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East London, South Africa

Stay in East London: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

Also within 20 km of East London

All 10 on East London's map

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About East London

Known for kitesurfing and windsurfing, by the OpenStreetMap map of the area. The shore faces E, so wind from the W blows out to sea (our estimate from the coastline). Facts: verified.

Water about 21°C: 2 mm shorty. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

A spot for kitesurfing and windsurfing, as OpenStreetMap maps it, on a shore facing E. Wind from the E blows onshore, wind from the W blows out to sea, and wind from the S or N runs along the shore. It is sheltered to the open sea. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 800 m out (1 in 82). The sea is about 20°C in September, its coldest month (2 mm shorty), and 25°C in February, its warmest (no wetsuit). For kitesurfing at expert level the best months are usually January and October, with about 3 good days in 7; in May, about 0. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is East London. Within 5 km we also list 4 surf spots.

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Book the trip

From Chicago: about 30 h 40 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to ELS, changing at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and Cape Town International Airport (CPT).

    See flights MDW → ELS · Skyscanner from about £795 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 30 min from the airport to East London.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in East LondonAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Kitesurfing lessons in East London · GetYourGuideAdKite and board hire in East London · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

East London on Google Maps · Directions

The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.

One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forecast

Best on Tue 27: 13 kn gusting 27, side-onshore. Water: chop.

The score for kite, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor

DayScoreWindGustsShoreWater
Mon 19Oct033knoffnot safe1.6 mwaves
Tue 20Oct015knoffnot safe1.1 mwaves
Wed 21Oct2225kncross-off1.0 mwaves
Thu 22Oct2226kncross-off1.5 mwaves
Fri 23Oct1929kncross-off1.5 mwaves
Sat 24Oct3223knside-on1.0 mwaves
Sun 25Oct2028kncross-offchop
Mon 26Oct013knsidechop
Tue 27Oct5227knside-onchop
Wed 28Oct026knoffnot safe–

Day scores are the conditions out of 80. Wind is the day's best reading: the mean and the gusts in knots (10 kn is about 19 km/h); the arrow points where it blows to. Shore: "side" is side-shore, blowing along the beach, the safe way; "side-on" and "on" blow in towards it; "cross-off" and "off" blow out to sea, and offshore scores nothing for kite and windsurf. Water is the open sea's waves near the spot: flat under 0.3 m, chop to 0.8 m.

The season

Good kite days in a typical week, each month, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).

  1. Jan3of 7
  2. Feb2of 7
  3. Mar2of 7
  4. Apr1of 7
  5. May0of 7
  6. Jun1of 7
  7. Jul1of 7
  8. Aug1of 7
  9. Sep2of 7
  10. Oct3of 7
  11. Nov2of 7
  12. Dec2of 7

Typical, not a forecast. Reanalysis wind misses some local thermal winds, so a spot known for an afternoon breeze may do better than this.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from Tue 20 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for kite. Change dates

  1. Tue 20 Oct
    Travel out

    Fly MDW to ELS, changing at ATL and CPT, then 30 min by road. About 30h 40 door to door

  2. Wed 21 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 12 kn gusting 25, cross-offshore. Water: waves 1 m.

  3. Thu 22 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 12 kn gusting 26, cross-offshore. Water: waves 1.5 m.

  4. Fri 23 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 11 kn gusting 29, cross-offshore. Water: waves 1.5 m.

  5. Sat 24 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 11 kn gusting 23, side-onshore. Water: waves 1 m.

  6. Sun 25 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 11 kn gusting 28, cross-offshore. Water: chop.

  7. Mon 26 Oct
    Travel home

    Fly MDW to ELS, changing at ATL and CPT, then 30 min by road. About 30h 40 door to door

Rough cost

About £1,070–£2,140 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing. A guide from typical prices, not a quote. Kit hire is not in it yet: we have no sourced price for it.

  • Flights £795–£1,655
  • To the UK airport £35–£65
  • Taxi £15–£25
  • Stay £110–£185
  • Food £115–£210

Places to eat near East London

Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Kitesurfing lessons · GetYourGuide Kite and board hire · GetYourGuide

Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.