Hermanus, Cape Town, Grootbos, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Plettenberg
6 best places for whale watching in the Cape Town region

Birkenhead House

Birkenhead House is one of the most beautiful boutique hotels on the South African coast. It is located directly on a cliff above the ocean, offering panoramic views of Walker Bay.
Here, whale watching is possible right from your room or terrace. This hotel is just minutes from the center of Hermanus, yet offers a sense of privacy and complete tranquility by the ocean. The hotel is part of The Royal Portfolio, one of South Africas most renowned hotel groups, renowned for its focus on design, art, privacy, and personalized service. The collection also includes such iconic properties as The Silo Hotel and Royal Malewane.
Birkenhead House is prized for its combination of intimate atmosphere, contemporary art, and some of the best whale watching in the country. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and drinks are included in the room rate, and the hotel also offers a selection of activities, including boat trips, kayaking, surfing lessons, traditional sunset braais, and seasonal mussel picking.
The hotels main feature is its location directly above the ocean. Terraces, common areas, and many rooms offer unobstructed views of whales, which come very close to shore during the season. Spacious living rooms with plush sofas and open-air lounge areas are perfect for leisurely ocean watching.

The Marine Hotel

The Marine is one of Hermanuss most renowned hotels, located directly on the ocean, next to the famous Cliff Path. The hotels history dates back to 1902, and today it combines the atmosphere of a classic seaside grand hotel with modern comfort and a high level of service.
The Marine is part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World and The Liz McGrath Collection, renowned for its attention to detail, fine dining, and elegant atmosphere. The Marine particularly values a leisurely pace of relaxation: long breakfasts overlooking the ocean, afternoon tea, candlelit dinners, and sunsets with a glass of wine while whales scoot offshore.
The hotels main advantage is its location just steps from the best whale watching spots in Walker Bay. Many rooms and lounge areas overlook the ocean, and during whale season, you can spot them practically right off the shore.
The hotel features spacious rooms and suites with sea views, a heated saltwater pool, a spa, The Pavilion restaurant, and a cozy bar with panoramic windows. The Marine is ideal for those seeking a classic, tranquil, and elegant oceanfront experience. With only 40 rooms and suites, The Marine maintains an intimate atmosphere and a sense of privacy, despite its renowned oceanfront location.
The hotel is ideal for families, welcoming children of all ages. Interleading rooms are available, along with the option of adding an extra bed or crib, and babysitting services are available upon request. The Premier Suites and interleading rooms are especially comfortable for families, and the heated seawater pool and spacious lounge areas make for a comfortable stay for both adults and children.

Grootbos Private Nature Reserve

Grootbos Private Nature Reserve is one of the most unique places on the South African coast, where luxury relaxation combines with rare fynbos nature, ancient milkwood forests, and views of Walker Bay. Situated in the hills above the ocean, the reserve feels more like a private safari amidst the Capes natural beauty than a classic beachfront resort.
Grootbos is known for its commitment to ecology, gastronomy, and unique experiences. Here you can enjoy a botanical 4x4 safari, hikes and horseback rides through the fynbos, birdwatching, whale watching, and visit ancient sea caves off the coast. During whale season, guests take guided trips to the best viewing points and can also choose from sea or even air whale watching.
There are two lodges on the property. Garden Lodge is suitable for families with children, while Forest Lodge is geared toward couples. The spacious suites are separate and feature living rooms, fireplaces, and terraces overlooking the ocean and fynbos. Each lodge has its own restaurant, wine cellar, spa, and pool.

Morukuru Beach Lodge

Morukuru Beach Lodge is a stylish and very private eco-lodge located in De Hoop Nature Reserve, one of South Africas best whale watching spots. The lodge is nestled among vast sand dunes and limestone cliffs, along over 50 kilometers of virtually pristine Indian Ocean coastline. The focus is relaxation, nature, active excursions, and whale watching right from the lodge.
The hotel is designed to preserve the natural and spacious feel as much as possible. With only five suites, the atmosphere remains intimate. During whale watching season, you can spot them right from your room, from the rooftop terrace, or from the communal lounge areas overlooking the ocean.

What Morukuru Beach Lodge offers:
— 2 suites with ocean views and a balcony
— 2 family suites for 2 adults and 2 children
— honeymoon suite with an outdoor bathtub and a private terrace
— rooftop terrace with a fireplace and panoramic views
— swimming pool and outdoor hot tub

The lodge is ideal for a family holiday with children (0+).

Lekkerwater Beach Lodge

Lekkerwater Beach Lodge is one of the most atmospheric lodges on the Whale Coast, located directly above the dunes of De Hoop Nature Reserve. The lodge overlooks a five-kilometer-long pristine beach, and all suites face the ocean, where southern right whales come very close to shore during the season.
The key feature of Lekkerwater is the feeling of complete oneness with nature. Everything here is built around the ocean, the silence, and the leisurely pace of life: long walks along the coast, evenings by the fireplace, and whale watching right from your own terrace.
Children 6+
What Lekkerwater Beach Lodge offers:
— 6 suites for two guests
— 1 family suite for 2 adults and 2 children
— fireplaces and private terraces with ocean views
- a spacious shared lounge, bar and dining area
— wood-fired hot tub right on the beach
- completely wild and untouched nature around

Lekkerwater will especially appeal to those seeking a tranquil, very natural and truly slow luxury holiday by the ocean.

The Hope Collection

De Hoop Collection is located next to Morukuru Beach Lodge but offers a different vacation experience. Its one of the most renowned lodge complexes on the Whale Coast, offering a variety of accommodations at reasonable prices. This location is renowned not only for whale watching but also for its stunning combination of ocean, white dunes, lagoons, fynbos, and virtually untouched nature.
De Hoop Collection offers a variety of accommodation options, from luxury suites and manor houses to family cottages and villas. This makes it a popular choice for couples, families with children, and travelers who enjoy active outdoor recreation.
What De Hoop Collection offers:
— luxury suites and cottages
— family villas and manor houses
— Fig Tree Restaurant
— spa, swimming pools and tennis court
- views of dunes, vlei, fynbos and the ocean
- access to one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in South Africa
The exhibition Origins of Early Southern Sapiens Behavior deserves special attention—one of the most unusual cultural projects in South Africa. It is dedicated to the origins of modern humans and discoveries made on the southern coast of the Cape, now considered a key region for the study of the early history of Homo sapiens.