Swakopmund beaches look different from tropical beaches. The Namib Desert meets the cold Atlantic Ocean here. The view is dramatic but the water is cold.
Swakopmund Beach
The main beach is where sand dunes touch the ocean waves. The water stays cold all year. It’s usually between 14 and 18 degrees Celsius. This happens because the Benguela Current flows up from Antarctica. You can swim but the cold water makes you gasp. It’s not relaxing.
People visit this beach for the scenery and activities. They don’t come to sunbathe. You can walk on the walkway by the beach. You can watch fog roll in during the morning. The desert meeting the ocean looks unusual and beautiful.
Langstrand
This beach is 15 kilometers long. It sits between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay. The name means long beach in English. The beach lives up to its name. Big desert dunes sit behind the clean sandy beach. This area is quieter than central Swakopmund. You can find tidal pools here. There are play areas for families.
Cape Cross
This place is about one hour north of Swakopmund. A protected seal colony lives on the peninsula. Hundreds of Cape Fur Seals live here. You pay a small fee to get in. Then you walk on wooden walkways to see the seals up close. The seals are loud and they smell bad. But watching them is interesting and worth the smell.
Skeleton Coast Beaches
If you drive north from Cape Cross you reach the Skeleton Coast. These beaches are far from town and empty. The coast got its name from whale bones and old shipwrecks on the shore. The coastline looks dramatic but swimming is dangerous. Big storms and strong water currents make it unsafe. You can see rusty old shipwrecks all along the coast from different time periods.
Best Time to Visit
May through September has the clearest weather. The temperature during the day is usually between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius. Summer months from December to March start with fog but the sun usually comes out by afternoon. August has strong winds.
What to Bring
You need to bring layers of clothing. Coastal fog makes mornings cold even when it’s summer. Bring a jacket or sweater. You will need it until the sun burns away the fog. The sand is soft and nice for walking.
After you see the beaches visit Karakulia Weavers to see traditional Namibian crafts. You can buy a souvenir there.
