Apart from whale-watching, Hermanus is fast becoming an eco-adventure playground. A number of safe beaches with warm water cater for lovers of sun and surf, including the Western Cape’s only Blue Flag status beach, Grotto Beach.

In addition, sea kayaking, abseiling, lagoon canoeing, lagoon cruises, boat-based whale-watching, sand-boarding, paragliding, horse-riding, scuba-diving, fishing charters, shark cage-diving and sailing are all now available in Hermanus.

Wine-tasting is available at the renowned Hemel en Aarde Estate, and six well-established wine routes lie within an hour’s drive of the town. There is a museum in the Old Harbour, a municipal library, and a tourist information office housed in the only railway station in the country that has never been visited by a train!