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The first time I visited Hermanus, South Africa was more than 20 years ago. We drove out from Cape Town to spend the weekend and were captivated by the cliff-top amphitheatre looking onto the ocean.

With (then) just a few sleepy hotels Hermanus didn't look like a whale watching eco-mecca yet!

Back then, I was a university student in Cape Town , and Hermanus was a sleepy little seaside village.

Much has changed!

Not only have I matured :o) but the village has too, morphing into a small, bustling town. I hold the southern right whales largely responsible! Their annual migration causes a human stampede as we all throng the boats and cliff tops to spot those lazy flukes waving in the ocean.

Nearby Gansbaai is experiencing a similar influx, but there it is the great white shark which draws fascinated observers.

Out of season –- whale season that is – Hermanus is still the perfect family vacation getaway. The golf course is one of multiple attractions and many Cape Town families spend weekends there regularly in their holiday homes. As the town has grown now more options are on offer, from basic budget accommodation to luxury self-catering and hotels.

Aside from whales and holidays Hermanus is well known, (even notorious) for its abalone or perlemoen trade.

Don’t know what perlemoen or abalone is? Let me help...

“...a delicious gastropod found in most of the oceans in the world and prized as a culinary treat...” :o)

This succulent mollusc is now on the endangered species list due to uncontrollable poaching activities along the Southern Cape coast. It can be pretty difficult to get a taste of this gourmand treat in the town because poachers ship it out directly to the international markets.

So we can't guarantee you'll eat a gastropod! Don't hold it against us... come and sample the rest of Hermanus South Africa anyway!

By the way, are you an international whale-watching groupie ? If you are you should discover Vancouver Island in the Pacific North-West. Get the inside information and see it for yourself - with videos!