The town of Henties Bay hugs the cold Atlantic Ocean. It is situated approximately 70km north of Swakopmund. The popular Seal colony of Cape Cross is situated approximately 70km north of Henties Bay. The town has about 8,000 inhabitants (and about 10,000 during the holiday season) making it an ideal holiday spot.
Henties Bay boasts numerous small pubs and restaurants, the necessary shops such as a supermarket, liquor store, pharmacy, medical centre, banks and ATMs. Although the business centre is small, it has all the necessary amenities to make your holiday comfortable.
Due to its immediate surrounding there is quite a lot to do in and around Henties Bay from angling to Dune surfing. Here are a couple of the main tourist attractions in and around Henties Bay.
Roughly 40km wide and protecting about one third of Namibia’s coastline, much of the Skeleton Coast National Park is impossible to get to by road as vehicles are simply not allowed into the section north of the Hoanib River. Take a scenic flight to see this wild and untamed landscape from a low-flying plane. Dried up riverbeds, moonscapes, bizarre rock formations, and the beached shipwrecks , they litter the beach and the majority can be observed from air. The standard Skeleton Coast flight takes about 3 hours and covers a round distance of 750km from Swakopmund. www.skeletoncoastsafaris.com
Namibia’s coastal dune-belt is moistened most mornings by a rolling fog caused by the cool offshore air meeting the hot inland dry air. The common perception of a desert is a barren and lifeless wilderness, but this life-giving fog supports a surprisingly large number of wonderfully peculiar dune-dwelling insects and reptiles. Living Desert Tours depart Swakopmund each morning to find them before the fog disperses and they bury themselves in the sand to escape the afternoon sun. Look for goggle-eyed chameleons, tiny translucent geckos with webbed feet, snakes with eyes on top of their heads, the white lady spider that can curl into a ball and roll down a dune, and lizards that dance to keep their feet off the hot sand. The tour is always a hit with adults & children alike. This tour is also highly commended by www.tripadvisor.com. View their site @ www.livingdesertnamibia.com
Rising some 1700m above the surrounding flat gravel plain, approximately 100km to the East of Henties Bay, this golden “island” of mountains was created by the collapse of a gigantic volcano more that 100 million years ago. Subsequent erosion exposed the granite inselbergs. There are a number of San rock paintings – the best of which are at Bushmans’s paradise. Each of the thirty of so individual campsites is wonderfully positioned among the peaceful giant boulders, making you feel as if you have a little piece of Spitzkoppe to yourself. The photographic opportunities are marvelous, and best experienced at dusk/dawn, but particularly after rain. Should you make a day trip of this, Budget at least 6 – 8 hours and ideally be there at sunrise.
One of the most important wetlands in southern African, there can be more than 250 000 birds on the Walvis Bay Lagoon in the height of summer. Along with thousands of pelicans, cormorants, flamingos, white-fronted and chestnut plovers and Hartlaub’s gulls, it also attracts migrants from as far away as the Arctic Circle. Pelican Point is home to a colony of Cape fur Seals, Bottle nose & heavy-side dolphins, and the odd whale, which often come in from the ocean to swim in the quieter waters. With all this marine activity going on it’s perfect for boat cruises or kayaking. The operators provide oysters and drinks and throw fishy snacks to attract pelicans and seals. Cruises depart from Walvis Bay waterfront or the Walvis Bay yacht club.
Try Levo Dolphin Tours www.levotours.com or Mola Mola www.mola-namibia.com and for kayaking eco marine kayak tours www.emkayak.iway.na
With its German related history and surreal pastel-coloured architecture, this attractive coastal resort is surrounded on three sides by the desert and on the fourth by the Atlantic. One can tear through the sand on a quad bike, zoom head first down a dune on a sand board, go kart on a desert track, explore on the back of a camel or horse, or play a round at the desert grass Rössmund Golf Course. Then there’s either a gentle balloon ride, exhilarating tandem skydive or paragliding to enjoy the tremendous view of the rolling dunes where they meet the wild ocean. Visit the Namib-I tourist office on Sam Nuyoma Avenue. www.namibiadesertexplorers.com
Quad Bike Edu-Desert Tour through the prehistoric Kuiseb River, home of the ancient Khoi people, and an ecosystem older than the Namib Desert (the oldest desert in the world). This adventure promises to be filled with interesting sights and facts, allowing visitors the ability to enjoy the tranquility of being in a desert dune region. The tour is done on fully automatic quad bikes and is suitable for the rider with no previous experience, even for children and healthy elderly people. This experience is also highly commende on www.tripadvisor.com. Visit: Kuiseb Delta Adventures @ www.kuisebonline.com
Evolved and adapt to the harshest of conditions, Namibia has some of the world’s rarest and most interesting flora. But the most famous and peculiar of all – the Welsitchia and the Kokerboom are tourist attractions in their own right. The low-growing Welwitchia survives on moisture condensed from fog and enjoys a staggeringly long lifespan. What is considered to be the oldest, at around 1500 years, can be seen on the Welwitchia Drive from Swakopmund. Welwitchia self-drive permits must be obtained from the Swakopmund MET office on Bismark street, Swakopmund.
The Namibian coast is well known for its superb angling opportunities both on and off shore. Rock And Surf angling is one of the main reasons why yearly thousands of anglers from all over the world visit Henties Bay for guided expeditions. You might haul in a Copper (Bronzie) or Spotted Gully Shark, weighing up to 190kg! – What an adrenalin rush! – But, only for catch and release though. Alternatively opt for something for the grill; and try your luck at Kabeljou (Cob), Steenbras or if you’re really lucky, the elusive Galjoen. www.huntandfishnamibia.com
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