East London is a working Eastern Cape port city with a better coastline than its name prepares you for. The centre can feel worn, but the city has long beaches, surf breaks, river mouths and a natural harbour, all wrapped into the daily life of Buffalo City.
The easy pleasures are along the coast. Nahoon Beach is the best-known surf and sand stop, while Orient Beach keeps you closer to the old beachfront and harbour. The city is not glossy, and that is part of the point: East London is more useful, lived-in and local than a resort town.
Do not skip the East London Museum. Its coelacanth story, natural history and regional collections make it one of the strongest small-city museums in South Africa. Add the Ann Bryant Art Gallery if you want a quieter cultural stop away from the beach.