Walvis Bay

I. Walvis Bay travel guide

Location of the town of Walvis Bay

Walvis Bay is isolated by the Namib desert, is now home to 52,000 people whose activities are mainly related to the commercial port, fishing and salt.
All around, the many lagoons and beaches remained the gigantic bird paradise.
Thousands of flamingo (pink and dwarfs, whose size and color vary due to the diversity of their diet), pelicans, cormorants, sea lions , dolphins, mola mola-new and whales frequent the waters.

Walvis Bay is primarily the large deep-water port of Namibia, a hotbed of import and export (minerals) of Southern Africa.
Also important fishing port, Walvis Bay is a quiet industrial city that is beginning to open up to tourism.
But some prefer to calm the unrest that animates Swakopmund Austral summer months.
From Walvis Bay, the trip to Sandwich Harbour is beautiful, it is possible to combine in one day with a marine safari.
We will not fail to see the birds sancuaire lagoon on which athletes try their hand at kitesurfing in the footsteps of world champions who were identified as one of the best spots in the world.

The visit other points of interest will satisfy travelers with a bit more time to devote to the "Bay of whales", which also sees return gradually mammals that gave it its name.

» Getting To Walvis Bay

- By car :

From the "Namib", "Naukluft and" Sesriem, "the traveler arrives at Walvis Bay by the C14 passing notament by Solitaire.
This pathway allows it to join as soon the fourth section of the Namib-Naukluft Park opened to the public: Sandwich Harbour.
Travellers from Windhoek travel the road paved B2 (Kalahari) passing through Swakopmund linking the strategic port of Walvis Bay to Botswana and South Africa.

- By bus:

Several lines of buses linked Swakopmund and Walvis Bay from Windhoek that Intercape Mainliner .
The trip takes 5 hours and costs N$ 130 .

- By train:

You can come by train via the Trans-Namib Rail .

» History

- December 8, 1487, the Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias, in search of the Passage to India, had to dock his ship, the Sao Cristavão on the future site of Walvis Bay, so he christened "O Golfo de Santa Maria da Conceição "(The Gulf of St. Mary of the Conception).

- It was not until 1840 for a European power, looks at the site of Walvis Bay: Great Britain annexed the bay to counter the German ambitions in the region.

- In 1910, Walvis Bay, which was attached administratively to the Cape Colony, recently joined the Union of South Africa.

- In 1911, the boundaries between the enclave of Walvis Bay and the German colony of South West Africa are finally set: the territory is confined to an area of 1124 square km.

- After the invasion in 1915 South-West Africa by South Africa, the enclave of Walvis Bay is administratively integrated with the latter in 1921.

- In 1971, anticipating a possible withdrawal from South-West Africa, South Africa transferred the administrative jurisdiction of Walvis Bay to the authorities of the Cape Province.

- In 1977, the government of South Africa resumed direct control of the enclave.

- On 23 March 1990, Namibia became independent, but the enclave of Walvis Bay remained under South African administration.

- It was not until February 28, 1994 the enclave that is integrated into Namibia after tough negotiations between the governments of South Africa and Namibia