Swakopmund

Overview

Although Windhoek is Namibia’s (rather dreary) capital, the coastal town of Swakopmund is a must-see for travellers. Once a sleepy coastal town of Bavarian beer maidens and German patisseries, Swakopmund is fast becoming the adrenaline capital of Africa, giving Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls a run for its money. Namibia’s premier seaside town lies at the tail end of the infamous Skeleton Coast, which today lures optimistic anglers and crayfish divers rather than the doomed shipwrecked sailors after which it was named. For a seaside resort, the place borders on the bizarre. Pounded by the harsh Atlantic Ocean, the strip of foggy coastline supports windswept dunes and desolate gravel plains that are part of the oldest desert in the world - the Namib. But when the sun is out, the brightly painted buildings shine gaily, the ocean sparkles and Swakopmund is bathed in a friendly and relaxed holiday atmosphere. Swakopmund straddles the dusty Swakop riverbed. The Swakop is dry most of the time except when there’s excessive flooding. This is a rare occurrence, as it hardly ever rains. The coast road south, where shifting dunes are regularly pushed off the tarmac by bulldozers, leads to neighbouring Walvis Bay. To the north are the fishing town of Henties Bay and the Cape Cross Seal Reserve – definitely one of the smelliest places on earth. Think about it: if up to a quarter of a million seals choose to sit on the same rock, that’s one heck of a lot of fish suppers! Further north, the road passes through gradual desolation until it gets to the forbidding and eerie Skeleton Coast National Park. Sand surrounds Swakopmund in every direction, and the sea of dunes starting at the back of town march determinedly south towards the mighty Namib-Naukluft Park. German settlers arrived on the bleak coast in 1892. The first building erected was a garrison and barracks for soldiers and sailors. The settlement grew quickly using imported materials from Germany (there was, after all, not a tree in sight). An iron jetty, that still stands today, was constructed to receive ships laden with imports for what was then the German Protectorate of Deutsche Sudwestafrika. German traders set up their offices and businesses here. But when South Africa took control in 1915, the ships and trade moved to the deeper harbour at Walvis Bay and Swakopmund sank into economic decline. With the discovery of uranium at Rossing 40 miles away, the town was revitalised. The potential of Swakopmund as an attractive seaside resort (unlike industrial Walvis Bay) for travel-restricted South Africans during Apartheid was realised. It has grown considerably since Namibia gained independence in 1990, and is still growing today. Much of the economy relyies on tourism. It’s a popular spot for German tourists, South African families, overland tours and weekenders from Windhoek. There is a staggering array of activities and natural environments in the surrounding area that appeal to thrill-seekers, fishermen, bird-watchers, history buffs, sightseers and beach-lovers alike. Although it's fully geared for mass tourism Swakopmund hasn’t lost its identity as a small town. There is no garish neon here, nor tour guides touting for business. Even the souvenir sellers at the small market outside the Café Anton leave you alone. The people are laid back and stop to talk to one another on the street in German, Afrikaans, English and Herero. The town has an undoubtedly German feel about it – half-timbered houses, pretty gardens and colonial architecture. It’s easy to forget you are actually in Africa, especially in the many coffee and cake shops or pubs and taverns. You won’t have a problem finding an apple strudel or a flagon of beer in this town. The seafood junkie will be well rewarded. Crayfish, mussels and calamari are abundant in season when the many enthusiastic fishermen pull just about every type of game fish out of the sea. Swakopmund serves as a base from which to explore the surrounding desert and ocean. The list of activities on offer is rapidly increasing. Who would have thought that sand could be so interesting? Quad biking through some very tall sand dunes is hugely popular and totally exhilarating. The same goes for sand boarding. Test your skills on a conventional snowboard or defy any skill and hurtle down a dune at 80 km an hour on a greasy piece of plywood . There couldn’t be a more scenic destination for skydiving or microlighting over the town, coastline and dune field, providing a bird’s eye view of Swakopmund’s oddball environment. Swakopmund provides a welcome urban release from Namibia’s open spaces. Suddenly you’ll find shops, bars, movie theatres and all those other convenient services that you may have craved out in the bush. Spend at least a couple of days here. Eat, drink and make merry before heading on into more of Namibia’s spectacular wilderness.

