Watch whales in complete peace from the white dunes

You sit 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 crowds – just you, the sound of the sea and a southern right whale gliding slowly through the waves. Sometimes the animals are very close to the coast, sometimes a little further out – with binoculars you won’t 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 away from the 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’s best to arrive in the morning or during the course of the forenoon so you have enough time in the park – distances are long and the day passes more quickly than you might think.