Hermanus Info and History

Hermanus Info and History

Hermanus Info and History – Ranked the 7th most charming town in South Africa – Source Getaway. This small fisherman’s town rich in history is only 100 km away from the most southern tip of Africa and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in SA.

Did you now Hermanus had three names before it was called Hermanus?

  • Fontein
  • Hermanus Pieters se Fonteyn
  • Hermanuspietersfontein

Hermanus was named after Hermanus Pieters that was born in 1778 and past away in 1837 who was a Dutch teacher arriving in Cape Town in 1815. Hermanus Pieters initially came to South Africa to teach to teach English but the Dutch Farmers in Caledon hired him to teach Dutch in the local school as English was the only language taught in government schools. He then settled in Caledon and often when to the Fontein (Now Hermanus) where he would spend days fishing.

Locals start calling the area Hermanus Pieters se Fonteyn and this is how the village Hermanuspietersfontein started. Some 65 years after Hermanus Pieters past away the Postmaster renamed the town Hermanus.

Hermanus Location

Hermanus is surrounded with beautiful coastal towns and agricultural towns that lies along Walker Bay on the south coast of the Western Cape.

Direct neigbouring town is Stanford, Kleinmond and Caledon.

It is located about 115 km southeast of Cape Town and is connected to the Mother City by the R43 highway (or coastal R44 scenic route) and N2 motorway. The R43 continues to Cape Agulhas, the most southerly point of Africa.

Hermanus is only 40 km from Gansbaai which is the most popular town in South Africa for shark cage diving attracting thousands of tourist’s every year.

Interesting Fact

Hermanus is a town with a railway station but never has a train stopped there. The founders of the town decided that this would make Hermanus to commercial and needed to keep Hermanus a fisherman’s village. For this reason railway tracks was never laid but the station remained.

Hermanus has 10 suburbs and to Harbours that is called the old harbour and the new harbour

  • Voelklip
  • Westcliff
  • Northcliff
  • Zwelihle
  • Sandbaai
  • Hemel en Aarde
  • Onrus
  • Vermont
  • Hawston
  • Fisherhaven
Voelklip Beach Hermanus
Voelklip Beach Hermanus

What type of Climate do Hermanus have?

With rainfalls of up to 500 mm rain per year and temperatures ranging from 25 °C in February and 14 °C in July Hermanus is classifieds as having a Mediterranean climate. The majority of rain falls in the winter months from June to August. Hermanus just like Cape Town and surrounding areas has strong south eastern and north west winds throughout winter and summer.

Did you know that Hermanus has on of the Highest plant diversity levels in the World?

Fernkloof nature reserve had identified 1474 plant species including fynbos a protected species of evergreen plants with small leaves and proteas. Hermanus is in the Cape Floristic Region.

The Space Science Center

The Space Science Directorate of the South African National Space Agency, previously the Hermanus Magnetic Observatory (HMO), is a research facility of the National Research Foundation, and forms part of the worldwide network which monitors variations of the earth’s magnetic field.

Whales in Hermanus

Visitors can watch whales from the cliff-tops, from the air or via boats. Since August 1992, Hermanus has had the world’s only whale crier, the first being Pieter Classen 1992-1998, then Wilson Salukazana 1998-2006, and Zolile Baleni since April 2006, who sounds his kelp horn to announce where whales have been sighted. In 2005, Zakes Mda wrote the novel The Whale Caller in which the Whale Crier of Hermanus is the main character, a man who gets enthralled by a southern right whale he names Sharisha. The book was adapted into a 2016 movie by the same name

Whales in Hermanus

Whale Festival

Visitors can watch whales from the cliff-tops, from the air or via boats. Since August 1992, Hermanus has had the world’s only whale crier, the first being Pieter Classen 1992-1998, then Wilson Salukazana 1998-2006,[9] and Zolile Baleni since April 2006,[10] who sounds his kelp horn to announce where whales have been sighted. In 2005, Zakes Mda wrote the novel The Whale Caller in which the Whale Crier of Hermanus is the main character, a man who gets enthralled by a southern right whale he names Sharisha. The book was adapted into a 2016 movie by the same name

Top Beaches in Hermanus

Onrus, Voëlklip and Grotto beach is the two most popular beaches in Hermanus attracting tourist and summer goers every year. Dolphins and whales are occasionally seen from these white sand beaches.

Grotto Beach is the largest beach in Hermanus and has also been proclaimed a “Blue Flag” beach. Blue flag beaches meet international environment, safety and management criteria. Other beaches with Blue Flag status include Voëlklip, Onrus, Kammabaai, Langbaai, and Hawston. The rugged coastline also hosts many other smaller beaches, coves and tidal pools.

Bird Watching in Hermanus

Over 100 varieties of bird species reside in the Greater Hermanus area. Species such as the Orange-breasted Sunbird, the Cape Sugarbird, Victorin’s Warbler and many more rare, beautiful and fascinating animals, make Hermanus a popular destination for bird enthusiasts.

Hermanus Info and History

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