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Several companies want to take you on cruises around the harbour or up the river. Southern Cross will ferry you out of the harbour and down the Buffalo River for a one-hour cruise. The Ballyhoo Cruises catamaran goes out to the bay and ends by docking at Latimer’s Landing, a waterfront development with restaurants and pubs. Hopefully the name On the Rocks isn’t indicative of the sunset cruises on the Nahoon River the company offers.
An almost endless parade of sunny days makes the beaches a year-round destination and it’s easy to find a peaceful spot. The white-sand beaches are unpolluted and the Indian Ocean waters are warm, even in winter. It’s good for year-round watersports, too.
East London Golf Course offers such glorious views of the Indian Ocean that you may find it difficult to concentrate on your swing. If the view doesn’t distract you, the impala on the fairways just might.
The domestic airport is 10km from the city centre with taxis and car hire services available.
For South African Airways flight offers, visit our flights to East London page.
The town itself is a peaceful place for a relaxing family holiday, and a good place to land and strike out along the coastline to enjoy pristine, deserted beaches.
SA is a constant GMT+2 hours, with no daylight savings.
The currency is the Rand, and you’re going to get great value for money! ATMs are ubiquitous and credit and debit cards are widely accepted. Foreign currency can be exchanged at bureaux de change, hotels and banks.
It is pretty much perfect, most of the time. Most of the rainfall is in the summer, with March being the wettest month. Average midday temperatures range from 20°C in July – in mid-winter – to 26°C in February. The all-time record is 42 °C and the early season from August to December tends to be hotter than the official summer months.
South African plugs are a rare breed with three fat round pins, so buy an adaptor at the airport. Many hotels have installed European and UK-style sockets and keep adaptors at reception.
Mobile networks have the city covered. Roaming calls and data are expensive, so buy a local sim card. You’ll need some identification to do so. There are plenty of free wifi hotspots in cafes and hotels, but you’ll find the speeds sluggish if you’re from the first world.
Like most South African cities, the public transport system is under-developed. There is a bus service run by Buffalo City Municipality and most buses run past the town hall, where you can find the routes. Meter taxis are your best bet – get your hotel to call for one.
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