There are many different things to do when staying at Hemel-en-Aarde Village Accommodation. However, many of our guests love to spend their time with relaxing under the indigenous trees in the private garden, enjoying an South African braai and just switching off. However, if you want to do something more strenuous, the area offers numerous activities in the air, on land and at sea.

Some of the many activities and sights that you can enjoy from your comfortable accommodation base in Hermanus include the following:

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Wine Tasting

• Hermanus Wine Route

Hemel-en-Aarde Village Accommodation is located at the entrance of the supreme Hermanus Wine Route. Explore the countless wineries for delicious tastings. Nestled in the stunning Hemel-en-Aarde valley, filled with rolling vineyard covered hills, the valley is not only known for its wine but also its glorious food. A visit to La Vierge is a gastronomic delight with wines to pair.

Our area also boast 3 other wine routes each crafting unique export wines.

• Botriver Wine route in the Kleinmond area
• Stanford Wine Route in and around Stanford
• The Southern Most wine route via the missionary station of Elim.

 Arts & Art Routes

• The numerous art galleries in Hermanus and Stanford  display art in all forms and mediums varying  from paintings, sculpture, authentic and wire & beadwork, driftwood to photo exhibitions any many more. Most art galleries will ship or post your purchase to your destination.
• Fyn Arts is an annual winter festival culture vultures will want this is one festival you do not want to miss. Ten days of exhibitions, shows, recitals, workshops and demonstrations in the dreamy seaside village of Hermanus, where members of the public can enjoy, absorb, and learn new skills.
• On the 1st Friday of each month Hermanus Galleries can be explored on the Art Walk where you can meet the artists and enjoy a glass of wine.
• Worth a visit is the unique Baardskeerders Bos Art Route where you can visit resident artists in their studios. This very popular quarterly event that is the on the newly tarred road between Gansbaai and Elim and stretches over a whole weekend.

Whale watching all along the Cape Whale coastline from June to December

Enjoy land-based whale watching – there are fantastic walkways and paths in Hermanus that offer the perfect place to view whales from the shore. The town even boasts its own Whale Crier, who alerts spectators whenever there are whales in the bay. Stretching from the towns of Hermanus to Gansbaai, Walker Bay has become the whale watching hotspot of South Africa.

• Southern Right Whales annually migrate to this area to mate and give birth.
• Humpback Whales then also pass through these waters en-route to Mozambique.
• Bryde’s Whales are resident in these waters.

Boat based whale watching (June to Dec)

• In season five permit holding boats launch tree times per day from Hermanus, Gansbaai and Kleinbaai harbours.

Whale watching from the air.

• Plane whale watching trips are offered by a local operator as well as helicopter trips from Cape Town.

Whale Crier

• Hermanus boasts with the world’s only whale crier. Listen for the kelp horn blow to indicate where you can watch the whales on land.

Shark Cage Diving.

• The close by fishing village of Gansbaai is the undisputed great white shark capitol of the world -the only place in the world with all year-round white shark activity.

Great White Shark Tours is one of eight shark operators that takes adventure travellers on shark cage diving and surface viewing trips every day that the weather permits.

African Penguins

The Cape Whale Coast is unique in the sense that it houses off- and on- shore penguin colonies.

• Stony Point in Bettys Bay in an on shore penguin colony with a well maintained boardwalk that run over the colony on land. 
• The restaurant on the site is runs by the local community ladies who serve fresh sea food.
• Stony Point used to be a whaling station and the larger photo murals depict the history of that era.
• African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary- a rehabilitation centre for injured seabird in Kleinbaai. Observe feeding of the birds daily at 4pm. Beautiful gifts for sale. Coffee shop serves home baked cakes. WiFi available.
• Dyer Island off shore penguin colony Whale watching boat trips en route to Dyer Island (seasonal) and eco marine trips to Dyer Island (out of season) are offered by Dyer Island Cruises from Kleinbaai.

Deep sea fishing

• Fishing charters are available from Hermanus and Gansbaai

Scuba Diving and Snorkelling

• A number of companies in Hermanus and Gansbaai offer scuba diving trips. You will need experience for these dives.

Scuba Diving and snorkelling trips by boat.

• Board a luxury catamaran in the New Harbour in Hermanus and sail off to you can reef dive around Walkerbay Coast. They also offer sundowner trips in season.

Eco Marine Boat trips to Dyer Island & Shark Alley

• The only place in the world from where you have the possibility to see all of the Marine Big 5 on one trip - seals, sharks, whales, dolphins and penguins

Surfing and Body boarding

• The beaches of Voëlklip, Grotto, Onrus, De Kelders, Die Plaat, Gansbaai, Danger Point and Kleinmond all have perfect surfer waves.

