastern Cape province.

Geography

Let’s start with its stunning waterside position: PE sprawls along Algoa Bay with 16 km of Indian Ocean coastline. The beaches are some of the best in South Africa. They are beautiful, fairly safe and swimmable. They include Hobie Beach, Humewood Beach, King’s Beach, and Pollok Beach, which are located in the suburbs of Humewood, Summerstrand, and Blue Horizon Bay. Bluntly, these are the areas you stay in. Or in the area of Walmer.

Any charm drops once you leave Summerstrand and Humewood. It’s a car-oriented city of malls, light industry, suburbs, and sprawling townships (KwaZakhele, New Brighton, Motherwell) where most of the population lives. The small city centre is grim, dangerous, and full of gutted and burnt-out buildings. Gqeberha has a working harbour that is more industrial than picturesque. Marine trips depart from here for dolphin and whale watching.

45 km north is Addo Elephant National Park, the main wildlife attraction and the city’s number one tourist attraction. You can stay at lodges inside or near the park.

My Top Seven
Remember that power blackout? Well, the city had intermittent power for my entire visit, with a series of rolling outages locals call load shedding. In addition, my tour guide canceled on the morning of my first day. Normally I’m independent, but as the city comes with a whole lot of warnings, I figured a guide would be helpful. This impacted my experience of the city.

1. Summerstrand & Humewood Beachfront: Bluntly, the beaches, promenade and their cafes were my favourite because they were basically the only things that worked.

2. SANCCOB (Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds): A unique and special place. SANCCOB rehabilitates injured seabirds, particularly endangered African penguins, which are at an all-time low with fewer than 8,500 breeding pairs left in the wild. This conservation work is crucial, and the residents are so cute. Tours are available seven days a week.

3. Cape Recife Nature Reserve: SANCCOB is in this slightly scruffy reserve with lighthouse, boardwalks, and birdlife on the eastern edge of the city. More local than postcard-perfect, but offers good coastal views and is relatively uncrowded. Great hiking and lots of people/families on bikes.

4. Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum (Formerly King George VI Art Gallery)

6. Boardwalk Mall: A very pleasant and large mall with generators, so it was always open when I visited. Has a casino and a hotel too. Some locals said its renovations have made it less attractive and interesting. I hung out there a few times!

7. Donkin Reserve: A hilltop site with a lighthouse, pyramid, and giant flagpole standing 65 metres tall. It is one of the tallest flagpoles in South Africa. The large South African flag hasn’t been flown for a while. The 22-metre-tall lighthouse has an interesting history and offers great views of the area. Lots of stairs to climb, so be fit and don’t be claustrophobic! The 10-metre-high pyramid, erected in 1820, commemorates Elizabeth Donkin and the city’s establishment. The place was deserted while I was there. Additionally. the staff did not seem to know what to do with me apart from warn me not to walk anywhere.

Places I Wanted to Go But Couldn’t (Not Safe/Closed).

I started this list out of frustration and kept adding to it.

1. Donkin Heritage Trail and Route 67: Two overlapping outdoor walking trails through downtown. The Donkin Heritage Trail is a self-guided walk through historic buildings and sites. Route 67 features 67 artworks (sculptures, mosaics, and murals) that represent Nelson Mandela’s years of public service. Both offer panoramic views of the city and harbour and connect historic and modern elements of South African culture. The area is supposed to be walkable during the day. The officers at the tourist office, however, told me not to walk either trail for safety reasons. There are numerous reports of tourists being held up at knifepoint. I tried to get local guides to take me and they wanted outrageous prices or nothing to do with walking the Donkin Heritage Trail.

2. Campanile: A 1923 bell tower with 204 steps and panoramic city views. I was told not to visit due to safety concerns, but it is sometimes included in some organised tours. Would love to have gone.

3. Main Library: Beautiful old building. Currently closed, sadly on the ‘lost buildings’ list.

4. No. 7 Castle Hill Museum: Local history museum. Not always open—check with the tourist office to confirm opening hours before visiting.

5. St George’s Park: The oldest park in PE (1860), with a historic cricket ground, a Victorian conservatory, and a monthly craft market. Safe during cricket matches or the craft market, but otherwise avoid. I was told not to visit, and TripAdvisor has warnings from travellers who were robbed there.

