Picture a German “Deauville” from the early last century, still carrying a faint air of the Bismarck era, lined with palm trees, wrapped in a romantic mist at the edge of a restless Atlantic Ocean, and set upon the scorching sand of the desert. This is how Swakopmund — literally “mouth of the Swakop” — reveals itself to first-time visitors. This town is the seaside resort of Namibians, both picturesque and steeped in history.
Swakopmund is also a strategic crossing point between the north and south of the country, linking Damaraland to Sesriem. Staying here allows you to soak up its unique atmosphere: strolling around the old railway station turned hotel, wandering the side streets lined with distinctive facades, and enjoying the timeless charm of the seafront.
That said, the region’s main activities and excursions are organised out of the small port of Walvis Bay, about twenty kilometres to the south, from where you can set off to explore the lagoons, dunes and nautical adventures that have made the Namibian coast so well known.