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A visit to the East London Mueum in Oxford Street is highly recommended. It boasts a large natural science collection and collections ranging from the prehistoric times of South Africa to early history of the Xhosa people. And here, one can admire a stuffed Coelacanthus. This ancient fish species is estimated to be about 350 million years old and was believed to be extinct for more than 65 million years, until a fisherman from East London caught such a specimen in 1938. In the following years more catches were made in the extremely deep waters at East London. The Coelacanthus is a predator fish that grows to a length of 1,5 metres and weighs about 60 kilos.
Accommodation and further visitor information: info
Left: Beach promenade in East London.
Top: The town hall in East London.
Bottom: Stuffed Coelacanthus exhibited in the
East London Museum
[Swellendam]
[Bontebok NP]
[Malgas]
Garden Route
[Mossel Bay]
[George]
[Oudtshoorn]
[Ostrich Farms]
[Cango Caves]
[Outeniqua Choo Choo]
[Wilderness]
[Knysna]
[Plettenberg Bay]
[Tsitsikamma NP]
Eastern Cape
[St. Francis Bay]
[Jeffreys Bay]
[Port Elizabeth]
[Addo Elephant NP]
[Kenton-on-Sea]
[Port Alfred]
[Grahamstown]
[East London]
[Kei Mouth]
[Umtata]
[Transkei]
[Coffee Bay]
[Hole in the Wall]
[Port St. Johns]
Karoo
[General Information]
[Karoo NP]
[Graaff-Reinet]
[Valley of Desolation]
[Mountain Zebra NP]
East London
South Africa
East London was set up by the British in the year 1836 as a military post and served them as a base during the Xhosa-Wars. The arrival of German settlers, who had been serving as mercenaries in the British-German Legion, gave the place at the mouth of the Buffalo River an economic boost. In 1873 East London was given town rights.
Today, East London counts about half a million citizens, including the people living in the surrounding townships. The biggest employer is the Daimler Chrysler AG, which manufactures here Mercedes cars and trucks for the South African market and for export. East London has the forth-biggest port of South Africa. It is the only harbour in South Africa that lies on a river. A modern airport links the town to the South African Airways net.
East London is almost all year round blessed with a pleasant and sunny climate and - like all places along the Sunshine Coast - with wonderful sandy beaches. Directly in the city centre area are the Nahoon, the Orient and the Eastern Beach. Here, numerous big hotel complexes and apartment blocks determine the scene. The aquarium at the Esplanade is the oldest in South Africa. Besides the fishes, penguins and seals can also be seen here.
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