6. South End Museum: I tried to visit, but it was closed because of the power (load) shedding.

7. Red Location Museum, Library and Gallery: Should be one of South Africa’s most interesting and architecturally significant museums. Designed by award-winning architects, it sits in what was once a Boer War concentration camp barracks, built from corrugated iron and moved here in 1900. It tells the story of apartheid from the ground level: forced removals, resistance movements, and daily survival. In 2013, after housing protests in the township, it was closed “temporarily”. Parts of it were vandalised. Air-conditioners, fencing wiring and other items stolen. Tragically, one of the museum’s security guards was killed.

8. Settlers Park: A nature reserve at the heart of Port Elizabeth, where the Baakens River flows towards the ocean. It could have been a Garden of Eden. Unfortunately, neglect has turned what once was a pleasant park into an unsafe zone. Go with a guide or a large group.

Further Afield

1. Addo Elephant National Park (45 km north): I know I already mentioned it, but you really have got to go. They’re all there: elephants, lions, buffalo, rhinos, leopards.

2. Dolphin Tours (Algoa Bay): Well organised boat tours from the harbour to see bottlenose dolphins, seals, and seasonal whale watching. Take an uber to the harbour. Algoa Bay has one of the largest populations of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins in the world.

3. Township Tours: Available to New Brighton, the oldest informal settlement in Port Elizabeth. These tours are very worthwhile but should only be done with organised tour operators due to local crime. Try and find a local operator.

Planning Your Trip (Before You Go)

How to Get There: Direct flights from Johannesburg (1.5 hours) and Cape Town (1 hour), plus some international connections. NB I thought it was a great airport.

No passenger train service currently operates. Intercity buses (Intercape, Greyhound) connect to Cape Town (11 hours) and Johannesburg (14 hours). Overnight buses are common, but reviews are mixed. Driving the Garden Route between Port Elizabeth and Cape Town is spectacular and recommended if you have time. I travelled with Baz Bus, and they were fabulous.

Booking Ahead: Advance booking is less critical. In peak season (December-January, Easter), book 1-2 months ahead for popular lodges in Addo Elephant Park and some beachfront hotels. The rest of the year, 2 weeks are usually sufficient.

Currency and Costs: The South African Rand (ZAR). In my head, there are around 20 Rand to the Euro/USD, which makes price conversions easy. Cards and Apple Pay are widely accepted in hotels, restaurants, and shops. Keep some cash for tips (petrol attendants, parking guards) and informal traders.

• Accommodation per night: 4-star hotel $USD100, 3-star hotel $60USD, Hostel dorm bed $20USD
• Food: Casual meal $USD10, Mid-range meal with wine $25USD, Coffee $USD2-3
• Uber ride: 5km ride around $3USD
• Tipping: Restaurants 10-15% (usually not included), Petrol attendants R5-10 (you’re not allowed to pump your own fuel), Parking guards R5-10, Tour guides 10-15% of tour cost

When to Visit / Weather (by season)

Known as the “Windy City, its nickname is earned from the constant ocean winds, which make it great for windsurfing!

• Summer (December-February): Peak beach season. Hot and dry with those strong winds. Temperatures 20-28°C (68-82°F). Busy and more expensive.
• Autumn (March-May): Warm, pleasant, fewer crowds. The best time for whale watching begins. Temperatures 18-25°C (64-77°F). Excellent season.
• Winter (June-August): Mild by European standards but cooler with more rain. Peak whale season in nearby areas. Temperatures 12-20°C (54-68°F). Quiet, affordable.
• Spring (September-November): Warming up, wildflowers blooming inland, good for early whale watching. Temperatures 15-24°C (59-75°F). Good value, pleasant weather.

