The Baakens River is a tidal estuary that bisects the suburban areas of Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) within the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, flowing from west to east from its source in the Hunters Retreat wetland area to its confluence with the Indian Ocean near the harbor. This long, narrow green-space valley serves as a significant natural corridor through the metropolitan area. The estuary occupies an area within port bounds and functions as a natural carbon sink and flood control feature, though it can be susceptible to clogging by vegetation. It is part of a coastal system alongside other significant estuaries like the Swartkops.