Whale Watching
The seaside resort of Hermanus in Walker Bay offers the best whale viewing from land in the world, and is now regarded as one of the finest land-based whale watching sites on the planet. A cliff path stretching from one side of the town to the other, hugs the coastline for about 12 km giving whale watchers unlimited opportunities to study the gentle giants in the coves below.

From the path or from rocky outcrops just off the path, whale watchers can get within 20m of the whales. Benches all along the cliff path provide comfortable resting and watching spots.

Start at Gearing's Point, which gives a panoramic view over the bay. A telescope situated alongside at the Old Harbour makes it possible to survey the entire bay and the whales and dolphins at close range. Next to the telescope is an information plaque, which provides additional information on the whales.
http://www.whalewatchsouthafrica.com/

Whale Watching Festival
The Hermanus Whale Festival, the only “enviro-arts” festival in South Africa, is held annually to celebrate the return of the Southern Right whales to the waters of Walker Bay, the magnificent environment and the arrival of spring.
Each year Hermanus plays host to thousands of visitors who flock to the seaside resort to exhilarate in the unique natural environment, watch whales, join in the world’s only Welcome Whales Wave and revel in music, comedy, cabaret and African rhythms every night during the annual Whale Watching Festival.

Whale watching and South Africa are synonymous between the months of July and December each year. It is at this time of year when thousands of whales leave the icy Antarctic and migrate to the warmer South African coast to mate and birth their calves. Hermanus is a whale watchers paradise and travellers can look forward to being entertained by these majestic kings of the sea while they frolic just off the coast.

The whales are always the star performers at the Festival and will be joined on land by musicians, crafters, sports celebrities and thousands of people celebrating spring in the most beautiful place on earth.

Old Harbour
The oldest of the range of Hermanus attractions, this natural harbour is often a focal point of village activities.

The Old Harbour is one of the historic highlights of the town. It was proclaimed a museum in 1972 yet retains its original character from the early days when it was the centre of activity in the fishing village of Hermanus.

It is a popular destination for visitors, and includes an open-air museum, which is open 24 hours a day. The displays include old boats, parts of the old sea wall, brine tanks, "bokkom" stands and an indoor museum, which houses exhibitions on natural history.

Whales and whaling are the most prominent feature of Hermanus and aquariums that house all manner of sea creatures normally found in the intertidal zone contribute positively to what is an apt tribute to the cultural history of Hermanus.

Beaches and Tidal Pools
There are a number of choices for beaches within Hermanus, from rock-protected coves to long expanses of sandy beach, perfect for safe swimming and strolling. Tidal pools provide safe bathing and are perfect for children.

Walks and Hiking
Hermanus offers a variety of hiking trails and walking paths. The Cliff Path that stretches from the New Harbour in Westcliff all along the coastline to Grotto beach is 10-12km long and has made Hermanus famous for its land-based Whale watching potential. Accessible from many points along the route, it has benches at strategic points along the way to give hikers a rest or just to provide a place to sit and watch the whales or appreciate the beauty of Walker Bay.

The nearby Fernkloof Nature Reserve has about 50km of well-maintained hiking trails, surrounded by the beautiful coastal fynbos indigenous to the area. The area is considered one of the world's richest floral kingdoms.

The Frans Senekal Nature reserve in Vermont offers a delightful walk from Vermont along the sea edge past Hoek van den Berg to Hawston harbour.

Fishing
The sea and lagoon are both home to healthy stocks of Galjoen, White Steenbras, Pig-nosed Grunter, Kob or Kabeljou, Red Roman, Silver fish, Red Stumpnose, John Brown, and many other species. Chartered boat fishing is relatively popular in Hermanus, as is crayfishing. Of course, fishing for crayfish requires a permit and is only allowed during certain times of the year. Click to view daily tides for Hermanus.

Fernkloof Nature Reserve
Established in 1957, the Fernkloof Nature Reserve is a hotspot amongst nature enthusiasts and explorers. Home to the largest carnivorous plant in the world, a visit to this Hermanus attraction should not be missed.

