Surrounded by the ancient Namib desert and the inhospitable - but bounteous - Atlantic Ocean, Swakopmund is alive with activity and has a lot on offer for the adventure-seeker: quad-biking, sand-boarding, dune-boarding, horse-riding, mountain biking, skydiving, surfing, surf and offshore fishing, dolphin cruises and diving - although the water temperature is below friendly.
Swakopmund has many interesting German-influenced buildings from the early 1900s in a variety of styles and, for its size, Swakopmund has an astonishing array of restaurants that serve mainly seafood, steak and many German staples.
When the British annexed the natural harbour of Walvis Bay, Germany was left with mile upon mile of barren shoreline in which to find a decent port. They chose an area north of the Swakop River for want of a better location and set to work building a port. It failed.
And that early failure saved what was later to become Swakopmund.
The town's early growth spurt - with typically German art-nouveau and neo-Gothic styles - faltered early in the 20th century when Germany's control of the country was ceded to South Africa losing all maritime operations to Walvis Bay.
Swakopmund wallowed in stagnation until a tar road connected it to the highlands of Namibia and thousands of affluent Windhoek residents. The old parts remain a charming relic of times gone by and the town has developed into a delightful seaside resort with recreation and relaxation high on its list of priorities.
For Walvis Bay, on the other hand, the future was never in doubt. On a coastline almost 1600km long, Walvis Bay is one of only two natural harbours - the other is Lüderitz - and this has guaranteed the bustling town a steady maritime trade and a host of industrial offshoots.
Industry aside, Walvis Bay has many attractions, not least of which are its massive populations of seabirds and shorebirds in a vast lagoon and south of the town at Sandwich Bay.
Swakopmund has many interesting German-influenced buildings from the early 1900s in a variety of styles: Kaiserliches Bezirksgericht - or State House; Woerman House and Damara Tower; the Alte Bahnhof - a fairytail railway station; the Kaserne; the neo-baroque Lutheran Church; and Haus Hohnezollern - purportedly a brothel in its hey day.
The Swakopmund Museum has displays of archaeology, ethnology, flora, fauna, history and mining; the Marine Museum is an engaging display of inshore reef marine life; coastal birds and a cross-section of the Benguela Current. For its size, Swakopmund has an astonishing array of restaurants that serve mainly seafood, steak and many German staples. We will recommend a few when you make your booking.
Walvis Bay is famous for its wetland birds. The greater wetlands area consists of the tidal lagoon, man-made salt pans and an arm of sand that ends at Pelican Point. The Walvis Bay lagoon has been recognised as by the Ramsar Convention as a wetland of international importance. The bay supports over 40 species of bird and its population exceeds 150,000 - the greatest concentration of shorebirds and seabirds in southern Africa. Half are intra-African migrants, just under half are Palearctic migrants and the remainder coastal residents.
Notable species include flamingos, plovers, grebes, European and African black oystercatcher pairings, pelicans, terns, plovers and gulls.
South of the town and virtually inaccessible is the impressive Sandwich Bay, which also has a massive population of wetland birds.
Inland from Walvis Bay takes you into the Namib Naukluft Park and towards Sossusvlei where the main local attractions are the Kuiseb Delta, its rivercourse and canyon, Tumas Plain with its granite inselbergs and the encroaching dune sea that keeps the Walvis Bay municipality busy.
A 35km drive along the coast goes past Long Beach towards Swakopmund and many of the adventure activities take place behind the first few dunes.
Itinerary Type: Sample
Accommodation: Standard
Days: 19
Countries: Botswana, Namibia
Highlights: Central Kalahari, Chobe, Makgadikgadi Pans, Okavango Delta, Caprivi, Damaraland, Etosha, Sossusvlei, Swakopmund, Windhoek
Swakopmund Luxury Suites is a suitable favourite for location, comfort and convenience in the heart of Swakopmund. It’s more than just another standard guesthouse.
Strand Hotel is by a long shot the most luxury accommodation option in the coastal town of Swakopmund and certainly holds its own for best located, with sea views, too.
Beach cottage meets boutique B&B in this refined, sophisticated, homely and charming guesthouse. Welcome to Swakopmund Guesthouse – well located to explore the coastal town.
Desert Sands Boutique B&B and Self-catering is a calm and quiet Swakopmund spot 10 minutes’ walk away from everything; the beach, local pubs and shops.
Within walking distance to the main street of town, Namib Guesthouse is a modern and simple bed and breakfast stay in a quiet suburb of Swakopmund, a quirky coastal town and hub of activities.
Desert Breeze is a colourful emergence on the edge of the Swakopmund riverbed with an impressive view of the dunes. It's private and quiet, in a small suburb, minutes from town.
On the edge of the Swakopmund River mouth, the rustic and quirky bungalows of The Stiltz look out at the Atlantic Ocean and just behind you the bustling town of Swakopmund.
Casa al Mare is a small, intimate and welcoming guest house two minutes from the sea in Swakopmund, Namibia’s adventure capital.
An iconic landmark in the coastal town of Swakopmund, the Swakopmund Hotel, built in the old German style at the former Swakopmund train station, is now a luxury hotel and contender for top choice.
Organic Square Guesthouse is a collection of rooms and suites in Swakopmund within walking distance to town and the beach.
The Delight is a modern and quirky hotel in the centre of Swakopmund with its own personality, an extravagant buffet breakfast and enough attitude to make it a highlight you won’t forget.
Sandfields Guesthouse is a warm and charming family-run guesthouse in Swakopmund. It's private and close enough to everything in town and the beach.
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