East London property for sale
East London, originally known as Port Rex, is a harbour town in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. East London was founded as a military camp in 1847, became a municipality in 1873 and in 1914 East London achieved City status. In 2000 East London was incorporated into the Buffalo City Municiplaity which is now one of South Africa's eight Metropolitan areas known as Metro's.
East London is the 6th largest city in South Africa and boasts a population in excess of 900 000. East London is South Africa's only river port, set in the mouth of the Buffalo River and this port has been in operation since 1870. In 1935 the double-decker bridge over the Buffalo River was completed and to this day, is the only bridge of its type in South Africa.
The footprint of East London straddles five rivers which gives it its unique character. The topography therefore is quite hilly which accounts for the beautiful view sites across the city.
East London enjoys a moderate climate and is generally sunny and pleasant. East London will make you feel welcome and relaxed with it's laid back style of living. There are a number of hotels in this area where you will find friendly staff and great hospitality.
East London's sandy beaches are rated among the finest in the world and are part of the long stretches of pristine coastline. The Nahoon Reef is a renowned surfing spot and is adjacent to one of the best beaches in South Africa. The Orient Beach offers paddling pools, a playground, water slides and restaurants. In Gonubie, the beach offers breathtaking sunsets from its boardwalk. The beaches are ideal for water sports such as sailing, surfing, kite surfing and fishing. The lagoons and river mouths are also ideal for fishing.
The East London Aquarium is situated on the beach front and is the oldest aquarium in South Africa. The aquarium offers a wooden whale watching deck extending 11 meters above the ocean, perfect for whale and dolphin watching. Some other attractions in East London include the East London City Hall, The Queens park Zoo and Botanical Gardens as well as the East London Museum.
East London offers a broad spectrum of entertainment, some of which are centered around the Hemingways Mall & Casino and Vincent Park Shopping Centre. Various restaurants offering excellent service and delectable foods and the Guild Theatre, home of the performing arts in East London are all part of the entertainment mix.
East London boasts a wide variety of educational institutions. The city has many quality schools and is home to the newly-merged Walter Sisulu University (WSU). East London also has a satellite campus of the Fort Hare University and The Buffalo City Further Education and Training (FET) College has served the area for the past 100 years.
East London is a sporting city. It has many sporting clubs and facilities. The Buffalo City Stadium (formerly ABSA stadium) is home to Border Rugby and the Buffalo Park Cricket Stadium is home to the Border Bears. Old Selbornians, Hamiltons, Bohemiams, Buffs, Cambrige are just some of the many multi disciplinary sports clubs in the city. Added to this are numerous rugby, soccer, hockey and boxing clubs. The Joan Harrison swimming pool complex hosts many a national aquatic event and the list goes on.
East London is comprised of many well established suburbs. Property prices in East London vary from approximately R 300 000 for an apartment up to R 12 000 000 for an upmarket home along the banks of the Nahoon river. Areas such as Nahoon Mouth, Nahoon Valley, Beacon Bay, Abbotsford, Bonnie Doon and Gonubie offer stunning homes and lifestyles on the beach and river.
East London has a small but busy national airport, bringing on average 350 000 people here every year. The economy of East London is heavily dependent on the motor manufacturing industry.
