SWAKOPMUND AND SKELETON COAST
Swakopmund is Namibia’s finest seaside resort town. It also marks the beginning of the barren and unforgiving Skeleton Coast, the mere name of which gives a good indication of the harshness of the terrain found in this part of the country.
Swakopmund was founded in 1892 by German colonists looking for a place to establish a harbour along the barren Namibian Coast. The only natural harbour, Walvis Bay, had been snapped up by the British a decade earlier. After scouring the entire coastline, the Germans settled on a sight only 30km north of Walvis Bay. However, after WW1, Germany lost possession of Namibia and with that, the use for Swakopmund as a harbour fell away, leaving it to become the popular seaside resort that it is today.
Situated on the coast of the cold Atlantic Ocean, Swakopmund has a cool and dry climate, which provides some respite from the heat of the interior. In the mornings, the town is usually enveloped by a thick fog, but this usually clears away by lunch time, meaning that by the evening, you have the opportunity to watch a beautiful sunset over the Atlantic Ocean. While you are in town, there are a number of fun activities you can do, such as:
As you leave town and head north along the C34 road, all discernible signs of vegetation fall away, as the road turns from tar to salt. As you travel further into the Skeleton coast, you will pass tiny fishing villages and shipwrecks, where you can stop and take photos. The next point on the map worth stopping at is the Cape Cross seal colony, where hundreds of noisy Cape Fur Seals call this part of the world home. If you were to keep heading north, the road would stop shortly later at the town of Terrace Bay. However, from Cape Cross, most visitors make a turn inland, into Damaraland and towards Etosha National Park.
For those who are interested in staying at a lodge further up north from where you will have activities at the skeleton coast included, please have a look at our Kaokoland page.
Swakopmund was founded in 1892 by German colonists looking for a place to establish a harbour along the barren Namibian Coast. The only natural harbour, Walvis Bay, had been snapped up by the British a decade earlier. After scouring the entire coastline, the Germans settled on a sight only 30km north of Walvis Bay. However, after WW1, Germany lost possession of Namibia and with that, the use for Swakopmund as a harbour fell away, leaving it to become the popular seaside resort that it is today.
Situated on the coast of the cold Atlantic Ocean, Swakopmund has a cool and dry climate, which provides some respite from the heat of the interior. In the mornings, the town is usually enveloped by a thick fog, but this usually clears away by lunch time, meaning that by the evening, you have the opportunity to watch a beautiful sunset over the Atlantic Ocean. While you are in town, there are a number of fun activities you can do, such as:
- Quad biking or sand boarding on the coastal dune belt
- A dolphin and seal cruise, which leaves from Walvis Bay
- The Living Desert tour, where an experienced guide will show you the incredible, tiny creatures that call this harsh terrain home
- Visit the Walvis Bay lagoon, home to a large population of flamingos and other species of water birds. This is a must-visit for any budding ornithologist
- Skydiving. Due to the lack of rain here, Swakopmund is one of the best and most consistent places in the world to tick this off your bucket list
As you leave town and head north along the C34 road, all discernible signs of vegetation fall away, as the road turns from tar to salt. As you travel further into the Skeleton coast, you will pass tiny fishing villages and shipwrecks, where you can stop and take photos. The next point on the map worth stopping at is the Cape Cross seal colony, where hundreds of noisy Cape Fur Seals call this part of the world home. If you were to keep heading north, the road would stop shortly later at the town of Terrace Bay. However, from Cape Cross, most visitors make a turn inland, into Damaraland and towards Etosha National Park.
For those who are interested in staying at a lodge further up north from where you will have activities at the skeleton coast included, please have a look at our Kaokoland page.
where to stay...
From our visits to Swakopmund, we have first-hand knowledge of the hotels and below you can find the ones we most commonly use. Those hotels include mainly our favourites, which are usually smaller lodges with very personalised service, but also some bigger places, if they are the best or only option available.
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Cornerstone Guesthouse
Villa Margherita
Driftwood Guesthouse
Swakopmund Sands
The Delight
Hotel Eberwein
Strand Hotel Swakopmund
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