Swakopmund.
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Overview

Swakopmund, known as Swakop, is in the Erongo region of Namibia. It is the country's biggest coastal town and a resort for Namibians on holiday. The city's German origins are quite pronounced in beautiful old German colonial buildings throughout the city, making an even starker contrast for this town sitting at the edge of the Namib Desert. Swakopmund is like a German North Sea town with an African flair (or vice versa).

Understand

History The first European explorers of the area, Dutchmen Sebastian van Reenen and Pieter Pienaar described the area in 1793 as one with lush vegetation and elephants and rhinos. Nowadays the area can be described as ocean on one side and desert on the other, with some shrubs as the only natural vegetation. About a century after the Dutch exploration, the area was a colony of the German Empire, and was chosen as a second port for German South West Africa after Lüderitz. Walvis Bay would have been much better suitable but it was already in the hands of the British when the Germans established their colony.

The architects decided that Swakopmund should resemble the German homeland as much as possible, wherefore the city now looks as it does. The boom period of the city continued until the outbreak of World War I. This interrupted the construction of the massive pier, nowadays one of the city's main sights. After the war, the colony was taken over by the Union of South Africa, and all trade was done via Walvis Bay, which was now no longer foreign territory. Swakopmund declined but from the 1930s established itself as a resort town, helped by its pleasant climate and the abundance of fish in the ocean. Today it's the fourth most populous city in the country, with 45,000 residents (as of 2011), and popular among domestic and foreign holidaymakers and pensioners. It still has a sizeable German community.

Swakopmund has a mild desert climate, with the temperature varying little during the year. The town sees only about 20 mm of rain around the year; instead thick fog is a frequent occurrence. This is also why the Namibian coast is infamous for its shipwrecks. In addition to bringing needed moisture for the vegetation, the fog is also liable to lower the temperature to below +10°C in the winter.

Watch Swakopmund was used as the setting for The Village in the 2008 production of The Prisoner by AMC and ITV. Its quaint buildings and unusual appearance made a perfect replacement for Portmeirion where the original 1960s series of The Prisoner was set.

Get in

By car The best way to get to Swakopmund is by road from Windhoek. The B2 is the main road from Windhoek (362 km inland), and takes 4–5 hours by car. Walvis Bay, the closest major city, is 35 km to the south, also next to the B2. The road is paved and in good condition.

From elsewhere, you need to take a "C"-road. C34 goes north along the coast from Skeleton Coast National Park, and is a dangerous drive due to the aforementioned thick fog. There are also two roads that are more of dirt tracks, but interesting if you want to see some of the Namibian outback and have a 4WD vehicle; C28 coming in from Windhoek via the Namib-Naukluft National Park and C14 connecting to Walvis Bay.

By plane Swakopmund does have an airport, but it's just used by the local skydiving club and for some charter flights. The closest airport for with passenger traffic is 35km away near Walvis Bay, and you can fly there from Johannesburg and Cape Town with South African Airways. Some hotels and guest houses will provide a shuttle service to/from the Walvis Bay airport. Bookings can be made through the shuttle service's website.

If you have more money to spend, there are numerous small aircraft charter operators in Namibia, and flying from destination to destination on a tour through Namibia is an effective way to minimize the time spent travelling the long distances.

By minibus Minibuses operate from Windhoek almost every 2-3 hours, ask the taxi drivers where the buses leave. There are multiple minibus ranks in Windhoek for different destinations, so make sure you find the right one. The ride will take about 4-6 hours. Pay immediately and try to get yourself a seat next to the driver for a bit more space.

Although the minibuses are slightly cheaper and are an experience, they have no fixed time schedule and are often overloaded. So check out these operators: Intercape operates a service from Windhoek via Okahandja. Intercape service also extends to South Africa and Zimbabwe. Town Hoppers Shuttle Service - Based in Swakopmund, they travel daily at 08:00 from Swakopmund and 14:30 from Windhoek. This is a mini bus, 14 seater, air conditioned bus with all necessary insurances. Friendly and helpful drivers and office staff.

