One of only three coastal towns in Namibia and is Namibia’s second biggest town. A traditional “summer capital”, it is one of Namibia’s most surreal places. After an approach through the endless expanses of the Namib Desert, Bavarian spires and elaborate Germanic architecture rise through the early morning fog banks. The boom of the surf on the Skeleton Coast is an ever-present reminder of the icy Atlantic Ocean beyond. The town is an eclectic mixture of Bohemian and Bavarian, home to an intriguing mix of artists, hippies, strait-laced descendants of German settlers, stately Herero women in Victorian dress, and hard bitten miners, game rangers, safari operators and fishermen. There are numerous suggested activities in Swakopmund. No visit would be complete without an early morning boat trip into the harbour at Walvis Bay to learn more about the unique marine life of the area. Wildlife includes the Cape Fur Seal, dolphins and whales as well as abundant endemic birdlife. You can spend your afternoons discovering the town’s museums, craft markets and many restaurants, or for thrill seekers, there is dune quad biking, sand boarding and sky diving.

Villa Margherita

8 rooms with private lounge area, flat screen tv, air con, hairdryer, free wifi, laptop on request, breakfast served in your room or individually in the dining room. There is an in-house Italian restaurant, Il Tulipano.