Ela Beach is the main public waterfront strip in the city centre — a long stretch of grass and sand along the harbour, used by families, joggers, and locals enjoying the evening breeze. The beach itself is pleasant but not suitable for swimming due to pollution from the harbour; it functions more as a park by the sea than a swimming beach.
The area has a relaxed atmosphere in the evenings when it is busy with local families and street food vendors. The broad views across the harbour to the mountains and the Coral Sea beyond are among the best free things Port Moresby offers. The adjacent Ela Beach Hotel and a few restaurants and bars along the strip make this the nearest thing the city has to a seafront promenade.