Flamingo! (Walvis Bay)

Member Name: moronboy

Product:	Walvis Bay
Date:	13/10/00 (33 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Some stunning scenery

Disadvantages: Some dodgy smells...

Walvis Bay is a funny place, in that it is very industrial compared to its neighbour up the coast (Swakopmund), and yet it is surrounded by the most wonderful scenery and birdlife. The town itself is a bit ugly and dominated by the salt refinery and the huge trucks that take the salt out. There is also a very strange smell due to the various works going on. Swakopmund is much more genteel, as befits its status as Namibia's main holiday resort.

Nevertheless, anyone who stays on the coast (usually in Swakop, and many Namibia visitors do come here) should drive down the coast to Walvis Bay for the dunes and the flamingoes. The road down to Walvis Bay is completely bizarre, as the sea rolls in, there's a road, and then there are massive yellow sand dunes. The water and desert meeting like that is completely weird.

Dune Seven, which is just outside Walvis Bay town, is an absolutely huge sand dune, and you can drive right to the bottom and have a picnic - we did and it's fabulous. You can also climb the dune, although we got half way, marvelled at the view, then trotted down again.

Further on, there is the huge lagoon on which you will certainly see huge groups of flamingoes - the question is how close they will be. If you hire a 4WD - or more sensibly - go on an excursion, you can drive round to Sandwich Harbour and have a better chance of seeeing them, in even more spectacular surroundings.

As for eating, I'd go to Swakopmund and fill up there.

Summary: