On average nearly 30 flights a day land at East London Airport , with over 350 000 passengers passing through its doors on an annual basis .

Presently, there are only two Domestic Airlines - South African Airways and SA Express, which fly to East London Airport.

East London is the only river port in South Africa and was established as a supply port by the British Military during the Xhosa Wars in the mid 1800s. It is located on the east coast of the Eastern Cape Province and is small by South African standards. This makes East London the ideal travel opportunity getaway for travellers seeking tranquillity and peace.

East London’s twelve beaches are some of the best in the world. The wave conditions make it ideal for surfing, which is why the city gets to host several the top surfing competitions every year.

The collections at East London Museum, in upper Oxford Road boast striking past exhibits. Even if you are not much interested by museums, you must visit this one. The museum’s palaeontology section houses the unique egg of dodo bird, and a coelacanth. The significance of the latter is that, it is a 350 million year old sea-creature, which was years back considered extinct, until a live coelacanth, was found off the coast line of East London in the 20th century. Many live specimens of the creature have been found and photographed by the adventurous deep-water divers, since then. The museum also exhibits discovered fossils like Nahoon footprints and artefacts, which signifies that human existed in the region, some 200,000 years ago.

If you are inquisitive about the culture of Xhosa people, then you must visit the Khayalabantu Cultural Village, situated just outside the East London. Here you can see the Xhosa people dancing, and also enjoy tasting the traditional Xhosa cuisine. You can also buy some beautifully handcraft items from any of the curio shop.

Children will love the Thornvalley Python Park, which is home not only to the pythons, but also crocodiles and ostriches. They can also enjoy activities like pony rides, quad bike riding, and bass fishing. Other places of interest are the Queens Park Zoo, and the Whale Watch Deck on the Esplanade. People of all age group will enjoy watching the seal shows, which are held two times daily.

Fort Glamorgan is one of the most sought after destinations in East London. It was founded in 1848, about the same time, as the harbour. It was founded with the intention to provide “accommodation for troops, and to take in a big commissariat store assets”. The brick arched building, which was once the powder-house is now only accessible by the main prison-gates, so befre visiting, you will need to request for permission to enter. This unique experience is indeed worth the endeavour.

There is more to know about prisons… you may like to include the Lock Street Gaol Shopping Complex in Fleet Street, in your itinerary. This was the first women’s prison in South Africa, and was built during the 1800s. Some well-known women, for instance Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, ex-wife of Nelson Mandela, was here for sometime, so was Daisy de Melker, the black widow murderess, who killed her two husbands, and only son. Daisy de Melker was the second woman, executed in the country. You can still see the original gallows today. Although Lock Street Gaol now has many shops and offices; and not offenders; it is really worth visiting.

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