What will the weather be like?

Most mornings Swakopmund is shrouded in dense cool fog that rolls inland for around 30 km and feeds the desert-dwelling plants and animals. This usually lifts before midday and afternoons are generally warm and sunny. If an easterly wind is blowing the town gets a good sand-blasting. On the road to Walvis Bay to the south of town, bulldozers constantly push the sand back off the road. It hardly ever rains and Swakopmund only gets an average of 50mm of rain a year. The town does not have any drains or infrastructure to deal with rainwater, so if it does rain heavily, it floods.

What can I see and do?

Swakopmund is a hotbed of activities and you won’t be bored. There are various booking agents all over town. Just outside Swakopmund across the Swakop riverbed, a section of towering dunes has been set aside for activities: sand boarding, quad biking, camel rides and paragliding. The dunes are just as easy to explore on foot. Water-based activities include boat trips to see dolphins and seals, shore based angling (some of the best in Africa), deep sea fishing, crayfish diving, surfing or simply lazing on the beach. Remember though, this is the Atlantic, and whilst you can swim safely from Swakopmund’s beach, the water is often freezing. Swakopmund is on the edge of the Namib Desert. This is best appreciated from the air on a scenic flight, or alternatively, you can jump out of a plane from 12 000 feet on a tandem parachute jump. Around Swakopmund are the Welwitschia fields. The Welwitschia is an unusual and ancient plant that only grows on the gravel plains of the Namib and relies on the coastal fogs for water. These extraordinary plants never grow more than two metres above the ground, but the bigger specimens have underground stems up to four metres wide. The plant has just two leaves, which droop in opposite directions. If one of the leaves dies, the plant dies. The oldest living specimen has been dated at 2 000 years old, while the average age of the youngsters is between 500 and 600 years old. There are a number of historic buildings around Swakopmund and it’s literally brimming with quaint German-inspired architecture. It’s well worthwhile taking a stroll around town and the brightly-painted buildings are very photogenic on a sunny afternoon. These include the elaborate old train station, built in 1901, that has now been converted into the Swakopmund Hotel and Casino; the impressive Hohenzollern building, built in 1906 as Swakopmund’s first hotel; and the prominent Damara Tower, which once served as a water tower and a landmark for traders arriving by ox wagons from the interior. Anyone partial to the golden nectar should head for the Hansa Brewery, the source of Namibia’s most popular beer. Free brewery tours guide you through the brewing process and there are plenty of opportunities to sample the product. Swakopmund’s Snake Park is housed in an unlikely looking shop, but has a wide variety of snakes and amphibians indigenous to Namibia. There’s not much the female owner doesn’t know about reptiles and she feeds them live mice at 4pm everyday. The National Marine Aquarium showcases what lies beneath the nearby Atlantic Ocean in a number or roomy aquariums. The largest has a unique tunnel to walk through where you can eye a giant manta ray or look directly into the mouth of a shark. The fish are fed each afternoon when they are at their most furtive and interesting. The Swakopmund Museum, at the foot of another of the town’s famous landmarks - the red and white striped lighthouse - has some excellent exhibits explaining what goes on at Rossing Uranium Mine, 55km to the east of Swakopmund. There are also interesting mock-ups of house interiors giving a feel of how the early German settlers lived, as well as some informative sections on Namibia’s flora and fauna.

How do I get there?

