Weekend Escape: Caribbean Estates, Port Edward

This comfy estate in the Eastern Cape makes a great family getaway, writes Shanthini Naidoo

Port Edward on a gloomy, overcast day can be moody with angry, twisted clouds and wild winds that make the palm trees screech.

The little town in KwaZulu-Natal, right on the Eastern Cape border, is known for its beaches and banana bushes, with the blingy crown that is the Wild Coast Sun.

But on a grey day it harks back to its tumultuous history in the days before it became a South Coast party town.

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Shipwrecks, fatal storms and bloody battles are all part of its past. One account of a wrecked merchant ship told how survivors built tents with their wares - rich carpets, imported cloths and silk.

This area and a fair amount of the other side of the border, the Wild Coast section of the Eastern Cape, is indeed still wild.

As you drive the two hours from King Shaka airport on the north coast, the scenery takes on a lush greenness which gives way to sandy hills with running green seaside plants that you might not see on any other developed beach.

But it is a resort town, even if the weather was not ideal.

There are self-catering lodgings of all types in the area, including the quaint Caribbean Estates, where we stayed.

One of the area's older establishments, it has seen its share of partying and holidaying families.

Built in the architectural melting-pot style typical to the Caribbean - with a blending of British, French and Spanish influences - it boasts homes on stilts and apartments with stained-glass windows and pretty white shutters.

The resort is on a steep hill leading to the Umtamvuna River mouth, with views of the bridge into the Eastern Cape, the sea or the river bed dotted with reclining chairs and little boats. Its winning feature is a boardwalk trail to a jetty, then an unkempt path to the sea with low foliage and pebbles.

On a sunny day, the beach would be glorious. But we played in the sand and ran on the dunes, ignoring the threatening thunderous clouds.

The homes are privately owned, time-shared and other permutations so the comfort of each depends on the care given to it. Our apartments were well stocked with necessities and appliances and had newly refurbished, modern furniture. The bathrooms could do with some upgrading but the place was ultimately comfortable and cosy.

All we missed was a non-stick pan, but who would notice in the company of old friends, home-cooked food and endless banter?

We forgot that the weather was not ideal for a beach spot, only reminded by an occasional wind whistling through the wild banana trees.

PLAN YOUR TRIP

GETTING THERE: It is a 90-minute drive from Durban. Flying to King Shaka International Airport, then driving, adds another hour.

THINGS TO DO: The Oribi Gorge is a natural spectacle with canyons, rope bridges and waterfalls a short drive away. The nearby Wild Coast Sun Wild Waters is a great hot-day option for families, from R80 for kids to R160 for adults, in peak season. On the R61 between Palm Beach and Munster is Mac Banana, which has a Banana Café and Pancake Bar, MacVenture Golf, barnyard, paintball, quad biking and a butterfly farm.

WHY GO: This is a beautiful, down-to-earth part of the country for long beach walks and exploring. If the weather's bad, indoor R&R can be broken up by myriad activities in the area, including a trip to the Wild Coast Sun for games, gambling, movies and more.

RATES: Low-season six sleepers from R2,000 per night.

CONTACT: Call 039-311-2045 or see caribbean-estates.co.za.