Watch whales in complete peace from the white dunes

You are sitting barefoot in the almost white sand, the wind gently brushing over the dunes, and in front of you a gigantic tail fin breaks through the surface of the water. No voices, no crush of people – just you, the sound of the sea and a southern right whale gliding leisurely through the waves. Sometimes the animals are very close to the coast, sometimes a little further out – with binoculars you will not miss a single detail of this special spectacle. Koppie Alleen in De Hoop Nature Reserve is one of the quietest and most impressive places to watch whales directly from land – with no boat and far from any hustle and bustle.

Between June and November around 120 southern right whales are drawn to this sheltered bay. They give birth to their young here, mate and prepare for the long journey back to Antarctica. The almost white dunes of Koppie Alleen rise above the sea like natural viewing platforms – a perfect place to observe the behaviour of these giants for hours on end. Sometimes they drift along calmly, sometimes they breach or slap their fins on the surface of the water – a natural spectacle that really gets under your skin.

It is best to arrive in the morning or during the course of the forenoon so that you have enough time in the park – the distances are long and the day passes faster than you think.