BATHURST: HOME TO THE WORLD'S LARGEST PINEAPPLE BUILDING
Visit the farming town of Bathurst, home to the world’s biggest pineapple building.
We travel from the winelands of the Cape to Bathurst, a small farming town in the Eastern Cape that’s truly a hidden gem of South Africa.
Just 15km’s inland from Port Alfred, Bathurst has plenty to spark the interest of tourists, including its pineapple fields. Fitting then that it’s home to the ‘Big Pineapple’, the world’s largest pineapple (building) that stands 16.5 metres tall, features an observation station and houses a gift shop and museum.
The sweet flavour profile of a pineapple fruit is very diverse and can be turned into so many things, including jams, relishes, and curried pineapple.
Interestingly, the southerly Bathurst pineapples take longer to grow than those produced by the world’s major growers. The additional growing time leads to higher acidity levels and an intense flavour, which ensures a strong demand by juice manufacturers overseas.
Said to be the most southerly pineapple production region in the world, the area falls on the cusp of the winter and summer rainfall regions so receives some rain throughout most of the year.
Isn’t this fibreglass edifice just another wonderful reminder of the many interesting landmarks worth exploring in our beautiful country!
