Port Elizabeth Cultural Activities

Take advantage of the unique flavor Port Elizabeth has to offer. CEA offers a variety of local cultural activities to match your interests. Whether you enjoy music concerts, clubs, sports, cooking classes, language exchanges or something entirely different, our resident staff can help you get involved in the local culture.

Township Tour

Townships are where the majority of South Africans live. They are vibrant, exciting places, despite the fact that there is a lot of poverty , unemployment and some terrible living conditions. Through a guided tour you will gain an understanding of the Apartheid system and its lasting effects, experience the lives of the Xhosa people who are the main inhabitants of the Port Elizabeth townships, and discover how Port Elizabeth was at the center of the struggle for freedom.

Day on the Beach and Evening Braai

Spend a day on the beach enjoying one of the many watersport activities accessible in Port Elizabeth or having fun at the Boardwalk. Following a day of fun in the sun, join fellow CEA and international students over a traditional Braai and South African music.

NMMU SRC Events

Be a real part of the amazing student body at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and attend one (or more) of the numerous fun activities run by the Student Representative Council (SRC). Attend the welcome bash for First Year students, where the entire student body unites and spends the night listening to live bands, dancing and making friends. Or participate in team competitions, such as "Everything that Floats," where challenging teams spend one night building a boat or vehicle that will (hopefully) successfully float on water in front of judges the following day at Hobie Beach.

Volkswagen Motor Factory

What would a stay in one of the most important locations of the motor vehicle industry be without a visit to a factory? At the Volkswagen Motor Factory in Uitenhage, observe first-hand how production of various Volkswagen vehicles takes place from start to finish. Following the factory tour, you will visit the Auto Pavilion Museum which showcases VW vehicles through the years.

Bay World Oceanarium

Take a magical journey under the sea through a visit to Bay World Oceanarium. Exhibits within the Oceanarium include an underwater observation area in the aquarium, a dolphin research center, various smaller tanks for 40 different species of bony fish, as well as two larger tanks housing sharks and stingrays. The Oceanarium also stages exciting dolphin and seal presentations. In addition to the Oceanarium, Bay World houses a Snake Park, the Port Elizabeth Museum and No. 7 Castle Hill Historical House Museum.