4 Best Sights in East London, The Eastern Cape

There's definitely something fishy going on at the East London Museum. In addition to a whole section on the discovery of the coelacanth, the museum has a large display of preserved fish, including an enormous manta ray. For a different kind of fishy, check out what is claimed to be the world's only surviving dodo egg. Probably the most worthwhile exhibit, though, is the extensive beadwork collection; it's culturally interesting and just plain beautiful.

Gonubie Beach is at the mouth of the Gonubie River, about half an hour northeast of the city. The riverbank is covered in dense forest, with giant strelitzias (wild banana trees) growing right to the water's edge. A lovely white sandy beach, tidal pools, and a 500-yard-long wooden walkway make this a fantastically user-friendly beach. It's also a good place to watch whales and dolphins, and compared to some of the more central beaches it's pretty quiet. There are picnic tables, fire pits, and a playground. Gonubie is ultimately not just a beach destination, but quite likely the closest to downtown East London you should consider staying. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguard; parking (free); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

Nahoon Beach, at the mouth of the Nahoon River, is about a 10-minute drive from the city. There's some fantastic surf—but only for people who know what they're doing. It's also just a beautiful beach for sunbathing, watching surfers, and evening walks, and the lagoon is good for swimming and snorkeling. The walk from the parking lot to the beach takes you through a beautiful forest, which helps make the beach feel secluded despite its proximity to the city. There are picnic tables, fire pits, and a playground, making a perfect spot for a braai. Nearby, The Beach Break cafe sells wonderful coffee and breakfasts and all kinds of scrumptious wraps, burgers, toasted sandwiches (or sarnies, as they call them here), and excellent cakes. It's a very pleasant spot pre- or post-beach. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (free); toilets. Best for: sunsets; surfing; walking.

The state-of-the-art heritage center, which opened in 2012, is in Ginsberg township in King William's Town (now officially known as Qonce), where Steve Biko grew up. It's actually about a 40-minute drive out of East London, but it's well worth a visit for anyone interested in South Africa's "struggle" history, as well as the development of its young democracy. There's a museum, an archive, a library resource center, a commemorative garden honoring human rights activists, performance and production spaces, training rooms, and a community media center. The center is also the focal point for a heritage trail that consists of various sites that pay tribute to Steve Biko, the South African activist and leading Black Consciousness Movement proponent who died in police custody in 1977 at the age of 31. Biko has often been held up as one of the greatest martyrs of the anti-apartheid movement. Imonti Tours offers a Buffalo City Heritage Tour which includes stops at the center, as well as historic sites in East London, Mdantsane, and Bisho.