East London, or Buffalo City, as it is affectionately known to the locals, is the unspoilt secret of the Sunshine Coast. East London is the home of endless wide unspoilt beaches and clear warm seas. It has a friendly and intimate national airport situated close to the city centre and is the ideal place to begin an exploration of this stretch of the South African coastline.The Sunshine Coast starts at East London, stretches along the eastern coastline passing Port Elizabeth and Jeffreys Bay, and ends at St Francis Bay.
The city is located between the Buffalo river and the Nahoon river, and is the only river port in South Africa, providing water lovers the opportunity to enjoy both the sea and it’s waterways.
Although East London has a wide variety of accommodation available, from hotels to guest houses, to experience the laid back, friendly hospitality try one of the numerous bed and breakfast establishments (B&Bs) dotted along the coast, providing inexpensive and well run accommodation. With a genuine sense of hospitality and laid back style of living the inhabitants of East London will make you feel more than welcome. Here you can catch up on the colourful history of East London and gain the inside scoop on the best beaches, restaurants and night life from the locals.
Once you have settled in and put your bags down, don’t waste the sunshine hours, but grab your sunscreen and head straight for one of the great beaches East London offers:
Eastern Beach
Eastern beach is the most popular and central of East London’s famous beaches. It provides good swimming and surfing, with the option for those less active to soak up the sun on the wide unspoilt beach. Combined with a range of amenities such as changing rooms and eateries it is a quick fix for the sun deprived.
Nahoon Beach
Its a surfer’s paradise and is the venue for international and national surfing contests. But be warned - it is not for the faint hearted as it’s world class waves are challenging, providing long powerful waves that surfers seek out. Of course, you can simply relax on the uncrowded dazzling white sands occasionally cooling off with a dip in the warm Indian ocean. Irresistible!
Orient Beach
If you are looking for a gentle swimming day at the beach, try Orient Beach. Named after the Russian vessel that ran aground on the shore, the swimming beaches are protected by the breakwater, ideal for children. Besides the wonderful swimming there is plenty to keep the young ones occupied, with a children’s pool and water slide the main attraction.
However it would be a travesty to think of East London as the home to only these three gems. Bonza Bay’s beach, Cove Rock, Igoda Beach and Gulu Beach are just some of the many beaches that can be explored and enjoyed at your leisure.
Useful contacts
- Tourism Buffalo City
Phone : 27-43-7226015
The SA Venues website provide excellent detailed information on the many attractions East London has to offer sa-venues.com/attractionsec/east-london.php