Wine Route
The Hermanus Wine Route produces top quality, world-renowned wines. Hermanus is firmly established on the Epicurean map with its myriad restaurants, fine wine, fresh vegetables cheese and fish.

The Hemel-and-Aarde valley near Hermanus offers an unforgettable wine experience in the Overberg. The wines produced in this region are unique to South Africa and similar to ones from Northern France, due to a cool sea breeze and clay soil. Two of the most popular wines are a chardonnay and an exceptional pinot noir.
http://www.whalehavenwines.co.za

Shopping
From clothes to curios – The interesting variety of shops in Hermanus makes buying an experience

Golfing
When it comes to golfing the Hermanus Golf Club and Arabella Golf Course and Country Estate are two of the greatest Hermanus attractions on offer.

Shark Cage Diving
A mere 30-minute drive from Hemanus lies Gaansbaai, the greatest location for shark cage diving in South Africa. Shark Alley is particularly renowned for shark cage diving as well as surface viewing.
http://www.sharkbookings.com/great-white-gansbaai.html

Bird Watching
Birds are possibly among the most accessible wildlife available for humans to see in nature. Southern Africa is home to almost 10% of the world's bird species and coastal towns like Hermanus are a favourite hangout for many of these.

The Bot River lagoon is renowned as one of the prime locations for bird watching in the Hermanus area, but for the bird watcher with a keen eye the entire area holds immense spotting potential for marine, estuarine and land birds.

Scuba Diving
The fantastic diversity of the marine biosphere surrounding Hermanus makes it a prime dive location.

There's no shortage of opportunities for the avid diver, with boat dives, shore entry dives, deep dives, night dives, underwater photography dives, gear rental and air fill services all available.

Day Trips
When visiting Hermanus the attractions don't stop at the town's borders. Hermanus is the ideal destination from which to explore the fascinating attractions of the Overberg region.

Boating
Exploring the aquatic side of Hermanus attractions by boat is a fantastic way to spend a day. Boats are available for hire, with everything from sailboat trips to fishing and diving boat charters.

The wide-open sandy beaches and magnificent lagoons attract many sailing and motorboat enthusiasts. Boating and rubber duck buffs can make use of the facilities in the New Harbour for a nominal fee.

Gansbaai attractions
In close proximity of Hermanus (50km) lies Gansbaai (also known internationally as Goose Bay). This area is an undiscovered jewel with magnificent features.
http://www.eco-adventures.co.za/

Dyer Island
Dyer Island is home to thousands of African penguins and other sea birds. Its neighboring island, Geyser Rock is filled with Cape fur seals. Unfortunately, no visitors are allowed on these islands, as both are nature reserves managed by Cape Nature.
A trip to the Geyser Rock will bring you to waters called Shark Alley, named after the Great White Sharks who live in these waters, looking for their favorite food that happens to be Cape fur seals.

Danger Point
This is yet another spectacular attraction where one can witness the remains of old shipwrecks, having sailed their last journey along this treacherous coastline. It was here in 1852 where the British troopship Birkenhead came to grief, taking the lives of 445 people, most of them soldiers.

Klipgat Cave
Klipgat is a definite must see and, according to locals, one of the most important cultural assets in the Western Cape. Situated just outside of De Kelders in the Walker Bay Nature Reserve, Klipgat has a magnificent view over both the ocean and the reserve. These views are seen through two “windows” and one small “portal”.
Excavations at Klipgat Cave between 1969 and 1995 produced stone artifacts, preserved bone tools and human remains left by Middle Stone Age people between 65’000 and 85’000.

The Strandveld Museum
This is the actual gem, holding the secrets of Gansbaai. Just off the cliffs of Franskraal lies the privately owned museum that has the largest collection of relics of the HTM Birkenhead that wrecked at Danger Point as well as several other historical pieces. The owners are local historians who will gladly take you on a trip through time.