7 Must-Do's in Swakopmund - ShowMe South Africa

7 Must-Do’s in Swakopmund

November 10, 2010
Lifestyle, Publications, Travel

From German architecture and local arts to quad biking and birding, this Namibian seaside town has a great host of activities on offer

1. Go Twitching at Walvis Bay

Thirty kilometres south of Swakopmund lies Walvis Bay, where the protected lagoon is often inundated with pink Greater Flamingo. Walvis Bay Lagoon is one of the most valuable wetland sites along the entire west coast of Africa. This haven is a phenomenal spectacle which often supports more than 150 000 birds. Apart from the flamingos, the mudflats are home to masses of pelicans, terns, grebes, plovers, gulls and migratory wader species. Here you can twitch for rarities like Red-necked Phalarope, Chestnut-banded Plover the cute Damara Tern and perhaps even a Common Redshank. Even if you are not a birder, you cannot help but be impressed by the numbers. The imposing dunes at the aptly named nearby settlement of Rooibank harbours another gem, Dune Lark – Namibia’s only true endemic bird species.

Travel south from Swakopmund for 30km. Once in Walvis Bay make your way to the promenade along which easy birding can be enjoyed. Best viewing at low tide.

2. Take a Walk Back in Time

Swakopmund is unique for many reasons. Foremost is the distinctive German architectural influence – remnants of a previous era that have been preserved. Most of the town’s attractions are easy to find, so take a morning stroll exploring. Guide Karene Brewis took us on a tour of the historical buildings, the Woermann Haus an ideal first port of call. Built in 1905, the 93-step Woermann Tower was incorporated as a lookout and offers views of town, the ocean and desert. This 104-year-old monument now houses a collection of 50 000 books as one of the best public libraries in Africa and also has a permanent collection of Namibian art. We continue our walk to the Hohenzollern Haus, one of the town’s most impressive buildings with an illustrious past. The young count Hohenzollern constructed this building after being sent to Namibia by his family for being an embarrassment to them. Currently a respectable block of flats, story has it that it was a brothel in German times. ‘The State House was built in 1902 and the clock tower was added in 1905. Originally the Imperial District Court, the building is now used by the president in the summer recess. The town museum, once a brewery, is worth a visit too. Old meets new at the ultra-modern Kristall Galerie building, known for its crystal exhibits, semi-precious stones and the largest displayed crystal cluster (14 tons) in the world.

Karene Brewis Swakopmund Architecture Tour, 00 264 81 124 3329
Hansa Hotel part of Swakopmund’s classic architecture, located in the centre of town, with an award-winning restaurant, www.hansahotel.com.na
Hotel Eberwein converted historic stately mansion built in 1910, www.hotel-eberwein.com

3. Get a Taste of Town

Food seems to be a big thing in Swakopmund as there are around 50 restaurants. A visit would not be complete without trying some local German cuisine, although there are various other restaurant-types and trendy street cafes. For typical German dishes try Cafe Treffpunkt for things like pumpernickel (German rye bread that is tastier than it sounds) and German-style bratwurst and bockwurst sausages. The Mole, today a tranquil beach that was to be a harbour wall but eventually silted up, seems to be the happening place. It is ringed with museums and restaurants. Cafe Anton serves excellent breakfasts and is perfect for a light lunch and glass of chilled Chardonnay. The town also has some fine offerings when it comes to fresh seafood, like the Lighthouse (close to the town’s lighthouse built in 1903) or the Tug restaurants – both good for sundowners with glorious sea views. The latter is built in the Danie Hugo, an old tugboat.

4. Explore the Namib

Another great thing about Swakopmund is that you do not have to go on some remote expedition to the Skeleton Coast to experience the Namib – here it’s right on your doorstep. One morning we joined ‘gogga mechanic’ Tommy Collard on one of his half-day Living Desert Tours, basically a 4×4 drive through the dunes outside town. Tommy was certainly enthusiastic about the desert and he showed us a host of creatures and plants – dispelling the myth that there is no life in the desert. The tour takes you from the vegetated, life-rich leeward side of the dunes, right across the dunes to the Atlantic Ocean on the western side of the dune belt. The Namib is an ideal habitat for reptiles and beetles, and is home to some fascinating plant life. Dune fauna includes the stunning web-footed gecko with its transparent skin and beautiful colours, the large Namaqua chameleon (below), a horned adder; desert wasps and a barefoot Tommy diving after a fast shovel-snouted lizard. Seeing him dig out a dancing white lady spider was special, as these nocturnal spiders are seldom seen. Tommy has been involved in conservation, tourism and herpetology all his life and his passion for the desert was inspiring. Back in town for lunch it was over way too fast. Tommy can also take you on the Welwitschia Plains and the Moon Landscape Tour to the badlands to the east of Swakopmund in search of bizarre-looking Welwitschia mirabilis – some dated to over I 500 years old.

Tommy’s Tours and Safaris tommys@iway.na, www.livingdeserttours.com.na Tommy will pick you up from your hotel or guest house in town.

5. Barter with a Local

Try your hand at bartering for traditional crafts at the market directly opposite the Old Prison on the road to Henties Bay. Here one finds crafts like clay pots, Caprivian wood carvings and abstract tin animals. There is also a busy curio market in the lighthouse area of the promenade. Visiting Peter’s Antiques for antique books was captivating, and African tribal artefacts are densely displayed amongst other things. Peter Haller, a fiery Namibian of German descent, has grown his hobby into a full-time venture. Wandering through the store the smell of antiquities pervades the air – wood, old paper, skins and dyes. The Sam Cohen Library also houses a vast collection of African literature, old photographs and maps.

Peter’s Antiques www.peters-antiques.com

6. Experience the Skeleton Coast

A worthwhile trip is the drive to Cape Cross. On route, one certainly gets a feel for how harsh the Skeleton Coast is and why it continues to cause shipwrecks. Lichens grow profusely on the Namib coast, and the turn-off to Cape Cross is a perfect place to stop and take a closer look at colourful lichen fields, with hues of red, yellow, orange and green. Early morning viewing is particularly good as they absorb coastal fog. Be careful though as they are very sensitive to disturbance.
The drive culminates in a visit to the 100 000-strong Cape fur seal colony at Cape Cross Seal Reserve, which are resident year round. The cacophony of tens of thousands of seals is probably only overpowered by the smell of the colony in the icy Atlantic air Cape Cross is also where Portuguese navigator Diego Cao landed in 1485 – the first European to reach this far down the African coast. However, Diego paid the ultimate price, his grave commemorated by a stone cross that stands here today.

Drive north out of town past Henties Bay, about 120km north of Swakopmund. Wlotzkasbaken, a small settlement about 30km north of Swakopmund, looks like a abandoned lunar colony of holiday homes.
Don’t forget to buy a gemstone from one of the unattended ‘stalls’ closer to the reserve turnoff. Just pop a donation in one of the collection tins as compensation. The reserve is open daily from I0h00 to 17h00.

7. Quad Bike across the Dunes

Swakopmund is also Namibia’s adventure capital. Quad biking in specially designated areas south of town is the ideal option for those looking for something a little more vigorous. The Namib is a sensitive ecosystem though, that is easily disturbed, so this exhilarating activity needs to be undertaken with respect, and preferably with a guide. Thoughtlessly tearing across dunes and gravel plains leaves lasting scars on the landscape. Travelling through the dune belt allows for incredible vistas of this unique landscape. When done with care it is a very satisfying experience. It was like a roller coaster ride with a difference! Other thrills for adrenaline junkies include sand boarding down dunes, skydiving and low-level microlight flights up the coast.