Walvisbaai Travel Guide

  Windblown sand can compromise visibility...
by CatherineReichardt
 
  • Windblown sand can compromise visibility at Walvis
      Windblown sand can compromise visibility...
    by CatherineReichardt
  • myself in the desert
      myself in the desert
    by MarioPortugal
  • The harbour Walvis Bay, Namibia
      The harbour Walvis Bay, Namibia
    by nigelw6443
  • Feeding Robbie!
      Feeding Robbie!
    by nigelw6443
  • Fresh Walvis Bay Oysters!
      Fresh Walvis Bay Oysters!
    by nigelw6443
 

Explore Walvisbaai

Things to Do  

Walvis Bay harbour tour is wonderful for wildlife!

Walvis Bay harbour tour is wonderful for wildlife!, Walvisbaai

 CatherineReichardt Says:  To be honest, I would probably not have bothered with the harbour tour at Walvis Bay if my parents hadn't done it a few months earlier and waxed lyrical about how wonderful it was. And, if I hadn't, I'd have missed out on one of the most fun ways to pass half a day in the... 

Walvis Bay is a twitcher's paradise

Walvis Bay is a twitcher's paradise, Walvisbaai

 CatherineReichardt Says:  Walvis Bay is a 'twitcher's' (bird watcher's) paradise due to the diversity of the ecosystems - mudflats and lagoons sheltered from the open ocean by a sand spit - along this section of the coast. Birdlife International states that "In terms of numbers and species of birds,... 

Walvis Bay Esplanade

Walvis Bay Esplanade, Walvisbaai

 SanguiniA Says:  This is a fast-growing town with current population at around 65,000. The nicest place to hang around is the Esplanade where there is a long promenade facing the Walvis Bay Lagoon. Both the lagoon as well as the beautiful houses lining the promenade are very, very... 

The Desert around Walvis Bay

The Desert around Walvis Bay, Walvisbaai

 MarioPortugal Says:  The city of Walvis Bay is surrounded by the desert every where one goes.Not being used to be in the desert myself, walking a little bit through it was an experience managed to try.MF, Walvis Bay, April 2010. 

Boat Tour

Boat Tour, Walvisbaai

 nigelw6443 Says:  We did a boat tour with Mola Mola and were lucky enough to have Billy as our guide. There were about 8 of us on the boat and we set off at around 8.00am.Our guide was funny and informative about the local area especially the Bay.Be prepared to have a drink or two as we... 

Seaguls

Seaguls, Walvisbaai

 mvtouring Says:  If there is a beach, you are bound to find them. We met a number of them whilst cruizing in the harbout hoping that they would also get a bit of freeby fish that was being fed to the seals and pelicans. 

Flamingo's

Flamingo's, Walvisbaai

 mvtouring Says:  One of the best things to see in Walvisbaai is the Flamingo's. Sometimes they are quite close to the roadside, other times a bit futher away. They have two kinds there, the black flamingo's and the pink flamingo's. 

Dolphin tour

Dolphin tour, Walvisbaai

 mvtouring Says:  If there is something that I will recommend without a doubt, it will be the Dolphin Tour. We used Molo-Molo and they were very professional and our guide has a tremendous knowledge of the seals and marine life in general. We met 5 seals in person, they climbed into the boat... 

Pelicans

Pelicans, Walvisbaai

 mvtouring Says:  I did not in my wildest dreams ever think I would get this close to a Pelican. Pelicans are amongst the largest flying birds. We saw quite a number at close range as they came to the boat in the hope that they would get fed some fish. 

Pelican Point

Pelican Point, Walvisbaai

 mvtouring Says:  Pelican point is the sandy outer peninsula ebracing the Walvis Bay lagoon. The guide told us that is grows by 14 meters every year which is fantastic. I was also amazed by all the seals and how full of the joys of life they were. Jumping in and out of the water like dolphins... 

Saltworks

Saltworks, Walvisbaai

 mvtouring Says:  The 3500 hectare Walvis Bay salt field is one of the largest solar evaporation facilities in Africa, processing 24 million tonnes of sea water each year to produce more than 400 000 tonnes of high-quality salt. The salt is shipped to markets in southern and west Africa.... 

Sandwich Harbour

Sandwich Harbour, Walvisbaai

 mvtouring Says:  Located 48 km to the south of Walvis Bay, Sandwich Harbour is a spectacular and photo-worthy destination. Sought after by anglers, ornithologists and nature lovers, the lagoon was once an open bay, which silted up over the years. The lagoon is fed by fresh water seeping from... 

Restaurants  

The RAFT: The Raft, the best place in town!

The RAFT: The Raft, the best place in town!, Walvisbaai

 Jontxu Says:  It's the best place in town, the atmosphere is very nice, you are facing the lake full of pelicans, and if you want to have just a drink they have a very nice bar.You should try the king klip, the fish is very good in the area, and you shouldn't miss it.Also the desserts are... 

The Raft: Drif away on "The Raft"

The Raft: Drif away on "The Raft", Walvisbaai

 glennkasner Says:  This unusual restaurant is built on wooden pillars and is located next to the Pelican Bay hotel. Sunset views are spectacular and they have mounted lights under the restautant giving the impression it is floating in the air! 

