Port Alfred can be reached along the R72 coast road from Nelson Mandela Bay (Port Elizabeth) or on the R67 from Grahamstown. It consists almost entirely of holiday homes and bungalows nestling into dunes. It is one of the largest holiday resorts on this stretch of coastline and overlooks large expanses of water in all directions: the Kowie River, the lagoon and the smart Royal Alfred Marina, where many local people keep their powerboats. The town’s history is closely linked to the 1820 settlers and there is a small Methodist Church 1 km out of town whose cemetery makes for an interesting visit. Many of the names on the gravestones are those of original settlers.
The weather on this coast is mild all year round and Port Alfred has a wide range of facilities to offer tourists. Walks through the dune forests are always pleasant but for the more intrepid, there is a scuba-diving school which organizes trips to nearby reefs, as well as facilities for canoeing and game fishing. The Fish River Casino and St Francis Spa are both nearby and are popular excursions from town. For information contact Port Alfred Tourism Information Centre Causeway St, T046-624 1235, http://www.portalfred.co.za, Mon-Fri 0800-1630, Sat 0830-1200. This is a very helpful and brightly painted office which also offers internet access and sells crafts. Port Alfred gets fairly busy at the weekends during term time when students from Grahamstown University come to the coast to play.
The World’s Biggest Pineapple just outside Bathurst, off the R67, 15 km north of Port Alfred, T046-625 0515, 0900-1630, R10, children (3-16) R5, under 3 free, is a copy of the giant pineapple on Australia’s Sunshine Coast in Queensland but at 16.7 m high it’s 70 cm taller than the original. It comes as quite a surprise to discover a giant yellow pineapple, topped with a bright green stalk standing in the middle of a field. Made of fibreglass, on the three floors inside you’ll learn everything imaginable about pineapples. On the ground floor is a gift shop selling among other pineapple-related items, home-made jams and chutneys, on the second floor is information about growing, canning and selling pineapples, while on the third floor a continuous DVD explains about the Eastern Cape pineapple industry. If nothing else, it’s worth climbing for unbeatable views of the rolling fields and the Indian Ocean....
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