Kenton on Sea is situated in the Eastern Cape along the R72 Sunshine Coast Tourist Route, between the cities of Port Elizabeth and East London. The nearest airport is in Port Elizabeth with regular flights to and from all the major city centres of South Africa. Kenton is also situated only 15 minutes from Port Alfred with its brand new Rosehill shopping mall and only 30 minutes away from the settler city of Grahamstown, home to Rhodes University and the excellent private schools of St Andrews, DSG and Kingswood. Arts and crafts in the region are well represented every year at the famous National Arts Festival which is also held in Grahamstown during Winter.

Kenton-on-Sea is a malaria free area, has a temperate climate and more recorded sunshine hours than anywhere else in the country. The Maximum temperatures seldom go above 27° C or below 8° C. Summer and winter rainfall regions meet in this area but more rain falls during the summer months. The warm Mozambique current flows down our Indian Ocean coast line, with warm sea temperatures throughout the year.

THE KARIEGA & BUSHMANS RIVERS

Both the Kariega and Bushmans Rivers are safe for boating, canoeing and all river watersports. The Kariega and Bushman’s Rivers are navigable for 15 and 33 kilometres respectively. Upriver one can view a host of indigenous bird life from the colourful sunbird to the soaring fish eagle. Wildlife can be spotted along some parts of the banks of the rivers. Addo National Elephant Park and Shamwari Game Reserve are also close to Kenton for those who wish to see the Big 5.

The two rivers are both navigable and a trip upriver promises a rich bird viewing opportunity – including the vivid sunbird and fish eagle. The Kariega beach was voted the best beach in South Africa in 2000 and you would be hard pushed to find such beauty and serenity elsewhere. There are undulating sand dunes, fascinating rock formations and rock pools to delight the child in everyone.

The land which is now Kenton was sold to a Mr Tilt, born in 1867. He lived in a village called Kenton, near Exeter in Devon, England. The village of Kenton on Sea was only formally ‘registered for sale’ in 1946. It was called Kenton on Sea after his village of the same name in the UK as he is understood to feel that he would never return there and that this would be his home.

The 2 Norfolk Pines were planted on the hill where the Kenton Hotel was to be built and became a NAVIGATIONAL AID for sailors. Kenton appears on all standard charts, including British Admiralty charts of the South African Coastline. They are still used as navigational ‘aids’ or beacons today. KARIEGA means ‘place of Bushbuck’ in SAN (Standloper name).