Built along the shores of Walker Bay near the Southernmost tip of Africa, where Magnificent mountains watch over the town, lies Hermanus, jewel of the Southern Cape and home of the Southern Right Whale. Whale-watchers from all over the world visit Hermanus to view these magnificent creatures playing and calving, close in to shore.

The unique cliff path, hugging the coast from one side of town to the other offers magnificent views of sea and mountains, and from July to November the Southern Right Whale may be seen just off-shore, also dolphins and seals. During whale season, the town employs a whale-crier to point out the best vantage points in the town.

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Described as the best land-based whale-watching destination in the world, and famous for its champagne air, long stretches of beach, mild climate, rich floral kingdom and friendly environment, Hermanus is within easy reach of Cape Town International Airport.

The Old Harbour is a historic highlight of the town, remaining unchanged from early days when it was the centre of activity in the fishing village. It is a popular destination for visitors, and contains a small museum with interesting information and artefacts.

Fishing - Hermanus attracts fishermen from all over the country as the sea and lagoons abound with galjoen, steenbras, kob, red roman, silver fish, red stumpnose, John Brown, and many more. The cliffs provide many excellent spots for angling. Every year around July, eager locals and visitors await the arrival of special guests of honour - the Southern Right Whales. These visitors are an endless source of delight as they gambol in Walker Bay, in easy view of strollers. They favour the relatively shallow waters of the bay for breeding and mating.

During the summer months the white sandy beaches are filled with holiday makers enjoying the sunny weather and excellent swimming in the sea. Hermanus is the ideal overwintering resort for visitors who wish to escape the cold Northern Hemisphere.

Between the fynbos-covered mountains and the waves of the Atlantic, this narrow coastal town, is a haven for the outdoor enthusiast. One can indulge in any number of sports such as golf, tennis, squash, bowls, canoeing, yachting, diving and surfing. For those who need the adrenalin rush there are the thrills of hanggliding and powerboat racing as well as Shark cage diving with the Great White Shark in the cold Atlantic.

Boat-based whale watching and rock lobster fishing tours can be enjoyed during season and Hermanus is regarded as the principal centre of the perlemoen industry. The perlemoen derives its South African name from a corruption of the Dutch perlemoer, meaning mother-of-pearl, from the beautiful pearl-lined interior of its shell. It is known internationally as abalone or Venus ear.

Here one will find Kilometres of unspoilt beaches, coves and sheltered bays. Wide open sandy beaches and magnificent lagoons attracting all kinds of watersport lovers, from sailing to motor boat enthusiasts and anglers.  

Other pleasures involve quaint boutiques, markets and shops. Lovers of semi-precious stones can purchase from a wide selection of gifts and jewellery manufactured locally. Art and craft studios and galleries proliferate - mostly managed by the artists themselves.

During the summer months the white sandy beaches are filled with holiday makers enjoying the warm, sunny weather and the excellent local attractions the town has to offer. Besides excellent swimming in the sea, Hermanus offers a feast of activities.

This narrow coastal town, between the fynbos-covered mountains and the waves of the Atlantic is a haven for the outdoor enthusiast. There is golf, tennis, squash, bowls, canoeing, yachting, diving and surfing to enjoy. For those adrenalin junkies there are the additional thrills of hanggliding and powerboat racing. Also on offer are:

    * Boat-based whale watching. Boat skippers are required to have special permits to take their boats within a short distance of whales.
    * Shark cage diving with the Great White Shark in the cold Atlantic.
    * Rock lobster fishing tours during season.
    * Hermanus is regarded as the principal centre of the perlemoen industry. The perlemoen derives its South African name from a corruption of the Dutch perlemoer, meaning mother-of-pearl, from the beautiful pearl-lined interior of its shell. It is known internationally as abalone or Venus ear.
    * Quaint boutiques, markets and shops. Lovers of semi-precious stones can purchase from a wide selection of gifts and jewellery manufactured locally.
    *  There are numerous art and craft studios and galleries -mostly managed by the artists themselves.
    * Several of the country's top wine estates will please the wine connoisseur. Various acclaimed wines are being
       produced in the beautiful nearby Hemel-en-Aarde valley, where wine lovers can sample some of them by following
       the Hermanus Wine Route.
    * Kilometres of unspoilt beaches, coves and sheltered bays beckon, for walks, swimming and beautiful sunrises and
       sunsets. Wide open sandy beaches and magnificent lagoons attract all kinds of watersport lovers, from sailing to
       motor boat enthusiasts and anglers.
    *  The unique cliff path, hugging the coast from one side of town to the other.The views of sea and mountains are
       spectacular, and from July to November the Southern Right Whale may be seen just off-shore, also dolphins and
       seals.
    * Waler sports on a tranquil lagoon or diving, fishing and boating in the sea.
    * The Fernkloof Nature Reserve, part of the Cape Floral Kingdom,smallest but richest in the world, in the
       fynbos-covered mountains that form the backdrop to the town, offers walks and hikes with splendid views of
       mountain and sea.
    * Roridula gorgonias (or vlieëbos in Afrikaans), the largest carnivorous plant in the world grows on our doorstep in the
       Fernkloof Nature Reserve.
    * Bird watching. Hermanus offers the ornithologists the opportunity to observe birds in mountain, coastal, river and estuarine habitats.
    * Watch fishing trawlers unloading their catches at the New Harbour. Boating and rubber duck enthusiasts can make use of the facilities in the New Harbour at a fee. Also in the New Harbour there is an excellent fish shop where you can purchase fresh fish, live crayfish, oysters and other quality seafood.
    *The Old Harbour is a historic highlight of the town, remaining unchanged from early days when it was the centre of activity in the fishing village. It is a popular destination for visitors, and contains a small museum with interesting information and artefacts.    
     * Fishing - Hermanus attracts fishermen from all over the country as the sea and lagoons abound with galjoen, steenbras, kob, red roman, silver fish, red stumpnose, John Brown, and many more. The cliffs provide many excellent spots for angling.    
      *A magnetic observatory is located in Hermanus. The Hermanus Magnetic Observatory functions as an active participant in the worldwide network of magnetic observatories, which monitor and model variations of the earth’s magnetic field. Visitors are allowed by appointment.
    * A great variety of coffee-shops, tea-gardens and restaurants (you can even dine in an old strandloper's cave right on the sea's edge.) , serving local and international seafood delicacies.

Some interesting places to visit, using Hermanus as a good base from which to explore the Overberg, include Caledon for the seasonal wildflowers, or Swellendam for the fairies! In a quiet street in Swellendam, cocooned behind a woven branch door and under Zimbabwe creepers, is the Sulina Faerie Sanctuary. It's a wonder world where fairy folk peek out from under shrubs and signs read "Please don't pick the flowers - fairies could be sleeping in them."

At Calitzdorp one may view the stunning rock paintings and taste their excellent wines - they have a port festival in July! Suurbraak has a small, furniture factory in particular making chairs using the traditional methods of bodging. Garden furniture and crafts are also fashioned from alien vegetation. Cape l'Aghulhas the southernmost tip of Africa where a reef goes far out to sea and after storms, one can find the most amazing shells. Struis Bay is also haven to a growing fishing industry, while some of the oldest and most historic farms are also to be found in this area, rich in fynbos and birdlife.