Eastern Cape Province
Eastern Cape
This is South Africa’s newest province and was formed in 1994 by the
amalgamation of two of the apartheid era homelands with a portion of
the original Cape Province.
The region extends from the southern borders of Kwa -Zulu Natal
through, the aptly named Wild Coast, on through East London and
down along the Sunshine Coast to south of Port Elizabeth, or PE as it is
affectionately known.
The province is home to some of this region’s most rugged scenery and a
spectacular coastline interspersed with fantastic beaches.
Just inland from the coast, and the province’s most populous city PE, is the
internationally renowned Addo Elephant National Park.
The provincial capital is Bisho, but in reality for the vacationer (golfing
or otherwise) all the ‘action’, with the exception of skiing at Tiffindel
(the region’s only snow skiing resort) and during the week of Africa’s
largest cultural festival in Grahamstown, will be along the coast with its
fabulous beaches, twenty of which currently have ‘Blue Flag’ status, and its
wonderful golf courses.
In golfing terms the province extends from the exclusive Olivewood
Estate and East London Golf Club, along the Sunshine Coast past the Fish
River and Royal Port Alfred golf clubs and though PE, which is home to the
PE Golf Club (South Africa’s second oldest course) and on to Humewood
(a classic links layout) and Wedgewood.
The road network is very good and airline access to the Eastern Cape is
provided by a number of operators, all of which offer regular services
into both East London and PE from all the major regional centres such as
Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town.
The coastline is dotted with a number of seaside towns such as Port
Alfred, Kenton on Sea and Cannon Rocks all of which offer the usual
things that a beachside family holiday venue should, as well as an
atmosphere that harks back to a much gentler and more traditional era.
A traveller has the option to build the vacation around a stay at two or
three selected beach venues and then explore the nearby golf courses,
Alternatively the vacation’s itinerary take can its lead from the courses
selected as part of the golf tour of the region, which will then allow the
vacation’s other non-golfing activities to be then built the beach and
around the golf schedule.
46 Destination Golf .TRAVEL