The StarLine service between Windhoek and Walvis Bay has in the past run on weekdays. Checks should be made to see if active at time of travel. Trains leave Windhoek in the evening and arrive in Swakopmund early in the morning, if they are on time. Bring a jacket, as it can get quite cold in the night. There is a first and second class - with little difference between the two - but no sleeper. This is a mixed train where the single passenger car is treated like any other piece of cargo. Expect to be awoken several times during the night as the trains stops to pick up or drop off carriages.

Occasionally cruise liners visit Walvis Bay, and passengers may take a tour to Swakopmund.

On a tour or safari Swakopmund is a frequent one or two night stop on most tours around Namibia. There are many tour operator doing tours both from Namibia and from outside, such as South Africa.

Get around

As with other Namibian cities, there is no public transport in Swakopmund. But the city is small enough to get around easily on foot. All the major attractions and facilities are in the centre.

See

Much of the downtown is built in early 20th-century German style.

Woermannhaus. A German half-timbered house in the colors of the desert with a 25m high tower and arcaded inner yard. Built by the German trading company Woermann in 1905 as their headquarters for German Southwest Africa. In 1972 the building was declared a national historic landmark and nowadays it functions as a public library.

Swakopmund Jetty. Jutting 300 m out in the Atlantic Ocean. Originally it was smaller and built out of wood. Later on, the current concrete jetty was built, but after WWI it fell into disuse. Renovated in 2005, it is a popular attraction, especially for viewing the sunset.

Old railway station and casino. Built in the Wilhelminian style in 1902 as a railway station for the new line to Windhoek, it nowadays hosts the Swakopmund Hotel, exhibition centre and casino.

Altes Gefängnis. Built in 1909, it still functions as a prison. However, it's built in the same style as much as the rest of downtown (much prettier than a modern prison) and has been a national historic landmark since 1973.

Haus Hohenzollern. An Art Nouveau building constructed in 1906 as a luxurious hotel, today it is an apartment building.

State House. Built as a courthouse in 1902, nowadays it is the Swakopmund residence of the Namibian president.

Lutheran Church. Built by the Germans in 1912, this Evangelical-Lutheran church is another building which looks like it has been transplanted from somewhere in Germany.

Barracks. Built in 1903 as housing for the troops of the engineer corps who constructed much of the early infrastructure. The lobby is decorated with German coats of arms. Nowadays the building functions as a youth hostel.

Lighthouse. The 25.6m-high lighthouse is one of the most visible buildings in the city.

Kristall Galerie. The world's largest quartz crystal and many other gems and minerals are on display. The gallery also has two shops where you can buy some crystals as souvenirs.

Martin Luther Steam Engine. A road locomotive abandoned in the desert just outside Swakopmund. Imported in 1896 to pull freight in the region, replacing oxens, it wasn't even able to travel the way from the port of Walvis Bay to Swakopmund, where it was supposed to be based, before breaking down in the desert. It was left there and soon became an odd attraction. It has been renovated a couple of times, and a protective building was built around it.

The National Marine Aquarium of Namibia. Rays, turtles, sharks and other marine life can be seen here. There is a daily feeding at 15:00.

Swakopmund Museum. The largest private museum in the country, founded in 1951. It showcases the cultural and natural history of the region from prehistoric time to the colonial period. Included among the exhibits is a reconstructed 19th-century chemist shop, a dentist's practice and an old household.

The Marine Monument. Memorial to the German soldiers who died during the campaign against the Herero People between 1904-07.

Monument to the fallen in both World Wars.

Do

Swakopmund is Namibia's adventure capital, and there's a great selection of activities to try out on land, sea and in the air. Tours and activities may also be booked once you're in Swakopmund.

The impressive Namib Desert (the oldest desert in the world, with the tallest sand dune in the world) around Swakopmund and the Skeleton Coast to the north can be appreciated in their entirety from the air, from a hot air balloon, a helicopter or a light plane. There are several kinds of flight tours are available, ranging from a few hours to a few days. Some flights enables you to see the desert and the ocean from above, others include safaris.

