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Much, much more than
whales ....
Vineyards, beaches,
nature reserves, hiking,
angling, surfing, kite
surfing,
nightlife, penguins,
shark cage diving,
cycling, diving, quad
bikes, birding, 4x4
routes, kayaking, golf,
paragliding ......
Hermanus
activitiesHermanus was originally a fishing village .
It is situated on the coast and is sandwiched between the ocean (Walker bay) and the mountains. Consequently it has had to spread along the coast but this was stopped in the East by a lagoon which is protected and is now spreading West. Eventually this will also be stopped by
another huge lagoon which is also protected.
Hermanus has over 50
restaurants offering a range of foods incl. fine dining, sea foods, steak house and franchises. Some are on the seafront and some hidden away so ask for directions. Most are good, but ask your host for recommendations. Line fish is like catch of the day and is
fresh. If the weather is bad for several days there will be none as the boats can't go out. It is well advisable to
prebook in season unless you intend eating at one of the franchises (also good food) where you often cannot book. Most restaurants allow you to take your
own wine and pay corkage, to our knowledge all sell liquor so you don't have to take.
There is enough to satisfy everyone from extreme to just lazing in the sun. We have
whales in the bay from July to November and usually they are around before and after but in smaller numbers. They can laze about 5 m off the cliffs and are often missed by people looking out to
sea. Whales can be spotted from the cliff paths, in town by the waterfront, your room or patio at On the Cliff guest house,
whale watching boats which leave from the new harbor about 3 times a day. Cost of boat trips is about R400 per person. Book in season, ask your host
to do this.
Golf
is extremely popular and there are 4 nearby golf courses offering totally different experiences. Please refer our golf page for information on the Hermanus golf course and Arabella golf course.
Shark cage diving is done from nearby Kleinbaai and this will get the blood pumping. This will normally cost in the region of about R1000 per day per person and normally lasts 4-6 hours. They will take you again on another trip if no sharks are spotted. Bigger sharks are spotted in our Winter but numbers
are higher in Summer. Pre-book in season, your accommodation staff can do this for you. Should you feel ill on the water or need to get back due to time constraints there is a "rescue boat" which will fetch you for a price. Please be warned the water is cold even with a
wetsuit - supplied by the boat. Diving is done with mask and snorkel only in the cage and no experience is necessary. Diving with air would only really be necessary for a film crew etc as you are really only a couple of feet below surface when viewing. The cage floats and
when sharks are spotted they tell you to dive. You are well advised to keep hands and feet in the cage if you want to remain attached. Their safety record to date is unblemished. Transport is available from Cape Town and Hermanus.
There are several beautiful
beaches and the main one shown on our picture gallery is huge and extends for about 20 km's. The beaches are ideal for swimming, surfing etc. Very clean white, sandy beaches.
Horse riding is also
available throughout the
year from an hour to
overnight trips.
Kayaking is possible on the sea or lagoons and if you are lucky the dolphins will swim with you. In season you will almost definitely spot whales.
Wine estates
surround Hermanus and
produce very good wine.
We only stock local wine
and the standard is very
high. Most of the
estates have tasting
rooms and some have
restaurants as well. The
wine estates are small,
so labels are not that
well known, but they
have an exclusive
market. Being small they
have to be good to
survive.
Hikes can be undertaken in the mountains bordering Hermanus in the Fernkloof Nature reserve, along the beach or on the about 10 km's of cliff paths. A guide is available but must be prearranged.
Paragliding is done from the hills on the outskirts of Hermanus but should ideally be prearranged. No experience is necessary for tandem paragliding.
Horse rides can be done at several venues the most popular is on the beach where you can spot whales jumping whilst riding on the dunes.
A craft market is usually open on the week ends in the village center offering crafts from the locals and is very interesting.
Diving is popular and there are several scuba dive clubs that will take you out and cater from the beginner to the seasoned. Training is also possible with highly experienced scuba dive instructors.
4X4 there are
several opportunities to
exercise your vehicle.
There is an opportunity from
the other side of
Franskraal to Pearly
Beach going along the
dunes next to the beach.
This is in a
conservation area and is
primarily used by
fishermen but will
certainly use all 4
wheels. A new route has
just opened behind the
beach and accessed from
Stanford. We can take you
in our vehicle or
accompany you in a
second vehicle if
required. Mainly sand
driving and often deep.
Let your tyres down. The
most popular drive is De
Kelders in the
conservation area and
through a rocky area and
sea sand. It has seen
many stuck vehicles. All
of them are one way in
and out and have
entrance fees.
Fishing is
popular from Hermanus to
Die Mond with long
stretches of unspoilt
and empty beaches.
Numerous spots are
easily accessible but
others require a 4x4.
Extremely popular
fishing area with
sizeable catches. Lagoon
and off shore can also
be arranged. We can also
take you in our land
rover to the secluded
fishing beaches and
leave you with a picnic
basket and collect you
later. We can also
arrange a deep sea
fishing trip.
Birding is
very popular around the
area. The blue crane is
found in numbers on
farms close to Hermanus,
Stanford and Caledon.
The 2 lagoons support a
huge number with my
favorites i.e.
flamingo's , pelican
(sometimes) and fish
eagle. There is a
birding club and they
are pretty organized.
The lagoon has a
permanent bird hide that
is available for use by
anyone. It is possible
to take a birding boat
trip down the river from
Stanford to the lagoon.
