The Wild Coast
The roadside village of Qunu is the home town of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, who grew up here in the 1920s. The area has yet to fully capitalise on its…
Must-see attractions in Eastern Cape
Port Elizabeth
Most of the world's remaining 25,000 breeding pairs of endangered African penguins are found around Algoa Bay; they are threatened by currents pushing…
Sunshine Coast
Local farmers own the Big Pineapple, a few kilometres from the village en route to Port Alfred. This fiberglass replica of a pineapple stands 16.7m high –…
Port Elizabeth
This bell tower, visible from the city centre, was erected to commemorate the landing of the 1820 British settlers. Unfortunately, it’s near the entrance…
Birch’s Gentlemen’s Outfitters
Sunshine Coast
Birch’s is one of a number of historic shopfronts overlooking Church Sq. It has a marvellously old-fashioned ‘slider’ (a pulley system that sends money…
International Library of African Music
Sunshine Coast
There are 200 or so instruments to examine here – you can listen to field recordings and try to emulate what you’ve heard on nyanga (pan) pipes from…
Eastern Cape
This mixed late Victorian and early Edwardian mansion has a good collection of South African paintings from landscapes to city scenes, featuring the likes…
National English Literary Museum
Sunshine Coast
Housed in a snazzy building on the outskirts of town, this museum contains South African manuscripts, first editions and works dating back to 1797, with…
Eastern Cape
This community arts centre exhibits huge tapestries made locally. Julia Malgas, the granddaughter of Helen Martins's assistant Koos, or another artist can…
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum
Port Elizabeth
The museum housed in two handsome buildings at the entrance to St George’s Park has a small gallery of paintings and sculpture by contemporary South…
Eastern Cape
Given the Eastern Cape's rich past, this museum is worth a visit, with an excellent natural-history collection, a great section dedicated to Xhosa culture…
Sunshine Coast
Views from this lighthouse, 25km east of Port Alfred, encompass magnificent dunes and coastline. The dirt road from the highway turn-off is somewhat rough…
Eastern Cape
This renovated house shows how well-to-do 19th-century families lived. It features a fine collection of Victorian furniture and exhibitions on…
1820 Settlers National Monument
Sunshine Coast
This monument to the hardy British settlers and their contributions to South Africa has stupendous views of the surrounding countryside, and contains…
SANCCOB Sea Bird Rehabilitation Centre
Sunshine Coast
This haven for endangered African penguins is funded entirely by donations. You can adopt a penguin that will be cared for and released when healthy.
Mirrors Gallery & Crystal Corner
Eastern Cape
Mirrors has a magical 180-sq-metre garden with a stone circle and labyrinth, a gallery of owner Ken's landscape photography, and a crystal shop.
Eastern Cape
Marvel at this well-preserved, 19th-century house with creaking wooden floors and a large collection of firearms, as well as historical photos.
Sunshine Coast
Covers a mishmash of subjects, from early human history to astronomy. The collection includes some impressive taxidermy and skeletons.
Sunshine Coast
Grocott’s Mail is one of Grahamstown's best examples of a preserved historic shopfront. It still houses a working newspaper office.
Port Elizabeth
This museum-house, occupying a picturesque cottage dating from 1827, evokes a settler family's life during the mid-Victorian period.
Sunshine Coast
This small nature reserve, set up to preserve the area's coastal fynbos (fine bush), has several footpaths.
Eastern Cape
A 400m path winds past the garden's ponds, cascading water and over 80 fairy sculptures. It's a great place to relax.
Port Elizabeth
The beach of choice for windsurfers, sailors and kite-surfers, and sunbathers will also love it.
Eastern Cape
This meditative path meanders through the garden of St Patrick on the Hill chapel.
Port Elizabeth
In desperate need of modernisation, this complex includes a museum, an oceanarium and a snake park. The Xhosa gallery and the First People of the Bay…
South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity
Sunshine Coast
The second coelacanth (a marine fish with limblike pectoral fins) ever caught is exhibited here; until 1938 this primitive fish was thought to have been…
Eastern Cape
A 6600-sq-metre flag is being created from millions of coloured desert plants in the Valley of Desolation. When completed (possibly in 2020), it will be…
Eastern Cape
Accessed through Urquhart House, this museum gives an overview of local military history from the 1800s to the current century.
Eastern Cape
Housed in the former Dutch Reformed Church parsonage (1849), this museum was closed for renovation at the time of research but should reopen in 2019.
Sunshine Coast
This low-key museum displays a large collection of ox wagons, tractors, steam engines and other farm equipment.
