Eastern Cape · South Africa
East London travel guide
East London is a city in Eastern Cape, South Africa, home to about 479,000 people.
- Best months
- April to October and December to February
- Nearest airport
- ELS8 km · King Phalo Airport
- Currency
- ZARrand
- Time zone
- Africa/Johannesburg
- Language
- Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho
About
About East London
East London (Xhosa: eMonti; Afrikaans: Oos-Londen), officially KuGompo City since February 2026, is a city in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality of the Eastern Cape Province, on the southeastern coast of South Africa. The city lies on the Indian Ocean coast, largely between the Buffalo River and the Nahoon River, and hosts the country's only river port.
East London is on the east coast of South Africa. It is the main city in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, which includes East London, Bhisho and King William's Town. East London is home to Mdantsane township, once considered to be the second largest township in the country. It has an airport, a deep water port, and a railway link to the national rail network. It is widely held that this area was where the African buffalo was first spotted in the country, hence the name Buffalo City.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in East London
See
- Botanical Gardens
- Gately House
- Ann Bryant Art Gallery
- East London Museum
Do
- Mpongo Private Game Reserve
- The Lion Park
- East London Guild Theatre
- Buyel’ Ekhaya Pan African Music Festival
- FNB Eastern Cape Wine Festival
- Daily Dispatch Cycle Tour
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit East London
The most comfortable months for a city stay in East London are April to October and December to February. February is the warmest month, with average highs of 27 °C; November is the wettest, with about 96 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to East London: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is King Phalo Airport (ELS), about 7.6 km from the city centre in a straight line.
Getting in
East London can easily be reached by car. The N2 highway connects East London to Port Elizabeth and Durban; the N6 goes to Bloemfontein. If you are coming from or going to Port Elizabeth you should consider taking the scenic R72 "Romantic Coast Road", which takes a bit longer, but offers spectacular views and some nice little coastal towns (such as Port Alfred).
Getting around
East London lacks a public transport system, so getting around is difficult if you don't have a car. There are many car rental companies available, 3 of which have branches at the airport. Taxis are the best way of getting around East London and the suburbs of the city. They can be pre-booked and are quite cost-effective. A journey from the seafront (Sugarshack hostel) to the Hemingways Mall should only cost around R70 each way (2011 prices). From the Sugarshack to the downtown Shoprite costs R7.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
ELS · King Phalo Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in East London
Eat
The Guidos beach front should be visited while here, not forgetting the Milkshake Shop and the locally legendary Windmill.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
East London: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit East London?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in East London are April to October and December to February. February is the warmest month, with average highs of 27 °C; November is the wettest, with about 96 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to East London?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is King Phalo Airport (ELS), about 7.6 km from the city centre in a straight line.
What currency is used in East London?
rand (ZAR).
Nearby
Destinations near East London
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.