About Hermanus

Hermanus, on the shores of Walker Bay about 120km from Cape Town, is internationally known as one of the best land-based whale-watching sites in the world, thanks to southern right whales that come close to shore between June and December to calve in the bay's sheltered waters. The town's cliff path, a walking route laid out along the coastline in the early twentieth century, remains the main vantage point for spotting whales, and Hermanus has employed a "whale crier" who blows a kelp horn to announce sightings since the 1990s. Originally a fishing village named Hermanuspietersfontein, the town grew around its Old Harbour, now a museum, and has since become a centre for wine tourism, with the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley just inland producing some of South Africa's most acclaimed Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Fynbos-covered mountains rise directly behind the town, and the annual Hermanus Whale Festival remains one of the Western Cape's largest environmental arts festivals.

Hermanus offers a steady mix of markets, art and live music through spring. Weekend shoppers can browse the AKWAABA Hermanus Saturday Market, and art lovers can wander galleries during the First Friday Art Walk on 4 September. Classic rock fans have Creedence - A Clearwater Revival at Hermanus Golf Club on 11 Sep 2026 to look forward to, followed by the 10k Whale Festival Fun Run 2026 along the coast in early October. The Hermanus Golf Club stays busy into autumn with DISCO INFERNO - Hermanus Golf Club bringing dance-floor nostalgia in October.