Hermanus

The town of Hermanus is a popular seaside retreat for Cape Town residents and world-famous for its spectacular whale-watching. In the winter and spring, southern right whales spend quite a bit of time in the area off the coast of Hermanus, during mating and calving season. There's an annual Whale Festival in September to mark the beginning of the whale-watching season, and the town employs a Whale Crier – his job is to watch for whales and blow a kelp horn when whales are spotted. There are whale-watching boat trips from Hermanus, but it can actually be quite easy to see whales without leaving shore.
There are also beaches in Hermanus, a Whale Museum, great hiking trails, and other outdoor adventures to enjoy. This is also a starting point for shark cage diving tours.

Practical Info

Hermanus is a little more than 71 miles southeast of Cape Town. The town's original name, Hermanuspietersfontein, was deemed too long by the post office.