THE COAST

A strip of desert sand that stretches from the Kunene to the Orange rivers, hugging Namibia’s coastline north to south. The Namib Sand Sea, a UNESCO World Heritage Site stretching between the Kuiseb River and Tsau //Khaeb National Park, is a mass of rolling dunes in shades of gold, ochre, and honey, that tumble into the cobalt-blue water. Many ships and their crews have met their end along the Skeleton Coast. Now a national park, the area covers the expanse between the Ugab River and the Kunene River, protecting the northern third of Namibia’s coastline. Between the Ugab and Swakop rivers, the sensitive ecosystem of lichens and Damara Tern breeding grounds make up Dorob National Park. Its most northerly settlement, Cape Cross, is the site of the largest colony of Cape fur seals in the world. The ice-cold Benguela current brings essential nutrients to Namibia’s coastal waters, supporting life under the water as well as above it. Consequently, the beaches of Dorob National Park are popular fishing sites and have resulted in settlements such as Henties Bay and Wlotzkasbaken. South of these, Swakopmund, with its charming architecture and quirky personality, is a favourite destination for travellers after hot safaris inland.

Liza de Klerk

Elzanne McCulloch

Over 1000 shipwrecks can be found along Namibia's coastline.

Xenia Ivanhoff-Erb

FEATURES

• The coast is Namibia’s adventure mecca

• It offers abundant history, culture, art and crafts

• Skeleton Coast National Park protects the northern stretch of the Namibian coastline, and Namib-Naukluft National Park protects most of the southern part.

• The coastal strip is a haven for unique plants, animals and birds

• Namibia has many beautiful, pristine beaches

Nina van Zyl

Paul van Schalkwyk

Take a stroll through historical Swakopmund

Elzanne McCulloch

Gerhard Thirion

A brown hyena scavenges near a seal colony somewhere along the northern beaches

Anja Denker

Activities & adventures

• Go sandboarding, quad-biking, fishing, windsurfing, sailing, skydiving, paragliding or dolphin cruising in one of the popular coastal towns

• Take a stroll through the centre of Swakopmund and admire the historical buildings

• Climb Dune 7 and see the world from a different perspective

• Go on a cultural township tour through Mondesa or Kuisebmond

• Admire flamingos and other avifauna at the Walvis Bay Lagoon, a RAMSAR site for coastal birds

• Take to the dunes and beaches atop a fatbike, horse or camel on a guided tour just outside Swakopmund