Port Elizabeth is one of the largest cities on the garden road known more for its coastal scenery than its spectacular scuba diving.

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Port Elizabeth is not first known for its diving but more so because of its stunning coastal scenery. Thousands of vacationers tour around its beautiful wide beached covered with gold sand such as King's Beach, Hobie Beach and Pollock Beach. Surfers, swimmers, jet skiing, fishing and scuba diving are top activities done around these shores. Wildlife and well protected game parks where elephants, rhinos, buffalo's and lions are seen are less than an hour away and easy to book in town. There are overnight safaris for spotting penguins, great white sharks and whales. Many dive sites are within the warmer bay or a short boat tour away at Algoa bay and the wildside. Visit Port Elizabeth Hotels for more information about accommodations.

The wildside is an area known for its superb rock formations, caves, gulleys and steep walls. Everything is covered in the brightest pink anemones, red palmate sea fans and invertebrate life such as colourful nudibranches. It is an exciting place for the curious diver, perfect for macro photography and muck diving. Marine life such as rock cod, horsefish, leopard dogfish and bream are some of the common species found here. Larger examples such as whale sharks, dolphins, ragged tooth sharks, pyjama sharks and even hammerheads have been reported occasionally.

The water is cold with temperatures ranging from eight to fourteen degrees on the wildside while between fifteen and twenty inside the bay. If you can dive with dry suit we advise to do so as there are no wetsuits that give you a comfortable feeling after half an hour in ten degrees water being amazed about Port Elizabeth's healthy underwater world. Currents are moderate; there if often a strong surge and most dive sites are at a depth suitable for advanced scuba divers only. Some of the top locations are Riy Banks, Gasmic Reef and Haerlem Wreck. Enjoy this pearl at one of South Africa's unspoilt diving destinations.

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