On the Ground (while you’re there)

• From the airport: Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport (PLZ) is 3 km from the city centre. Uber and metered taxis are available. Some hotels offer pick-up.
• Walking: The beachfront (Summerstrand, Hobie Beach) is walkable and relatively safe during the day. The city centre is compact, but as mentioned, I was told it’s not safe to walk around. Don’t walk anywhere at night.
• Gqeberha is a car city, as mentioned. You’ll need Uber/Bolt to get around. As always in South Africa, verify your Bolt driver’s details before getting in the car. A rental car especially if you want to explore Garden Route, Addo Elephant Park, and beaches down the coast. In some areas at night, locals treat red lights as yield signs for safety. Don’t leave any valuables visible in your car, as smash-and-grabs are common. Keep car doors locked and windows up while driving. In most places, you will pay parking attendants to help park and mind your car.
• Minibus taxis: Used by most locals but avoided by tourists due to overcrowding, accidents, crime risks, and no fixed schedules.
• Buses: Algoa Bus Company runs local routes, but service is infrequent and not tourist-friendly.
• There are no commuter trains
  
  Daily Practicalities
• Language: isiXhosa is the most widely spoken home language in the Eastern Cape. I loved listening for the clicks in the language. They are very distinctive and beautiful. isiXhosa has ten vowels! “Molo” is hello and “Enkosi” is thank you.
  Multilingualism is widespread, with many people, especially in hospitality settings, able to switch easily between half a dozen languages. English and Afrikaans are common.
  One of the fun things about South Africa is hearing songs and music in home languages everywhere. Blaring from taxis, shops, played in cafes. I wish I could sing along! Added several popular songs to my playlists!
• Electricity: Load shedding (rolling blackouts) is common typically lasting 2-4 hours. The longest I saw was over 24 hours. Most hotels and restaurants have backup generators. Keep devices charged.
• Power: Type M plugs (three large round pins, completely unique to South Africa). Voltage 230V. Bring an adapter.
  
  

Crime and Safety If you hadn’t worked out yet, PE has significant crime issues. Before I went, some guides guides describes Port Elizabeth as “one of the safer South African cities, but still with high crime”. On the ground, a very different story. City‑wide crime indicators (robbery, burglaries, hijackings, kidnappings) have been flagged as “cause for alarm” by business and civic leaders in Nelson Mandela Bay, who describe safety as one of the metro’s most urgent crises. High murder rate, carjackings, armed robberies, and muggings are very common. Surveys suggest that two-thirds of locals don’t feel safe during the day and 84% feel unsafe at night. My on‑the‑ground takeaways:

• I was told not to walk anywhere after dark, even in tourist areas. I saw one tourist family walking into the city centre which my Uber driver was very concerned about
• Only visit townships/informal settlements on reputable, guided tours; avoid independent visits due to crime risk
• Don’t carry valuables on you. Not your passport. No large amounts of cash. No jewelry
• Have a dummy wallet with some cash and an expired credit card to hand over
• Be ready if your phone is stolen with a back up plan
• Trust your instincts. If something feels off, it is
• Emergency Numbers: Police 10111, Ambulance/Fire 112.

Food Must Tries

• Great great Fish: Including snoek, kingklip, kabeljou.
• Biltong: Dried, cured meat (beef or game)—similar to jerky but more complex. Available at supermarkets.
• Bunny chow: Durban-origin dish consisting of hollowed out loaf of bread filled with curry. Popular in Port Elizabeth.

The Verdict:

There are very few cities I really don’t like, and I honestly expected to enjoy PE. My South African friends were shocked when I said I was going, even those with family living in Gqeberha. They asked, “Why would you visit? It’s a terrible place.” Unfortunately, they were right.

I keep a list of every city I visit, and right now Gqeberha sits near the bottom at 306th out of 310. A ranking I wish were higher, given its people and spectacular coastal setting. It joins a handful of other places that didn’t work for me: Ciudad del Este (Paraguay), Dammam (Saudi Arabia), Guatemala City (Guatemala), Jackson (Missisippi, USA), and Oklahoma City (USA).

Broader economic issues in South Africa, plus years of weak local governance and patchy service delivery, have hit Gqeberha hard. Businesses have moved out, public spaces have deteriorated, and too many of the city’s best heritage sites are locked up, deserted, or literally falling apart. The result is a collapsed city centre, terrible public transport, and crime rates that make even locals wary.

At the same time, there are people fighting for something better: café owners keeping lights on through load shedding, guides trying to run meaningful tours, conservationists at SANCCOB, and everyday residents who were endlessly kind to me. I worry that as more outsiders like me say “don’t go”, the city loses the visitors and income it needs to change and the spiral deepens.