Port Elizabeth
city · South Africa
🧭 Explore Port Elizabeth: what to do & where to go next →Overview
Set in South Africa, Port Elizabeth is a mid-size town.
It is home to around 104,000 people.
It lies in the southern hemisphere, in Africa.
The nearest airport is Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport (PLZ), about 32 km away.
Key facts
| Country | South Africa |
|---|---|
| Population | 103,639 |
| Elevation | 103 m |
| Nearest airport | Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport (PLZ), 32 km |
| Currency | ZAR |
Where Port Elizabeth is
Port Elizabeth sits in South Africa, in the southern part of Africa.
Kariega lies about 12 km to the south-west, Gqeberha lies about 29 km to the south and Grahamstown lies about 104 km to the north-east.
Getting there
Most visitors arrive by air. Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport (PLZ) is the closest airport, about 32 km from Port Elizabeth.
Use the Find flights link to search live fares for your dates.
Find flights to Port Elizabeth →arrives PLZ (31.9 km away)
Getting around
The town is easy to cover on foot, with taxis handy for longer hops or reaching nearby spots. If you drive, remember traffic here keeps to the left.
Best time to visit
The climate here is broadly subtropical (southern hemisphere): mild winters and hot summers.
For most visitors the shoulder seasons — roughly March to May and September to November — offer warm-enough weather without the peak-summer crowds, while high summer (December to February) is busiest.
Reasons to visit
A few reasons Port Elizabeth is worth your time: a handy base for the surrounding area, with several places within day-trip reach; straightforward access by air through PLZ.
Day trips & nearby
Port Elizabeth works well as a base. Within about 110 km you can reach Kariega (12 km to the south-west); Gqeberha (29 km to the south); Grahamstown (104 km to the north-east); Somerset East (110 km to the north); Jeffreys Bay (66 km to the south-west).
Good to know
The currency is the ZAR (Rand).
The main language spoken is English.
Traffic drives on the left.
How long to stay
Plan on 3–5 days here; that suits most visitors on a first trip.
Journeys through here
Where to stay in Port Elizabeth
Hotels are booked on Booking.com (a third party, off this page). You book and pay them directly — Head Your Way is not the seller.
Getting around Port Elizabeth
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Common questions
- What is the nearest airport to Port Elizabeth?
- Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport (PLZ) is the closest airport, about 32 km away.
- When is the best time to visit Port Elizabeth?
- Late spring and early autumn tend to be the most pleasant.
- What is near Port Elizabeth?
- Kariega is one of the closest places, about 12 km away, with others within day-trip range.
- Which country is Port Elizabeth in?
- Port Elizabeth is in South Africa.
On the map
Keep exploring
More places in South Africa
Similar destinations
Plan the wider trip
Sources & method
- GeoNames — population · retrieved 2026-08-18
- OurAirports (derived) — nearestAirports · retrieved 2026-08-18
Data compiled 2026-08-18 · editorial checks: passed. See our methodology for how Head Your Way sources and reviews travel data.