Travel Guide for Swakopmund, Namibia: Best Way to See Swakopmund
Travel Guide for Swakopmund, Namibia
What is Swakopmund, Namibia?
Swakopmund is a seaside town in western Namibia featuring German style architecture + street names, delicious food trucks, great restaurants, a solid surfing + sand boarding community and more! I traveled to Swakopmund with a group of 10 people in mid-April. Despite it being a bit colder and foggier than expected, Swakopmund is definitely worth a visit, no matter the season. It is truly a one of a kind place and you won’t want to miss it!
Where is Swakopmund, Namibia?
Swakopmund is located on the Atlantic Ocean in western Namibia. There is not much between Swakopmund and Windhoek (the capital city of Namibia), but it is well worth the ~ 4 hour drive!
How to Get to Swakopmund, Namibia?
Swakopmund is about a 4 hour drive directly from Windhoek – 40 minutes longer directly from Hosea Kutako International Airport (Namibia’s primary International Airport). We opted to rent cars from Avis car rental at the airport and drive ourselves. The roads are all paved and well maintained so we opted for compact cars.
There are also many shuttle companies that will transport you privately if you’d prefer not to drive. The city is quite walkable and there are cabs to get around. The adventure/activities companies locally will also pick you up at your accommodations so there is little need for a car of your own.
However, if you wanted to add on camping to this trip and stop at Spitzkoppe ("pointed dome" - interesting rock formation area in the desert) on the way there or back, I would recommend booking 4x4 trucks (Helix or similar) with rooftop tents. It is best to book these well in advance as they are in high demand for all the camping opportunities around Namibia.
How much does it cost to go to Swakopmund, Namibia?
Swakopmund is a very affordable beach town. All in, our group of 10 people spent about $250-$300USD each for a weekend full of delicious meals out, drinks, activities (sand boarding, quad biking, catamaran sail), hotel stay, and car rental.
How many days do you need in Swakopmund, Namibia?
To really experience Swakopmund, you’ll need at least 3 days and 2 nights. However, after our group spent this amount of time in Swakopmund, we all agreed that we could, and happily would, have stayed much longer. In fact, there are so many good coffee shops, restaurants, places to go out, and activities to do that we realized we could’ve been based out of there instead of Windhoek for the month!
If you want to visit Swakopmund in conjunction with a visit to Skeleton Coast, Walvis Bay, and Spitzkoppe (a common itinerary because of their proximity) you will definitely need at least 1 full week to take it all in.
Where to Stay in Swakopmund, Namibia?
For this trip, we opted for luxury accommodations and were really impressed with our hotel, The Delight Swakopmund. The hotel is extremely hip with a great in-house bar, a cozy fireplace for the chilly nights, and an incredible breakfast buffet spread. It was conveniently located within walking distance to the ocean and famous landmarks like the Swakopmund Lighthouse.
What to do in Swakopmund, Namibia?
The Top 3 Things to do in Swakopmund:
Eat at the Food Trucks!
There is an amazing food truck scene in Swakopmund! My favorite was Fork n’ Nice, a food truck located just north of the Swakopmund Lighthouse. Inspired by the movie Chef (an amazing film if you haven’t seen it), this food truck boasts 7 hour slow-roasted pork shoulder Cuban sandwiches – undeniably the best Cuban Sandwich I’ve had in my life.
Quad Bike + Sand Board the Dunes!
We had an absolute BLAST quad biking the sand dunes and also got to try sand boarding down the incredibly steep sandy hills. We went with Namibia Desert Explorers and loved the guides, trails, and overall experience. Great way to spend a half day – they picked us up at the hotel at 9:30 and it was a 3.5 hour adventure.
Visit the Pink Lake
After our morning of adventurous quad biking the sand dunes we opted to take the 30 minute drive down to Walvis Bay and check out the hundreds of flamingos that live there as well as the strange pink waters near the salt mines. Once you get to Walvis Bay, you can continue south to the Pink Lake. Best if the sun is out but cool either way!
Where to Eat in Swakopmund, Namibia?
Fork n’ Nice is a food truck located just north of the Swakopmund Lighthouse. Inspired by the movie Chef (an amazing film if you haven’t seen it), this food truck boasts 7 hour slow-roasted pork shoulder Cuban sandwiches – undeniably the best Cuban Sandwich I’ve had in my life.
Jetty 1905 Restaurant offers upscale seafood options above the waves at the end of a pier.
The Tug Restaurant is also near the pier but offers more casual pub + pizza options. If you can, sit in the cozy interior room made of a ship!
The Delight Swakopmund offers an amazing breakfast buffet – even if you’re not staying at the hotel you can pay your way and enjoy omelets, croissants, fruits, oyster + champagne, fresh juice, and more!
Is Swakopmund, Namibia Worth It?
Swakopmund is one of the strangest places I’ve ever been. The best way I have found to describe it is like the set of an indie-movie with buildings designed like a Disney theme park version of what Germany might be. The mix of cultures, architecture, and weather (beach yet cold) constantly disoriented me. I felt as if I were in a dream. While this might sound negative, I actually could not recommend a visit to Swakopmund more! I love when places surprise me and Swakopmund never stopped doing so. If you ever find yourself in Namibia, you have to make your way out to the lovely, odd, funky coastal town that is Swakopmund.