Palm-lined streets, seaside promenades, fine accommodation, a pleasant summer climate and decent beaches. Welcome to Swakopmund - Namibia's premier holiday resort! During the summer holidays and long weekends, thousands of Namibians flock to the coast, and this human migration happens for a number of reasons; Swakopmund has a real holiday feel to it and everyone wants to be there; during the December holidays, the cool Namibian coast offers relief from the intense heat of the interior; and more importantly as far as the tourist is concerned in these modern times, Swakop has changed, and has become the countries leading adrenaline destination, with a wide range of activities to suit all ages and (most) egos.

The area of Namib Desert around Swakopmund is named the West Coast Recreational Area. And recreation is the towns number one draw card. There are countless pursuits to help you spend your time, and money. For those interested in adventure activities Swakopmund offers sandboarding, quad biking, dune carting, parachuting, hot air ballooning, shark fishing, deep sea fishing and beach angling to name but a few. For the more sedentary there are restaurants, cafes, art galleries, museums, a snake park and aquarium.

If danger isn't your middle name, then the architecture and general feeling of Swakopmund might be more to your liking. This town has the ambiance associated with a small German village, and the town seems to be stuck in time. (Less for those who care to jump out of perfectly serviceable aircraft shouting 'Geronimo' before it lands safely.) Although in recent times the new generation have woken up to the tourist potential of the area, Swakopmund still manages to create a feeling of timelessness.

True to its German traditions early mornings and evenings in Swakopmund can be cold throughout the year, as the cold Atlantic Ocean meeting the Namib Desert creates a fog bank. This coolness is often a relief from the heat of the rest of Namibia, but does mean that Swakopmund is not the tropical sunbathing mecca that most people imagine.

There is a great variety of accommodation in Swakopmund which cater for all tastes and budgets. It should be noted that these establishments will definitely need to be booked in advance especially if you are travelling in the busy December holidays.

For day trippers a visit to the Cape Cross Seal Colony is worth a visit as it offers a taste of the Skeleton Coast and the seals are worth a visit. The Welwitschia drive is an interesting way to spend a few hours and introduces you to some of the fauna and flora of the Namib Desert. Bird lovers can pay a visit to the Swakopmund Salt Works or the Walvis Bay Lagoon, which in season is frequented by thousands of flamingos.

Cape Cross Tour

A half day tour (with morning and afternoon departures) to the seal colony at Cape Cross

Cape Cross & Messum Crater Tour

Visits the seal colony at Cape Cross and the Messum Crater which is best known for it's desert adapted plants such as the Welwitschia Mirabilis

Fishing

Everything from sharks to pilchards

Living Desert Tour

A half day tour into the Namib Desert

Minerals Half Day

Learn about the minerals found in this part of the Namib

Namib Desert Day Trip

A day trip from Swakopmund into the Namib Desert

Quad Biking

2 hour guided trip into the dune belt near Swakopmund (50km) - you enter an area where you cannot get to by car or foot. No experience necessary...

Sandboarding

Skitter down the slip faces of a tall star dune near Swakopmund at 80km/h on a lie-down board, or enjoy the style and grace of a stand-up board. No experience necessary.

Sandwich Harbour Tour

A day trip from Swakopmund down the Skeleton Coast to Sandwich Harbour

Skydiving

Leave the safety of the aircraft and join a tandem skydive. No experience required!

Spitzkoppe Day Tour

Full day tour to the Spitzkoppe Mountains - you will meet the Damara people and be introduced to the Bushman rock art of the area.

Swakopmund & Walvis Bay Sightseeing

A half day your of these two coastal towns includes visits to historical buildings & monuments as well as the teeming birdlife of the Walvis Bay Lagoon