Whale watching in Hermanus, South Africa

Whale watching in Hermanus can be a noisy affair ...

OOOOOOOOOOOOH!              AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
That's the sound of hundreds of whale watching folk lining the shore of Hermanus when a southern right whale breaches out in the bay, 50 tons or more of mammal propelling itself from the sea before it crashes back in preparation for the next leap. The "slap" sound of its fall reaches the whale watchers some seconds later. Four, five times in a row it breaches ... I've counted as many as 13 consecutive breaches on more than one occasion. That's an awful lot of "ooh-ing" and "aah-ing" ... 

Hermanus - Heart Of The South African Whale Coast
While you'll come across a "whale coast" in many parts of the world, my aim with this website is to introduce nature lovers to the whale coast at the tip of South Africa - and it's whale watching heart, the town of Hermanus, where over 100 Southern Right Whales come to calve, mate and frolic each year. 

Whales, Southern Rights in particular, are found along a vast stretch of South African coastline - from way up the West Coast to as far as Plettenberg Bay and even Port Elizabeth on the South Coast. You'll also find Humpbacks and Brydes whales in much smaller numbers. The entire coast is a whale viewing paradise.

The focal point or "heart" of this southern Cape Whale Coast is the popular seaside resort of Hermanus, just south of Cape town - about a 2 hour drive away. It's considered by many experts to be the "Best Land Based Whale Watching Spot In The World". It is a beautiful town chosen by many living abroad as their second home. Situated on a narrow coastal plain embracing Walker Bay (see Google map of Hermanus), it has a mellow Meditteranean climate. It is to this bay that the whales come to give birth, mate and to frolic. For many years Hermanus has been referred to as "The Riviera Of The South" and is known for its "champagne air".

Hermanus voted Western Cape's Town Of The Year: "Hermanus is one of the towns which epitomizes the Western Cape tourism experience. It has that one defining, unforgettable feature - the best land-based whale watching spot in the world - while at the same time offering the visitor a distinct mix of tourism options such as glorious beaches, its Hemel-en-Aarde wine route, adventure sport, and restaurant and accommodation choices to suit every taste and pocket. Winning this title will definitely assist the town even further in growing into a top-of-mind domestic tourism destination", says Gilfellan. 
Calvyn Gilfellan is Chief Executive of Cape Town Routes Unlimited

The website Travel-informed.co.za voted Hermanus as one of 3 town winners of their 2008 "Wonderful Places to Visit" competition.

What makes Hermanus so special?

• It's in Hermanus where you can be woken by the whales blowing at night, where you can watch them while sipping coffee or enjoying a restaurant meal, or, best of all, while walking along the cliff paths which hug the town's coastline for about 12 kilometres.

• If walking's not your thing or you want get up close and personal with a Southern Right Whale, then a trip on one of the registered whale watching boats is the answer. They are permitted to approach whales as close as 50 metres. Problem is, the whales don't know that, and they're curious creatures ...

• A town that has the world's only Whale Crier (like a town crier!) just has that extra special touch during whale season.

• If the weather gets a bit "tempestuous" - and it certainly can! - Hermanus has so much else to offer our visitors. Apart from its natural beauty - a large bay ringed by mountains -  the immediate area has plenty for you to do. How about more than 60 wine estates ....? And the wine's top notch - trust me on this!

• There are marine reserves to protect fauna and flora, and during whale season no motorised vessels may enter the larger portion of the bay (June to end November). Which means you can take out a kayak ...

• The town has a Blue Flag beach with a second beach at Hawston, part of the same municipal district, sporting the status
  
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• Its very own Whale Festival

• Just across the bay is Gansbaai (Bay of Geese), arguably the best spot in the world for cage-diving among Great White Sharks (just ask Brad Pitt)

• From a personal perspective, Hermanus is my home town to which I returned about sixteen years ago, where my wife and I now operate a small business. Whale season is our favourite time of the year ... the town is in laid-back winter/early spring mode, the visitors who come here are folk who appreciate nature and scenic beauty, so it's an absolute delight to share our beautiful town with them. It would be great if we could share it with you ..

My wife, Alet, and I hope you find this site useful and informative - and that it might just prompt you into making your way down to our part of the world some day and do some whale watching of your own!. We are not technical experts on the Southern Right Whales, merely lovers of these gentle giants who enjoy sharing the wonder of having them in our immediate waters for so many months of the year. 

Please contact us if there is anything you'd like to know about Hermanus, its whales or the Whale Coast environment. If we don't have the answers we'll try and get them for you. Many people like to have the views of locals when it comes to choosing accommodation, for example, so feel free to contact us about anything. 

Whale watching ... Hermanus is the best place to be!

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