Africa Deluxe Tours The Halyards Hotel

Halyards Hotel

The Royal Alfred Marina in the Kowie River is one of the focal points of the town of Port Alfred. The Halyards Hotel (3-star) is a beacon of the Marina, bordered on the one side by the Marina and on the other by the yacht and small boat harbour. The town is situated on the Sunshine Coast, midway between Port Elizabeth and East London.

The Town of Port Alfred was founded by the British Settlers who were brought into the country in 1820 to serve as a buffer between the Cape Colonists and the Xhosa people. The Settlers hoped to develop Port Alfred as a harbour town, it received large sailing ships for some time, but this was thwarted by a sand bank that makes the entrance to the river too shallow. Although the town has developed and has many amenities on offer, it still has its original English feel to it. The hotel is within a 10 minute walk from the central shopping area.

All bedrooms in the hotel are attractively furnished with en-suite bathrooms. Meals are served in the pleasant Chart-House Restaurant. The Halyards offers a gym, spa, hairdresser, boat cruises and motor boat hire service.

Tours that include Halyards Hotel

Blyde River Canyon

Duration: 16 days, 15 nights
Tour Type: Scheduled tours
Luxury Level: *** / ****
Price: R32,500 per person sharing (±US$ 2,343 )
R10,900 single supplement (±US$ 785 )

Valid dates: Nov 2017 - Oct 2018


The German-guided version of our tour that covers the highlights of South Africa (link to English tour provided as well). It provides a mix of cities, countryside, historical sites, scenic drives, nature, wildlife, culture and people. The southbound tour starts in Johannesburg and ends in Cape Town.

Highlights: Panorama Route , Blyde River Canyon , Kruger National Park , Swaziland , Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve , St. Lucia , iSimangaliso Wetland Park , Transkei , Garden Route , Storm’s River Mouth , Knysna , Cango Caves , Route 62 , Cape Winelands , Stellenbosch , Paarl , Cape Town .

Halyards Hotel attractions

A storm wave breaks over one of the piers that guard the Kowie River Mouth at Port Alfred on South Africa's Sunshine Coast.

Port Alfred

Port Alfred is known as the Heart of the Sunshine Coast, situated halfway between Port Elizabeth and East London. The Kowie River runs through the town and it is the base for the large small boat harbour and a very successful residential marina development. The town boasts a wonderful blue flag beach and a great variety of water and ocean based activities.

The mouth of the Bushmans River on South Africa's Sunshine Coast and the Indian Ocean beyond.

Sunshine Coast

The Sunshine Coast in South Africa stretches from the Tsitsikamma Reserve in the South to East London in the North. Aptly named the Sunshine coast, because it boasts more sunshine hours per year than the rest of sunny South Africa. This is due to the warm Mozambique current that runs along this coast and leads to the moderate temperatures.

Aerial shot of Port Alfred on South Africa's Sunshine Coast, with the Kowie River and Port Alfred Marina visible in the foreground.

Kowie River

The Kowie River in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, has its source in the Grahamstown heights and flows southeast until it empties into the Indian Ocean at Port Alfred. The main tributaries of the Kowie are the Bloukrans, Bak- and Lushington Rivers. The estuarine section of the river stretches from the mouth for 14 km inland.