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Hermanus is a beautiful seaside resort situated in the Overberg
region of the Cape South Coast, a mere 90-minute drive from Cape
Town. Known as the heart of the whale coast, Hermanus offers the
best land based whale watching in the world.
Hermanus, from Rotary Way
Once hunted almost to extinction, Southern Right Whales now
frequent the shores of this rapidly growing town every year. They start
arriving in May in order to calf in the shallow water, to raise their
young or to mate. Peak times for seeing whales daily is from July to
November, tailing off in December. Bryde's whales live year-round on the
continental shelf and occasionally, other species of whales and dolphins
can be seen. The coastal cliff paths stretches from one side of town to
the other, offering whale watchers unlimited opportunities to get as
close as 20 m to these gentle giants.
A young Southern Right Whale 'breaching' in Walker Bay
Hermanus is also proudly home to the only Whale Crier in the World
and the sound of his kelp horn has become a familiar part of town
activities during "whale season". As soon as the whales start arriving,
Wilson Salakusana, who took over as whale crier in 1998, can be seen
along the cliff paths where he looks out for whales and informs visitors
of their whereabouts. Wilson blows different horn 'Morse' codes that
refer to the different points along the coastline where whales have been
spotted. The key to these codes, as well as the number of whales spotted
at each location, are noted on the sandwich board he wears as part of
his unique outfit.
The Whale Crier of Hermanus on the lookout for whales along the cliff
paths
The climate in Hermanus is mild and although Winter is the
rainy season, there are many fine days with a special freshness in the
air. During May to August, the average temperature is 14°C. Summer
temperature averages at 26,4°C and offers visitors great opportunity to
sunbathe or swim on one of the many beaches in the area.
Kleinriver Lagoon after winter rains
Grotto Beach is one of only a few beaches in
South Africa that has been awarded blue flag status for every year,
since 2002. A Blue Flag is an international annual award given to
beaches that meet certain standards. While the Blue Flag helps to
educate the community about the need to care for our coastline, it also
gives assurance that the beaches are clean, safe and environmentally
friendly.
Grotto "Blue Flag" Beach, Hermanus
Hermanus offers various activities for the intrepid traveller.
Please have a look at our activities page for
more things to do.
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