Great Cape Escapes: Whale Tales in Hermanus, South Africa

You won’t need to hunt as hard as Captain Ahab to find whales in and around the South African seaport of Hermanus; in fact, you won’t even have to leave dry land.

This picturesque town, located about 69 miles southeast of Cape Town, is the center of South Africa’s well-named Whale Coast, which draws hundreds of the magnificent mammals each year between July and November.

The Southern Right Whales migrate from Antarctica to the sheltered waters of Walker Bay to mate, give birth, and raise their calves in deep waters that run near the shore, making Hermanus one of the world’s best places to see the leviathans without getting wet.

Southern Rights are huge (up to 50 feet and 70 tons), frisky and so friendly that they were easily harpooned to the edge of extinction in the 20th century. Now protected, they’ve staged a major comeback—and you can enjoy the show all over town.

On an October visit, my husband and I spotted our first whale waving his tail about 30 feet offshore minutes after we’d parked on Market Square. We saw two more spouting off as we hiked the Cliff Trail that skirts the town. And at dinnertime, one young male whale seemed to breach so close to our window table at Lemon Butta restaurant that we feared we might have to share our tasty curried prawns.

We watched a dozen different whales cavort, including our very own “Great White,” a rare albino who led us out into the wild South Atlantic for a few thrilling rides up and down the 9-to-15 foot waves. About 14 of us on the foredeck clutched the ropes and railings and screamed with delight—and, ok, maybe a little bit of terror. Our “Moby Dick” was kinder than the original, though; after blowing a few bubbles, he guided us back to safe harbor.

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Hermanus Attractions

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