Transport is available from Cape Town or the airport to and from Hermanus and taxi's can be
organized for transport around Hermanus by your host. Tours of Cape Agulhas, local wine estates etc are also possible. A car is available for hire from
Avis about a km from the
guest house which
eliminates the hassle
factor of picking up and
dropping off a car at
the airport. The shuttle
will transport you from
door to door i.e. pick you
up at the airport and
deliver you to our door
etc.
The airport is about 1 hours drive and Cape Town center
or Waterfront about 1,5 hours.
Quad bike trips are offered on several farms around Hermanus and range from 1,5 hrs etc.
Booking
: We will with pleasure
arrange and book any of
these activities on your
behalf. It is better to
book to avoid
disappointment and some
need to be prearranged
eg deep sea fishing.
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Tourist travel assistance History
In the early 1800's Hermanus
Pieter's, who was a shepherd and teacher, followed an elephant trail leading through the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley to the sea where he came upon a spring just to the west of the Mossel River farm. He found this to be
an ideal spot to graze his sheep during the summer. He also spread the word to the farmers of the district. The spring came to be known as Hermanuspietersfontein but was shortened to Hermanus when municipal status was given to the town in 1904. The first school was built in
1868 at St Peter's Mission School, attached to the newly built St Peter's Church. The bay was named after a Royal Naval officer called Walker. The farmers may have discovered Hermanus, but it was the fishermen who settled here. With an abundance of fish, the village attracted
more and more families. By the early 1900s word of the excellent fishing, outstanding beauty and “healing” air had spread across the world. It even became fashionable for Harley Street doctors in London to prescribe visits to Hermanus’ “champagne air” to their patients.
One of the first regular visitors to Hermanus was Sir William Hoy, General Manager of the Railways. He ensured the natural beauty of Hermanus would stay unspoilt by blocking any attempt to extend the Bot River railway line to the village. His legacy lives on in the Hermanus
Station that has no lines or trains and the hill that lies in the middle of the village, Hoy’s Koppie, where he and his wife are buried. Hoy’s Koppie not only provides an easy walk though fynbos to a lookout point over the village, but is also an important link to the
earliest inhabitants of the area, the Khoisan. Klipgat Cave, a large overhang on the southern side of the koppie, has archaeological evidence of these indigenous people inhabiting the cave long before Hermanus
Pieter's came across it.
From 1992 the town was promoted as a land based whale watching spot of international repute. |
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Town proclamation After a petition by residents of Hermanus Peters Fontein in 1879 to obtain some form of control over their affairs and acquire security of tenure for their humble dwellings, the proclamation was published
that established the town. In the Cape Government Gazette 7309 dated 10 July 1891 the names of the first three members of the new Village Management Board are published: James John Warrington, Daniel van Blommestein and Christoffel Henn.
The petition
CAPE OF GOOD HOPE
Petition of Inhabitants of Hermanus Petersfontein, Division of Caledon.
Printed by Order of the House of Assembly, 1879
TO THE HONOURABLE THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY OF THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE
The humble Petition of the undersigned Inhabitants of Hermanus Petersfontein, in the Division of Caledon.
HUMBLY SHOWETH,-
1. That your Petitioners have built their small houses upon plots of land belonging to Government upon the sea-shore, and have thus formed what is called the small village of Hermanus Petersfontein.
2. That we are, for the most part, poor fishermen, and occupy the plots of ground above-mentioned almost solely for fishing purposes, the said ground being entirely worthless for any other purpose, and no gardens can be made thereon, composed as it is of sand and
stones.
3. That your Petitioners are paying quitrent for their plots of ground, but are very desirous of obtaining transfer of the same, in order to be able to build better houses, and improve the spot, on which they have already schools for their children.
4. Upon application to Government, your Petitioners are informed that they can obtain transfer only by paying a sum of money immensely beyond the real market value of the barren erven.
5. Your Petitioners therefore humbly pray that their case may be taken into consideration (as they believe their case to be exceptional), and that the plots of ground they at present occupy may be granted to them for real market value, and transfer of the same
afforded accordingly.
And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will for ever pray P. M. MONTGOMERY.
(and 23 others)
Hermanus Petersfontein, Division of Caledon, June 30th, 1879.
The proclamation
THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE Government Gazette Tuesday June 2nd, 1891 PROCLAMATION BY HIS EXCELLENCY SIR HENRY BROUGHAM LOCH
Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Her Majesty’s Colony of the Cape of Good Hope in
South Africa, and of the Territories and Dependencies thereof, and Her Majesty’s High Commissioner, &c., &c., &c. Whereas by the “Villages Management Act, 1881” it is amongst other things enacted that the provisions thereof shall apply to all such
communities, not being municipalities, as the Governor may by Proclamation in that behalf, published in the Government Gazette, declare to be subject thereto; and whereas it has been made to appear to me desirable that the provisions of the said Act should
be made to apply to the Village of Hermanus Peters Fontein, in the Division of Caledon: Now, therefore, I, the Governor aforesaid, acting with the advice of the Executive Council, do hereby declare the provisions of the said Act to apply to the said
Village of Hermanus Peters Fontein, and that the same shall be in force within the area bounded northward by “Raed na Gael,” southward by the Ocean, eastward by the Mossel River and westward by Wagebooms Kloof aan de Onrust Berg.
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!
Given under my hand and the Public Seal of the Colony of Good Hope, this 29th day of May,1891.
HENRY B. LOCH
Governor
By command of His Excellency the Governor in Council, J.W. SAUER |
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