The elephant trail led him through the aptly named Hemel-en-Aarde (Heaven and Earth) Valley - famous for its boutique vineyard - down to the coast where he found a freshwater spring which made it an ideal spot for his sheep to graze.
Word of the discovery spread amongst the local farming community and soon everyone in the district was coming down to the area during the long hot summers. It became known as Hermanuspietersfontein, but the name was shortened to Hermanus in 1904 when Hermanus officially gained municipal status.
The bay where Hermanus is situated, Walker Bay, which was named after a young Naval Officer called Walker, teemed with an abundance of fish, which soon attracted more and more fisherman to the town.
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| The Marine Hotel |
By the early 1900's Hermanus' reputation as an excellent fishing spot, an area of outstanding beauty and it's 'healing air' had spread across the world. Harley Street doctors in London prescribed the 'champagne air' to their high-brow patients, and soon wealthy aristocrats were booking in at the sanatorium, the Windsor Hotel, and taking tea at the Marine Hotel on the clifftop walk.
Today, Hermanus is a popular and vibrant holiday destination due to its reputation as one of the best land-locked whale watching spot in the world.
Hotels range from budget to 5-star establishments. We have a list of current hotels and their contact details on our Hotels Page.
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