Swakopmund is included on just about every Namibian tour itinerary, and it’s quite rightly considered one of the country’s highlights. The tiny Swakopmund airport is where you'll take off for a parachute jump and where a few sporadic flights from Windhoek arrive. The more useful airport is at Walvis Bay 30 km to the south of Swakopmund, where South African Airways and Air Namibia jointly operate three weekly flights from Cape Town in South Africa. Some of these stop off en route at the settlement of Oranjemund, the diamond mining town on the border with South Africa that is closed to all but company employees. There are also air links between Walvis Bay and Maun in Botswana, and Windhoek. It’s in Windhoek that you’ll connect to international flights to Europe and other parts of Africa. There are daily shuttle and mainline bus services linking Swakopmund with Windhoek. You can change on to one of the long distance buses that travel between Cape Town and Victoria Falls. Note that this is an express service, and although the route goes right through the guts of Namibia, there’s no opportunity for sightseeing save for the scenery you’ll see from inside of the bus. There’s also an overnight train from Windhoek to Swakopmund.

How do I get around?

Swakopmund is small enough to be explored easily by foot and as the streets are arranged in a grid pattern, you will find all the hotels, restaurants, banks, post office and shops within a short walk from each other. Be wary of walking around at night and always stay in a group. Alternatively get the restaurant or pub to telephone a taxi for you.

How safe will I be?

Swakopmund is generally very safe. Unlike many other African countries, Namibia doesn’t have a reputation for crime against tourists. The only danger of any concern is being mugged on the way home at night. Everything in Swakopmund is within walking distance, so just be wary about leaving a bar or restaurant late at night and walking back to where you are staying. Always walk in a group, and if you’re unsure ask the establishment to get you a taxi to take you the short distance home.

Where can I change money?

Changing money is easy in any of the major banks on Swakopmund’s main drag, Kaiser Wilhelm Strasse. A small commission is charged on cash or traveller’s cheques but the rates are updated on a daily basis. ATMs are widely accessible and very reliable. They also offer the best rates of exchange as no commission is charged. This is where you start to use your credit card!

Where can I eat and drink?

There’s no shortage of places to eat in Swakopmund from à la carte restaurants in the top hotels to international takeaway joints such as KFC. A must-do while spending time at the Atlantic Ocean and in Namibia’s premier fishing resort is, of course, to eat seafood. There’s a wide variety of shellfish and game fish on offer. In season Swakopmund is renowned for its excellent crayfish. The best thing to do is go on a fishing excursion yourself and hunt for snapper, tuna, snoek or yellowtail. Ask the guides to fillet it and cook up a storm when you get back. All the accommodation options have braai facilities. If you’re into oysters, pop into one of Swakopmund’s fish shops. They have tanks filled with fresh, cheap and abundant oysters. This is definitely the place to test their reputed aphrodisiac qualities! All the restaurants serve the catch-of-the-day. One of the most atmospheric is The Tug, overlooking the ocean and jetty. It is housed in an old beached tugboat equipped with original brass fittings and portholes. Here you can enjoy an excellent fishy dinner served to you on the deck while you watch the sunset. The Lighthouse is a big and busy restaurant and is the best place to go for a stack of calamari rings, a slice of kabeljou or a seafood platter. Coffee and cake is another must in Swakopmund. The Germans left a legacy of patisseries and coffee shops where you can choose from an assortment of gooey desserts, creamy cakes, fruity pastries and bottomless cups of freshly ground coffee. The famous Café Anton is a Namibian institution. This is the place to sit in the sunshine and sample an authentic apple strudel or milk tart. The Atlanta Cinema does good popcorn. If you’ve been travelling south through Africa for a number of weeks or months, you might enjoy seeing a Hollywood movie in a comfortable cinema. Things hot up at night in Swakopmund. Start at the Brauhaus with a flagon of traditional beer before heading to the Gruna Kranz, two floors of a hotel of the same name. There are various bars, chill out lounge areas, a pool room and dance floors. If you’re not up for a boogie, the launderette stays open until 2am and has a bar and games room!

How do I send a message home?

You can pick up your email at a few places around town. Service is quick and reliable, and some of the budget accommodation options and activity booking offices also have internet access on site. International phone calls can be made from any public coin or card phone. These are liberally distributed throughout town, and there are international phone and fax services at Swakopmund post office. The Swakopmund Hotel also provides business services at a premium cost.