Transportation  

Beware of poor visibility at Walvis Bay airport

Beware of poor visibility at Walvis Bay airport, Walvisbaai

 CatherineReichardt Says:  Just a word of warning if you decide to fly out of Walvis Bay to connect with an international flight.The airport is right on the edge of the Namib desert, and when the wind gets up, the visibility can be so compromised that flights out of Walvis are delayed or even... 

What's the best way to get to Namibia?

What's the best way to get to Namibia?, Walvisbaai

 CatherineReichardt Says:  Namibia is a long way from anywhere, and doesn't receive mass tourism, so it isn't necessarily the easiest or cheapest place to get to. Nevertheless, some options are quicker and easier than others, so here are a few ideas on how to secure a relatively reasonable and... 

Warnings Or Dangers  

Ivory

Ivory, Walvisbaai

 Jontxu Says:  For those european travelers... you can buy lot of ivory in the different shops around, specially in Swakopmund, to get it out of the country is allowed, but you can face serious problems entering the EU, now that you know about it decide by yourself. 

Off The Beaten Path  

Dolphin Park and Long Beach Holiday Resorts

Dolphin Park and Long Beach Holiday Resorts, Walvisbaai

 mvtouring Says:  Long Beach Resort became famous when Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt stayed there whilst waiting for the final arrival of their baby. Dolphin Park and Long Beach are located midway between Walvis Bay and Swakopmund. These resorts are bounded by the Atlantic ocean on the west... 

Favorites  

Climate and Rainfall

Climate and Rainfall, Walvisbaai

 mvtouring Says:  An idyllic subtropical climate prevails almost throughout the year. It makes Walvis Bay an attractive option for entrepreneurs, residents and tourist alike. The Cold Benguella Current ensures a temperature climate with temperatures varying between 10 and 25 degrees... 

Special Place

Special Place, Walvisbaai

 SanguiniA Says:  Living on a tiny island, whenever I am near the sea I just feel at home. So much more after spending some time in the desert in a huge, never-ending country :-) What is amazing here is the fact that ancient desert meets ocean ... and there is so much wildlife to be... 

 
Explore Deeper into Walvisbaai
Namib Naukluft Park
Things to Do
Dune 7
Things to Do
The Lagoon
Things to Do
Bird Island
Things to Do
The beach
Things to Do
Take the morning tour.
Things to Do
Half day cruise
Things to Do
Dune Biking!!
Things to Do
Boat ...
Transportation
Drive your own car ...
Transportation
Bird Island
Things to Do
Jackass Penguins
Things to Do
Pelicans
Things to Do
Pelican Point
Things to Do
Cape Fur Seals
Things to Do
Walvis Bay Lagoon
Things to Do
The Harbour
Things to Do
Desert and Sea ...
Things to Do
Birdwatching
Things to Do
Dolphin Cruise
Things to Do
Namibian Dollar
Favorites
Pelican Bay Hotel: Great place to stay
Hotels
The Lagoon
Things to Do

The Place

Plan a Walvisbaai vacation with reviews, tips and photos posted by real travelers and Walvisbaai locals

Experience Walvisbaai
  •   78 Tips and Reviews
  •  140 Photos
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The People

 
Our Members Say
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 The Walvis Bay Lagoon is a birds paradise with many flamingoes and pelicans assembling the shallow water. Some boat tours allow to come a lot closer to the... 

 

Questions and Answers

EstelleGreeff profile photo

Q:  Whe are a group of 10 people that whould like to come to Walvisbaai, or a place in Namibie where we can go riding with our quad... 

cleocat profile photo

A: Capricorn estates in Swakopmund rent out the most amazing townhouses. You can read here what I wrote about them. http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/6e413/f11/3/ 

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Top Walvisbaai Writers

1

Walvis Bay - Where desert meets coast ...

SanguiniA profile photo

 Walvis Bay is a fast-growing harbour town just 30 km away from Swakopmund, and is building a reputation for itself especially due to the fantastic dolphin cruises that are the main attraction here....... 

2

Surrounded by the Namib Desert

MikeAtSea profile photo

 Formerly a whaling station, Walvis Bay has become the principal port of entry into Namibia. In 1795, while occupied by the British, Walvis Bay was turned into a naval base in order to monitor and... 

3

A fisherman’s place by the Atlantic Ocean.

Gili_S profile photo

 Walvisbaai is a fishing town and the capital of the fishing industry in Namibia. But beside this it is offering interesting view into the sea life of this region of the Atlantic Ocean. We took the... 

4

walvisbaai

mvtouring profile photo

 It was with great anticipation that our plane landed in the Namib desert at the Walvisbaai airport. I was a bit worried thinking that we had landed in the desert, when my sister assured me that the...... 

5

The unexpected wonderful wildlife of Walvis Bay

CatherineReichardt profile photo

 Walvis ('whale' in Afrikaans) Bay is Namibia's only deep sea harbour and largest port, located about 35km south of the more heavily touristed Swakopmund. Due to its strategic importance, it had a...... 

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