The resort town of Hermanus with its adjoining seaside villages is better known as the "Riviera of the Overberg". Hermanus is internationally acknowledged by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) as one of the twelve best land-based whale watching sites in the world, Hermanus provides excellent sightings from its rocky cliffs and coastal paths.

Whales can be seen from as close as five metres from places, just about guaranteed on a daily basis, during September and October. The world's only whale crier, Wilson Salukazana, is also found in Hermanus, where he blows his kelp horn, alerting visitors to the whereabouts of the whales. Other contributory factors to the success of the town is the natural scenic beauty, the mild-climate, the range of outdoor activities available and the close proximity to Cape Town, being a mere 140km from the Cape Metropole.

Hermanus has a curiously romantic history. A certain Hermanus Pieters earned his living by selling his services to the farmers as a shepherd-cum-teacher. He never remained in one place for long. One dry summer he passed through the valley of Hemel-en-Aarde (heaven and earth), which lies behind the mountains overlooking Hermanus. A leper station had been established in this secluded valley in 1814 and was a retreat of the abandoned. Hermanus heard from the lepers about the Olifantspad (elephant's path), which climbed over the mountains to the coast. Curiosity led Hermanus Pieters to follow this path. He reached the summit of the range and looked down in admiration at the beautiful landscape beneath him. It was intensely green, streaked with rivulets rumbling down to the sea. There was no sign of human habitation.

Following the path down to the shore, Hermanus found a congenial campsite at a spring. Each summer it became Hermanus's habit to camp at the place, which later became known as Hermanuspietersfontein (the spring of Hermanus Pieters). There he tended his flocks and herds, fished and wandered as free as the wind among the wild flowers and the heaths. In due course more people discovered the potential of Hermanuspietersfontein and slowly the news of its beauty, healing air, fresh water and excellent fishing spread to surrounding farming districts and further abroad.

In June 1891 the place became a village with its own management board and by the early 1900's Hermanuspietersfontein had been shortened to Hermanus. The village of Hermanus became renowned for fishing, especially the kabeljou run from November to March. On 28 April 1922 after five and a half hours of battle, W R Selkirk landed the greatest catch ever made with rod and line up to date anywhere in the world: a 4 m long shark weighing 986 kg was drawn from the nearby waters at Hermanus.Another record catch, also at Hermanus, was a 50 kg kabeljou caught by the Hon W P Schreiner.

The infrastructure of a stable and growing community was being established - churches, a school, a post office and magistrates' court, police station and even a new, modern harbour were built. Hernanus was becoming a town of renown. Over the years, with ecology being the watchword, a growing awareness of the importance of tourism for economic stability has materialized.

From fishing, diving, whale watching and relaxing on pristine beaches to exploring the mountainside with its diverse unspoilt coastal fynbos and abundant bird life, or shopping, wining & dining, the charming village of Hermanus offers something for everyone, making it an ideal all-year-round tourist destination.

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