NEIGHBOURHOOD

Property | Spotlight on Beachview

Port Elizabeth area with spectacular sea views as far as the eye can see

By Robyn Anthony - 23 June 2018

Lying on the outskirts of Port Elizabeth is the beautiful coastal suburb of Beachview. It’s about 25km from the city centre and here you’ll find homes with spectacular sea views as far as the eye can see – an attribute that has earned this popular compact suburb its name.

Ela Vosloo, owner of Shukla, a shop which specialises in handmade Belgian chocolates, has been living in the area for four years after moving back to South Africa from Belgium, where they lived for 15 years.

She says it was always her and her late husband’s dream to retire in Beachview.

“The drawcard for us was the clean air, the wildlife, hiking trails and frequent sightings of dolphins and whales when in season. And, of course, the fact that there are no street lights: it makes stargazing so much better.”
When you’re in Beachview, it feels like you’re in a different world. The beach stretches on for kilometres and, according to Ela, there are dolphin sightings just about every day – another bonus of living on this side of town.

The endangered oystercatcher, along with a wide range of other marine birds, also frequent this part of the world.

Property

According to Ela, not much has changed on the property market since she first moved to Beachview – a fact she’s very happy about.

“It’s mostly quiet around here. We have a super community feel. We look out for one another and on weekends there are loads of cyclists and joggers along the main road,” she says.

Her home is a “typical beach house” with a deck stretching along the length of the house.

“From the deck, we often enjoy a sundowner and watch the sunset. The clouds on the horizon are often a sight to behold as well.”

Many of the houses are similar to this feel, she says, and boast breathtaking views. “It’s also a paradise for nature lovers.”

Schooling

Beachview doesn’t have any schools in the area but there are numerous schools nearby. These include a number of smaller farm schools such as Bushy Park Farm School, Island Forest Primary School and Colleen Glen Farm School.

There are also the more mainstream private schools which include the newer Curro School Westbrook as well as Woodridge College and Preparatory School which have been around for generations of families.

Explore

Beachview forms part of a coastline of unspoiled rock pools, stretches of sandy beach and dunes, scenic walks and a host of adventurous pursuits that include birding, mountain biking and horse riding.

Beachview is also close to a number of activities, should you choose to venture out. Maitland, a wonderful sandy beach with lagoon and some of the most magnificent sand dunes to be seen in the Bay area, is less than 3km from Beachview.

It offers a great alternative as Beachview is not always regarded as a safe swimming beach, despite its impressive views.

Seaview, home to its own game and lion park, is also just a very short drive away and not only takes you closer to Port Elizabeth but also has a convenient shopping centre.

The Island, a beautiful forest area, provides stunning walks through the indigenous forest and also has picnic and braai areas.

“There’s so much to do here: beach walks, hiking trails, surfing, hang gliding, sand boarding, fishing, gathering oysters and mussels (if you have a licence, of course), as well as cycling and running,” says Ela.

“Beachview is truly a beautiful, well-kept secret. I would rather that it stays the sleepy little village it is, but that would be selfish.”