After the Rössing National Marathon: Walvis Bay

The Route: Swakopmund → Walvis Bay → Walvis Bay International Airport (WVB) Logistics: Walvis Bay is a short drive south of Swakopmund. The weekday commuter shuttle between the two towns does not run at weekends, so arrange a private car on Sunday. Marathon Month: March Duration: 1 night

Swakopmund ──(short drive south along the coast)──> Walvis Bay ──(boat or lagoon walk)──> Walvis Bay ──> Walvis Bay International Airport (WVB)

Walvis Bay is a working harbour town with a lagoon and a long spit of sand. It is the practical end of the line if you fly home from the coast, and a night here makes the departure easy.

March in Walvis Bay. The mean daily maximum is about 27°C at the airport, and cooler near the shore, where the climate station at Pelican Point records about 20°C. Rain is very rare. Mist can arrive from the sea, and the wind is steady, so a light jacket is useful in the morning.

Getting there and back

Ask your Swakopmund hotel for a car and driver, or arrange a transfer with a local operator. The ordinary commuter service between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay is weekdays only, and a Sunday departure does not suit it. Fix a pickup time with your driver on arrival. Walvis Bay International Airport (WVB) is outside the town, so book the airport run before you leave Swakopmund.

Night one: Walvis Bay

Walvis Bay has the only natural deep-water harbour on the Namibian coast. A sand spit called Pelican Point runs about 2 km out into the water, with a lighthouse at the tip. Langstrand, a beach settlement, lies a few kilometres north of the town. The town is flat, the waterfront is easy to walk and the lagoon is a good place for slow birdwatching.

The marine cruise is the best way to spend the morning. It takes about 3.5 hours, leaves at 09:00 from the Waterfront jetty and passes oyster farms and a Cape fur seal colony of about 50,000 to 60,000 animals. Dolphins and seabirds follow the boat. Whales are usually seen from July to November, not in March. The 2026 adult price was N$1,450, so confirm it before you book.

Where to stay and eat

Walvis Bay has hotels along the waterfront and in the town, and guesthouses near Langstrand. Ask your Swakopmund hotel to suggest one by location, and confirm early breakfast if you have a flight. The cruise includes oysters and pastries, so a light dinner is enough.

Getting home

If you fly from Walvis Bay, leave the hotel at least two hours before departure, because the airport is outside the town. If you return to Swakopmund, take the coast road and allow the weekend traffic.

Practical notes