Hermanus is a popular holiday town on the southern coast of the Western Cape. It is world-famous for having fantastic land and boat-based whale watching. Its scenic beauty, mild climate, outdoor activities, rich floral kingdom, and proximity to Cape Town make it the ideal base from which to explore the Cape Overberg. One can sight Southern Right Whales during winter and mid-spring from the winding cliff paths, or for the more adventurous, by boat. Hermanus hosts an annual whale festival at the end of September to celebrate the return of the whales to the bay during mating season. The festival is characterised by food and craft stalls, environmental presentations, and drama productions. Hermanus also has the world’s only whale crier who walks the streets sounding his kelp horn to alert residents of whales in the bay. Hermanus holds an array of exciting natural, cultural, and historical activities that make it well worth a visit. The Old Harbour Museum depicts the whaling industry, the De Wetshuis Photo Museum portrays the history of Hermanus, and the Whale Museum features a whale skeleton and shows an audio-visual presentation of whales and dolphins twice daily. Although Hermanus boasts a historic railway station, the founders of the town decided not to lay down tracks as this would result in commercialising Hermanus, which they hoped to keep a small fisherman’s village.
