Bathurst (Eastern Cape)

Bathurst, the pineapple capital of South Africa is located in the Eastern Cape. Many of the original settler houses and other buildings have been preserved, and there remains much of the look and feel of an English village of the early 19th century. The Pig and Whistle Inn, at the heart of the village, is reputed to be the oldest pub in the country. In 2011, it was home to 6,400 people.

Understand
Bathurst was founded in 1820 and named after the colonial secretary of the British government, Lord Bathurst. 10 minutes from Port Alfred and home to the oldest pub in South Africa, the town’s major attraction is the Big Pineapple, which stands 16.7 m high.

By plane
There are two airports near Bathurst. The closest is the East London airport which is 112 km from Addo. The Port Elizabeth airport is 127 km away. There are regular flights from Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and other South African destinations to the airports in Port Elizabeth and East London.

By car
Bathurst is easily accessible by motorways from Cape Town (779 km) or East London (112 km). You could also drive in from Johannesburg (818 km). The road conditions are fairly good if you are coming from any of these cities.

By bus
All major South African coach companies offer regular schedules from places like Addo.

Go next

 * Addo
 * Baviaans
 * Grahamstown
 * Jeffreys Bay & St Francis
 * Karoo Heartland
 * Sunshine Coast
 * Tsitsikamma