Sandwich Harbour

Top choice in Skeleton Coast


Sandwich Harbour, 56km south of Walvis Bay in Dorob National Park, is one of the most dramatic sights in Namibia – dunes up to 100m-high plunge into the Atlantic, which washes into the picturesque lagoon. The harbour is now deserted and a stirring wilderness devoid of any human settlement. Birdwatchers will have a field day and Sandwich Harbour 4x4 facilitate half- and full-day trips down here.

Sandwich Harbour historically served as a commercial fishing and trading port. Some historians suggest that the name may be derived from an English whaler, the Sandwich, whose captain produced the first map of this coastline. Still, others contend that the name may also be a corruption of the German word sandfische, a type of shark often found here.


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1. Salt Works

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2. Rhenish Mission Church

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Walvis Bay’s oldest remaining building, the Rhenish Mission Church was prefabricated in Hamburg, Germany, reconstructed beside the harbour in 1880 and…

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A good spot for getting an overview of the bird-rich ponds.

4. Bird Paradise

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5. Walvis Bay Museum

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The town museum is located in the library. It concentrates on the history and maritime background of Walvis Bay, but also has archaeological exhibits, a…

6. The Hope

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