Self-catering holiday homes: Eastern Cape

Make a holiday rental home or accommodation in Eastern Cape, South Africa your home away from home

The Eastern Cape is where the finest South African beaches, fullest game reserves and most relaxing health spas can be found. There is an amazing range of landscapes in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, providing stark contrasts and unrivalled magic, and providing more activities and more sights than you could possibly enjoy on a single Eastern Cape holiday.

Things to do on holiday in Eastern Cape, South Africa

The beaches of the Eastern Cape are absolutely sensational, from Plattenberg Beach to Port Edward. The beaches stretch for as far as the eye can see, with fine, golden sand glistening in the summer sun. The beach life is a real treat on the Eastern Cape, and dolphin and whales can often be seen just off the coast. There are over 800km of beaches to choose from, unspoilt and wonderfully wild. The warm weather, empty beaches and soft sands make accommodation in the Eastern Cape best for beach holidays anywhere is South Africa, and the sailing possibilities are absolutely world class. Between May and November, whales and their calves can regularly be spotted just off shore, and dolphins are a regular sight, especially around Coffee Bay.

Nature lovers will feel right at home in Eastern Cape accommodation. There are nine main tour routes to follow through the Eastern Cape taking visitors through the lush wildernesses and the Eastern Cape game reserves, the soaring mountains and semi-arid deserts, not to mention the unspoilt coastline of the Wild Coast. Eastern Cape safaris are right out of the top drawer. This is a malaria free area, and one of the best places to see the Big 5. Eastern Cape safaris are particularly good for those wishing to see the noble elephant as the Eastern Cape game reserves boast the highest concentration of elephants in Africa, with some 300 individuals. There are almost endless Eastern Cape safaris, and a great range of Eastern Cape game reserves including the famous Shamwari Game Reserve, Addo Elephant Park and Mountain Zebra Park.

The Eastern Cape is a health spa centre too, and once you have returned from a long day of game viewing, surfing, relaxing on the beach, shopping or fly fishing in the Eastern Cape, the health spas offer an unrivalled way to relax. Many of the game reserves in the Eastern Cape have health spas, usually attached to the main lodge, which is also where the best traditional dishes can be found cooking.

Places to visit on holiday in Eastern Cape, South Africa

Port Elizabeth is one of the most famous places to visit in South Africa and home to some of the best accommodation in the Eastern Cape. Port Elizabeth is a great sporting location, offering year round fun and almost every water sport from surfing to sailing, fishing to scuba diving, as well as excellent access to the Addo Elephant Reserve, which is also home to rhino, buffalo and over 180 species of bird.

The Western region of the Eastern Cape is a real pleasure to explore. The coast is impossibly beautiful, and is one of the most traditional areas of the Eastern Cape. Anyone with an interest in dinosaurs will feel like they are in a theme park here too!

Weather on the Eastern Cape, South Africa

The climate on the Eastern Cape is hugely varied throughout the year and throughout the region. Along the coast, you can expect wonderfully hot summers, which last from October until April, and very mild winters that remain close to conditions of the British summer. Further north, conditions get cooler, which is a real blessing for anyone wishing to get out and enjoy the sensational scenery.

Cheap flights to Eastern Cape, South Africa

Port Elizabeth Airport (PLZ) is the largest on the Eastern Cape, and although it doesn’t receive direct flights from the UK, there are regular connections to Johannesburg Airport (JNB), which receives a great range of British Airways flights from London and Manchester (MAN).

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