Port Elizabeth’s Southern Beaches

King’s Beach, Hobie Beach, Humewood Beach and Pollock Beach –  central, easy access and the most popular beaches for safe swimming.

The Southern Beaches lie between the Harbour Wall and Summerstrand – the southern-most beachfront suburb of Port Elizabeth between Central PE and Cape Recife.

These beaches are all very easily accessed via Beach Rd / Marine Drive, with restaurants, cafes, parking, lifeguard stations, changing rooms and facilities running the length of the beachfront. Many of Port Elizabeth’s entertainment attractions and hotels are located in this area – effectively concentrating the leisure life of the city, particularly during the summer months and holiday periods. Along with safe swimming conditions, a variety of watersports and the warm Indian Ocean waters which attract hundreds of bathers, this makes for a vibrant and lively atmosphere along the length of the beachfront – one of Port Elizabeth’s distinguishing features and the basis for annual festivals & events such as the Splash Festival, which draws tens of thousands of people every year. You can head down to the beach in PE and have no reason to head back to your hotel till midnight!

King’s Beach

The longest of these ‘southern’ beaches is King’s Beach at 1.6km long. Kings Beach stretches between the Harbour Wall to ‘Shark Rock Pier’ opposite the suburb of Humewood, and is known as a particularly safe beach, ideal for swimming, and is monitored by lifeguards in the summer months and during school holidays. The ‘Supertubes’ Waterworld Complex is situated right behind the beach, and between the wide golden sand, facilities, lifesaver’s centre and entertainment options, King’s Beach is an ideal and safe beach for a full day out with the family.

Hobie Beach

Named for the colourful mini catamarans that launch from there, the small but vibrant Hobie Beach extends from Shark Rock Pier to the Boardwalk. Hobie Beach is known as one of Port Elizabeth’s most appealing beaches thanks to sheltered rock pools which are rich in intertidal and colourful sea-life such as anemones and urchins. The Boardwalk Casino & Entertainment Complex is situated behind Hobie Beach and is the central venue for the annual Splash Festival.

Humewood Beach

Humewood Beach is Port Elizabeth’s Blue Flag Beach, and extends from the Boardwalk along the length of the suburb of Humewood. Humewood Beach was awarded Blue Flag Status in 2012 thanks not only to good water quality, but also to excellent facilities, including those for the disabled – similar to what’s on offer at Kings Beach. The majority of Port Elizabeth’s beachfront hotels overlook Humewood Beach.

Pollock Beach

Pollock Beach lies south of Humewood in front of the suburb of Summerstrand. There are fewer ‘family’ facilities, but there is a popular surf here break known as ‘Pipe’.