Swakopmund, Namibia/ Enter, the mirage
Swakopmund from the air--sea and dunes. Nuff said.
Entering Swakopmund is like entering some bizarre sort of mirage, in the best sort of way. Coming into town from any direction, visitors drive past mile after mile of golden sand dunes; all of a sudden, palm tree-lined streets appear out of nowhere and are accompanied by wide, brick roads, seaside cafes, and thatched roof vacation homes. Swakopmund is less African town than vestigial German holiday retreat, but it’s an interesting and refreshing destination in which one can regroup, pursue a number of fun adventure activities, and easily enjoy both the sea and dunes in one trip.
The town of Swakopmund grew originally as a port and harbor for German imports and exports, when Namibia was part of the German empire. Following World War I, Walvis Bay, the next town to the south, became the favored port city and Swakopmund began its transformation into seaside holiday destination. To this day, a large number of German tourists visit Swakopmund annually–walking down the waterfront, touts selling their handmade crafts will always ask if you’re German–and the town retains its German influence. Besides those of German decent living here there is a large population of Afrikaners as well. Nearly everyone, including the town’s African residents, speaks English, German, and Afrikaans, or at least enough of the three to be able to communicate with others.
Beer gardens and brick roads, am I still in Africa??
Walking through town I couldn’t help but compare the quaint beer-garden lined streets and waterfront promenade with other European, and even American, seaside towns. It was even more remarkable given that this little island of Western culture represented the first I’d seen since leaving South Africa in December for my long cross-African adventure. All of a sudden things I hadn’t needed to think about for weeks were presented to me: which restaurant to choose from, out of the dozens in town? Which bar might offer the best long-awaited cocktail? Which bank card might still be working, not having been switched off due to fraud protection? (Dear Citibank: I’m still traveling through Africa, just like I told you I would be).
In recent years Swakopmund has been selling the image of being an adventure oasis extreme enough to rival Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Unlike my experience in Zimbabwe however, here, I was all too happy and enthusiastic to get involved in the adrenaline activities, and found myself signing up for a hat-trick of excitement: skydiving, sandboarding, and sea kayaking. There is so much more to do though; horse riding, ballooning, paragliding, quad biking, scenic flights, desert walks, and rock climbing. Our activities were arranged through Far Out Adventures, run by Beth, an American expat whose initial visit to Namibia was clearly influential enough to cause her to return permanently. Far Out has an office in Hotel Gruner Krantz (aka the Swakop Lodge), where one can learn about all that’s on offer. Alternatively just google what you’d like to do and book yourself, though I’m not sure that you’d save any money by doing so.
The promenade leading to the beach and waterfront.. still in Africa, though it doesn't seem true
Significantly, unlike in Victoria Falls, if one does not wish to pursue these admittedly pricey activities the town is large and diverse enough to entertain visitors. There is a museum, an aquarium, brewery (which offers tours and beer, of course) lots of shops, beer gardens, and restaurants; the dunes are an easy walk south of town center, and the beach and promenade are great places to relax (though the water is cold; wetsuits are required for surfing). It’s literally just like visiting any seaside town in Europe so one can expect much of the same experience.
While in Swakopmund I called Gruner Kranz/ the Swakop Lodge home for three nights, which offered great accommodation for bank account friendly rates: $415 Namibian dollars for a single; $300 each for a double; less if you‘re upgrading from what your overland company has already paid for. As a massive bonus, the town’s best bar and nightclub (even my new skydiving and sandboarding friends agree) is just upstairs, making the stumble home impossible to screw up. The hotel hosts the overland truck crowd almost exclusively, so every night is a party night at the bar. I wouldn’t recommend staying here as a regular tourist though; it’s a safe bet that the overland groups will be loud and rowdy. Everything is within walking distance however, and, though eerily quiet in the evenings, I found walking around at twilight no problem at all. Past dark, like anywhere else in Africa, I would’ve taken a taxi.
Up next: my experiences of three epic and uniquely Namibian activities: skydiving over the Namib desert; rushing down those same dunes on a snowboard, and playing with the dolphins and seals in a kayak in Walvis Bay.
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