East London Beach. Photo by Lysippos
Did you know that one of South Africa’s most beautiful beaches is found in East London?
Gonubie Beach is not just inspiring to look at, it’s also not crowded. Since East London is more known as the place where an import/export zone is found, one would not imagine finding such majesty in the city outskirts. This is why Gonubie Beach is perfect if you need some R&R away from the mainstream and touristy spots.
East London has many secrets, but a few of them are easily shared with anyone willing to listen. The most significant of all East London secrets is the about the people. East Londoners are one of the most welcoming, generous, and friendly people in South Africa. They have a wonderful sense of humour and can put anyone at ease instantly.
That being said, another of the above mentioned secrets is about Areena Riverside Resort, which is also a private game reserve. Areena is considered a best-kept secret because not many people are aware it exists and it does not actively pursue tourists. As a weekend getaway for locals, Areena is perfect with its self-catering 3 star rating, beautiful cottages or chalets.
The beach is just a hop, skip and jump away from Areena and families can enjoy water sports, abseiling, hiking, archery, shooting, swimming, quad biking, deep sea fishing, all set in a safe environment in the private game reserve.
Who is Zahara?
Singer Zahara, who was just dubbed South Africa’s newest sensation, comes from Phumlani in East London. At 23 years of age, critics are calling her the next Miriam Makheba because she can sing, play the acoustic guitar, compose songs, and write poetry. When her first album was released, it sold out in 3 days! Her popularity extends as far as the US and Amsterdam, and her story is full of drama.
Zahara was discovered singing at an East London club. It happened after months of submitting demo CDs and knocking on doors of producers. The fact that she never took formal music lessons is one of the reasons why no one paid her any heed. Yet look where she is now!
The East London Premiere Golf Club
Many famous golfers have visited the area because the East London Golf Club has a reputation that beckons to the best. The course itself is full of history being one of the first golf clubs in the country. You can find the impala, and several rare bird species residing along the golf course. It has also been the venue for the South African Open, which means anyone who follows golf must have heard about this club.
The Varied Sports of East London
Golf is not the only sport you can enjoy in East London. There are dozens of other physical activities just waiting to be tried. Cricket, of course, is a given since it’s one of the three most popular sports in the country. However, did you know that South Africa has no national sport? It just has very popular sports and cricket is one of them, like rugby and soccer. Most cricket matches are held in the Buffalo Park Stadium (like the 2009 Indian Premier League).
The East London rugby team call themselves the Border Bulldogs, and their home base is also the Buffalo City Stadium where they are also within striking distance of the soccer team who also practice there. Other sports are motocross, triathlon, martial arts, boxing, skydiving, horseback riding, scuba diving, wind surfing, biking, boating, and running.