Skydive: GoSkydive4Fun are based at the airport.

Swakopmund's beaches are full of domestic tourists, especially during school holidays. You'll find cold water, but warm sand. The beach, just to the north of town, is ringed with museums and cafes. Beware that further south there are no breakwaters, so the beach is exposed directly to the waves of the Atlantic, which means that swimming may not be safe.

Surfing is popular too. Hit the surf spots to the north of town, such as 'Thick Lip' and 'The Wreck'. Travel further south towards Langstrad for 'Guns'. Fishing is a more relaxed sea-related activity and tour companies also offer offshore fishing tours.

Also the desert has many different activities, one local specialty being sandboarding, also known as duneboarding. You can ski the dunes just like you're snowboarding, or ride the board on your belly. Extremely high speeds — not for the faint hearted. This activity can be performed either on the world's highest sand dunes near Walvis Bay or some smaller dunes near Swakopmund. Alter Action has access to the infamous "Dizzy" hill. Tight clothing, sport shoes, sunglasses and sunblock are needed to take part in this activity.

Quadbiking is an excellent way to see the Namib desert close up. Several tour companies offer lessons and guided tours on four-wheel motorbikes through the desert surrounding the city. Breathtaking views of the dunes and the Atlantic Ocean.

Dune 7 Sandboarding. Quadbike to take you up; snacks and drinks included.

Just south of town on the road to Walvis Bay, there are some nice sand dunes suitable for a walk. Cross over the Swakop River, smile at the fact that there's rarely any visible water in it, and stroll through the dunes.

There are several birding locations in the town. At the Swakop River mouth there is a small fresh water lagoon which always has good birds to see. In the town there is the water treatment area. This is more for the twitcher (birders chasing rare birds) looking for rare birds. It is only open on working hours on week days. North of the town is the Mile 4 salt works. Some roads go along the open saline lakes where the salt is being extracted. This area is very important for various birds, including flamingos.

Other than this, there are also tours to the natural attractions mentioned in the Go next section.

Outback Orange. This company offers all sorts of activities from sandboarding and skydiving to fishing and horse riding.

Okakambe Trails, Horse Rides. About 8 km outside Swakop.

Camel Farm. 12 km east of Swakopmund

EHRA. Elephant Human Relations Aid, a local NGO offering desert elephant conservation trips.

In the city Swakop has an unusual number of skilled rock musicians and an impromptu "Open Mike Night" can usually be organized at one of the local nightspots. Travelling musicians take note!

Also, in addition to being located in the beautiful Woermannhaus, the library of Swakopmund is reportedly one of the best in all of Africa; why not sit down and educate yourself?

Buy

Many Namibians travel to Swakopmund for shopping. While the selection is not as wide as in the capital, you can really buy everything you need here. There are several nice shops in Swakop selling souvenirs and art; in particular if you're interested in traditional African silver jewelry. There is also a very good craft market near the lighthouse, which has a lot of items which are difficult to find elsewhere in Namibia.

Brauhaus Arcade. Shopping arcade with all kinds of small shops housed in typical German turn of the century buildings.

Leder Chic. Luggage and leather retail shop, the finest ostrich and kudu wallets and purses. Modern zebra skin belts, ostrich and kudu leather belts as well as designer handbags in springbok, kudu, nguni, buffalo and ostrich leather.

Open market. Traditional African street market.

Shoprite. Food and household item supermarket.

Woermann Brock Mall. A more westernized mall with more expensive items (souvenirs and other products). Here you can also find an Internet cafe and a supermarket.

Eat

Typical local cuisine is a combination of the hearty German cuisine, and fish and seafood of the ocean. Being a resort city, many restaurants are located in hotels. For some of the most popular ones you will need to book a few days ahead, especially on weekends and holidays.

BOJOs Cafe. Cafe with different menus every day, updated on their Facebook page.

Café Treffpunkt. Great German café, lovely breakfast.

Café Tiffany. Fresh fish, good wine, reasonable prices. Locals eat here.

