Port Elizabeth - for backpackers

"The friendly city" sits on South Africa's Sunshine Coast in the unspoiled Eastern Cape.

Algoa Bay, as Port Elizabeth was once called, was the arrival point of the first wave of British immigrants in 1820. The settlers were given land, tents and tools, and were left to "tame" the hinterland. Many found life too harsh, and chose to settle in the relative comfort of Algoa Bay instead. Thankfully, when the governor took it upon himself to rename the city, he named it in honour of his deceased wife Elizabeth, not after himself: Sir Rufane Donkin.

The city is packed with museums and Victorian mansions, shopping malls and flea markets, sports complexes and surfing spots. The 40 kilometres of white sand beaches offer reams of wind-surfing, diving, angling and sand-boarding paradises; Addo Elephant Park and Shamwari Game Reserve have The Big Five in malaria-free surroundings; and the Oceanarium and Settler's Park will bring you closer to nature. Port Elizabeth, in short, is crammed with things to do.

The Shamwari Game Reserve, 72kms from PE, offers The Big Five in malaria-free surroundings. It is renowned for its project that reintroduced the endangered Black Rhino to the Eastern Cape.

The world-famous Addo Elephant Park, also 72kms from PE, is home to over 200 elephants. The park was set up in 1931 to protect the last eleven elephants in the Eastern Cape.

Settlers' Park is a great picnic and walking spot, taking in part of the Baakens River valley, a flower display house and a settlers' memorial. The park has diverse indigenous plants, birds and small fauna e.g. small buck, porcupines, mongooses and tortoises.

White sand beaches offer great swimming, surfing, sailing, diving, sand-boarding and angling spots.

The PE backpackers Township Tour is often called the best in South Africa, allowing you to meet and genuinely interact with people living in an Africa most tourists don't get to see. The tour is organised through PE Backpackers.

PE has scores of sites of historical interest, including museums, the Lighthouse, Feathermarket Hall and the Settler Cottage. The 5km Donkin Heritage Trail links 47 settler-related sites of interest.

The Apple Express train runs from PE to Thornhill, taking in the Van Staden's River bridge. Once a year, you can participate in the Great Train Race - and race against the train on foot.

The Oceanarium includes a dolphin show, research station, aquarium and underwater viewing windows.