Tourism & Attractions

Walvis Bay is blessed with wide-open spaces, scenic beauty and unique marine and plant life. With its endless variety of sun-drenched sport and recreational adventures, your visit to the Skeleton Coast will be an unforgettable experience. Walvis Bay is well suited for the outdoor lifestyle, boasting sports such as sand boarding, kiting, surfing, swimming, angling, sailing, golf and other in– and outdoor sport codes. The coastal strip is an angler’s paradise.Some of the best quality and largest edible fish in Africa are caught from our shores. The sought after fish species include Steen bras, Kabeljou, Snoek and other delicious varieties. Visitors who intend to do fishing need a fishing permit. Undoubtedly amongst the most famous desert landmarks in Namibia is Dune 7, one of the highest crests in the dune belt along the coast.

With picnic sites and shaded with palm trees, the dune is a popular sand–boarding haunt, while simply climbing to the top to see the view is an adventure on its own. The coastal dunes are popular with Para–gliding, sand–boarding and quad–biking enthusiasts. The dominant southwesterly winds create ideal conditions for a variety of water–sports. The Lagoon is an international Ramsar sanctuary for birds. Estimated to be 3,500 years old, it is one of the most important coastal wetlands in Southern Africa. As a must–visit for bird lovers, it provides a feeding ground for an estimated 200,000 birds of 50 species. A 3km long promenade ensures a scenic stroll on its edges. Further, south lay the red to blue hues of the largest solar salt evaporation fields in Africa.

Those keen to explore the open sea can set off in a sea kayak with an experienced guide. In addition to close-up views of Cape fur seals and water birds, Bottle-nosed dolphins are spotted daily and occasionally leatherback turtles and whales are spotted. Visible from the main road, a few kilometers north of Walvis Bay, visitors can see the Guano Platform. The platform covers 17,000m² and rests on 1,000 freestanding wooden stilts. Local tour operators offer various tour packages whether by quad–bike, off–road vehicles, sea excursions or scenic flights by plane. A wide selection of restaurants and coffee shops offer different cuisines, while shopping centre, banking facilities, postal and other services ensure that your visit is enjoyable and hassle free.