Café Anton. Great for an all-you-can-eat breakfast. In the daytime they have delicious cakes; reportedly, the Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte is even better than what you can get in Germany!

Napolitana. An Italian restaurant with both Italian food and steaks and game. Large servings.

Namib Restaurant. German cuisine with great service. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Zur Weinmaus. Very friendly host. Not many tables, so make a reservation.

De Kelder. A little bit hidden, does not look attractive from outside. But everything else is perfect!

Zur Kupferpfanne. Game food and good wines.

Kücki's Pub. Warm and enjoyable atmosphere with great service. Limited menu, but interesting dishes (shark steak, etc) and very well prepared.

The Tug Restaurant. A great seafood restaurant, with a wide wine selection. It is an actual tug with a great view of the sea - reservations are essential. Rather expensive.

Old Steamer. The Alte Brücke Holiday Resort also houses this amazing buffet restaurant. Beautifully decorated and the staff is very friendly.

Drink

This is Jägermeister country and don't forget to sample the famous, locally brewed Hansa Draught. There is also a local independent craft brewery, called Namib Dunes.

Bacchus Taverne. Likely the coziest bar in Swakopmund. It has a good selection of pub snacks and is affordable too.

Tiger Reef. Beach bar, excellent place for a sundowner on the beach. Go to the aquaruim and walk along the beach in the direction of Walvis Bay. Grab a bottle of bubbly for the amazing sunset (Locally called sundowners)

Rafters Action Pub. Great sports bar with big LCD screens.

Sleep

Desert Sky Backpackers Lodge. Five-minute walk from downtown and the beach; clean, friendly owner. Camping, dorms, double rooms available. No breakfast.

Salty Jackal Backpackers & Surf Camp. Caters to a younger crowd that likes surfing. Only 1 dorm (6 beds) and several private rooms. Breakfast included. Dogs and cat around to play with.

Villa Wiese Backpackers. Another great backpackers. Plus they have their own bar. dorms

Skeleton Beach Backpackers. Individual rooms or simple dorms with 4 or 6 beds dorms. Breakfast included.

Amanpuri Travelers Lodge. has dorms beds

Prost Hotel Swakopmund Namibia. Dorm beds. Popular among those travelling on overland trucks. Still, there are some quite nice and clean rooms (though ask to see the room first).

Vogelstrand Guest House. Intimate family run bed and breakfast guest house with six rooms. Continental or health breakfast with an array of dishes made from local produce. The outside areas are designed in a quiet country courtyard style.

The Secret Garden Guesthouse. Six standard double en suite rooms, three comfort double en-suite rooms and two suites. Breakfast is included and the guesthouse has a bistro restaurant for evening meals. Secure parking is available.

Dünenblick self-catering apartments. Luxury apartments, stylishly decorated in contemporary look, with all the comforts possible. Including full DSTV and Internet, well situated with sea view or dune view. All within walking distance to the centre of town.

Alternative Space Guesthouse,. The place is out of the ordinary.

By the Beach. A self-catering accommodation service offering affordable luxury, with sea views, coffee/tea, DSTV in master bedroom and lounge, indoor BBQ.

Sophia Dale Base Camp. Sunny and cosy camping and bungalows 12 km from Swakopmund, in the lush area of Swakop River.

Swakopmund Municipal Bungalows. Walking distance to town

Strand Hotel. Scheduled to reopen in October 2015.

Alte Brücke Resort & Conference Centre.

Sea View Backpackers Swakopmund. All rooms are ensuite. Two-minute walk to the ocean, pool table, cereal breakfast, bar area, free WiFi, inside and outside fireplace.

The Stiltz. Luxurious with a very romantic setting.

Hansa Hotel. The archetype of a hotel from the "old days". Waiters wear penguin suit, and the place oozes style. This is also a nice place for Sunday lunch which is surprisingly good value for money, but you might be rejected if your attire is too informal.

Swakopmund Hotel & Entertainment Center Alter Bahnhof. It's a 4-star luxury hotel, built in and around the impeccably restored old station building. Includes casino, pool and restaurant.