Indeed, deserving the name: "the Riviera of the South", this coastal town less than 2 hours from Cape Town and best known for it's land-based whale watching from late May until October reflects a classic example of mixing business with pleasure.

Already in the early 1900's Hermanus used to be quite the destination for local visitors and traveler's on their extended monthly vacations. Needless to say, this is still the case today as it offers an abundance for each and everyone: beautiful clean Grotto and Voëlklip beach , great waves for surfing, fishing, whale watching, scuba diving, kite surfing, sea and river kayaking at De Mond Lagoon, great white shark diving, an 18-hole golf course, paragliding, quad biking, mountain biking, 14kms of cliff paths for hiking, 40km of invigorating walks in the Fernkloof Nature Reserve, stunning views from Rotary Way, a perlemoen hatchery, shell art shops, an Old Harbour Museum, township tours in Zwelihle, De Wet's Huis Photo Museum, book shops, art galleries, craft markets, quality wines from local vineyards and an assortment of pubs, café's, tea gardens and restaurants. The choice of accommodation ranges from upmarket hotels, beachfront apartments, guest houses and lodges through to comfortable B&B's and backpacker establishments.

Hermanus's own unique Whale Crier is found where he patrols the streets of the town blowing his kelp horn and alerting everyone to the whereabouts of the whales. Different horn "codes" refer to different points along the coastline where whales have been spotted. Look out for him in whale season. Visitors return simply for it's cosmopolitan "Riviera" status and where whales gather, people will gather to look upon these gently giants.

The Kalfiefees, a cultural experience and The Food & Wine Show are held in usually August, The Whale Festival in September, The Hawston Sea Festival in early December are just a few festivals which also draw a large number of visitors and holiday makers to this busy coastal town.

Also falling in the greater Hermanus area, with equally beautiful beaches are Hawston, the historical fishing village with it's Hawston Abalone Village Restaurant and the only Olympic size swimming pool in the Overberg (an ongoing development to change the opinion of visitors who thought that this town was not visitor friendly), then Vermont, a residential area which has developed rapidly over the last few years. Drive onto Onrus River, a place with a name of many definitions, but most believe that the earlier inhabitants felt restless (Onrust) being so close to the leper colony in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, none the less it is now a busy little spot well-known for being an artist's mecca with art galleries and lovely quaint restaurants. Just before the last stretch into Hermanus is Sandbaai, also an area fast developing with many security housing complexes being erected to keep pace with the ever-growing hospitality and business industry of this area, an area where people are not forgetting to mix business with pleasure?