Overview
Introduction
Coastal East London, South Africa, 470 mi/760 km south of Johannesburg, was established in 1836 by the British as a military post, which they used as a base during the Xhosa wars.
Today it has the wonderful East London Museum, with excellent anthropological displays, including the only known dodo egg and a stuffed coelacanth (a fish thought to have been extinct for more than 70 million years—until one was netted near East London in 1938).
While in town, also see the Gately House museum. Lovely Victorian buildings in the city center, nice beaches (popular with surfers) and an aquarium round out the city.
Location
The port at East London is the only river port in the country, and is located at the mouth of the Buffalo River. Cruise ships use any available berth, usually on the East Bank, which is less than a five-minute taxi ride to Oxford Street in the city center and 10 minutes from the esplanade along the beachfront.
Shore Excursions
Guided city tours pass the impressive historical City Hall and the modern statue of the martyred antiapartheid activist, Stephen Biko. They also stop at East London Museum to see the world's only dodo egg, and fascinating exhibits ranging from the prehistoric times of South Africa to the early history of the Xhosa people. They may also visit Nahoon Point Nature Reserve where there is a pleasant cafe and network of boardwalks over the coastal dune fields.