Diving and spear fishing can be done all along the coast. Ask the local fishing companies for the best spots according to your preference. Permits are required and can be obtained from the local post offices.

Beaches - swimming on Blue Flag Beaches

• Safe swimming from numerous sandy beaches all along the whale coast. This area has again been awarded Blue Flag status for 4 beaches.

Mountain Bike Trails

• Hemel en Aarde Valley offers numerous bike trails for beginners and serious professionals. Mountainous, and forest habitats with restaurants and farmstalls catering to cyclists needs.

Hiking Trails

The Cape Whale Coast lies in the middle of the world’s smallest floral kingdom- The Fynbos Floral Kingdom. Various hiking routes trail through these habitats offer stunning ocean views!

• The Cliff Path in Hermanus hugs the coast and is cladded with Fynbos ( also excellent whale watching in season)
• Fernkloof Nature Reserve in Hermanus has a variety of hiking trails that ranges from easy short walks to longer, more strenuous circular routes
• Kleinmond: Harold Porter Botanical Gardens Kogelberg Biosphere,
• Duiwelsgat Hiking Trail in Gansbaai hugs the coast and is a very good vantage point for land based whale watching in season.
• Different habitats and route lengths on Platbos & Grootbos, (near Gansbaai) The Fynbos Trail that stretches over a number of farms also in the Gansbaai area.
• Beach hiking close to the ocean on Die Plaat between Hermanus and Gansbaai ( Permit from Cape nature required)

Horse Riding

• Stanford, Gansbaai, Hermanus offers horse riding on the beach and in the mountains Arabella (Kleinmond) offers horse riding on the beach as well as next to the lagoon where you might encounter the famous wild horses.

Golfing

• We are very proud of our very popular, world class golf courses in both Hermanus and Arabella Golf Estate. Both golf courses boast with excellent clubhouses.

Bird Watching

• This area is an undiscovered birders’ paradise! Few regions can boast with a variety of birds such as sea-, shore-, fynbos-, as well as garden birding Pelagic bird trips are now also available in form Gansbaai Harbour.

Quad Biking

• Adventure trails through vineyards in the Hemel en Aarde Valley, in the mountainous terrain.

INDOOR ACTIVITIES

Museums

• Old Harbour Museum in Hermanus display the fishing history of Hermanus
• Whale Museum in Hermanus has an extensive whale collection depicting the different whale & dolphin species.
• Strandveld Museum in Franskraal, Gansbaai. Artifacts from shipwrecks along the coast, Dyer Island and Gansbaai. By Appointment during the week.
• Shipwreck Museum in Bredasdorp. Indoor & Outdoor Displays of a number of the wrecks on the cape whale coast.

Lighthouses

• Danger Point light house in Gansbaai is open for visitors during the week. Plaque of the Birkenhead shipwreck depict the rock where it foundered and is clearly visible at clams days
• Agulhas Lighthouse in Struisbaai displays and extensive collection of lighthouse optical. 360 degree view from the top.

Book Shops

Judging by the numerous new and second hand bookshops in Hermanus and surrounding towns of Gansbaai Stanford & Kleinmond/Hangklip, Pringle Ba, it is obvious that we are lovers of words! Browse the various old and quality second hand bookshops for rare and antiquity books, travel, history, cooking, natural history and non-fiction by all popular authors.

Cheese Farm

• Kleinrivier Cheese Farm on the R43 from Stanford is an award-winning cheese producer, the onsite cheese shop sells a huge variety of their own locally produced award winning cheeses. They also have a petting farm for the kiddies, an on -site restaurant and picnic baskets in season.

Restaurants, Coffee shops, Deli’s

• Hermanus, Kleinmond/Hangklip (especially harbour road waterfront), Gansbaai/ Kleinbaai, Stanford all provide gastronomic feasts that include something for every palate. La Vierge in the Hemel en Aarde Valley is a must.

DAY TRIPS FROM HERMANUS

Hangklip /Kleinmond 30 minutes from Hermanus

Harold Porter National Botanical Garden is situated in the centre of the coastal fynbos where the flora is at its richest. It encompasses mountain slopes with wind-clipped heathlands, deep gorges with relict forests, flats and marshes with restios, sedges and bulbs, as well as dunes adjacent to the beach with specialised salt-adapted plants. The Garden is renowned for its waterfalls and amber pool. Spring is from September to October. Depending on weather conditions, seasons and flowering times may be earlier or later than mentioned here.

A first class restaurant inside the gardens has a variety of local and cosmopolitan dishes on its menu and operates the same hours as the Gardens.

Visit the land-based Penguin colony at Stony Point in Betty's Bay. It forms part of the Whale Route, so not only will you enjoy the many floral gems of the area but you may also be lucky enough to see whales out in the bay from the  upper walking trails!

While at Stony Point visit the open air remains of the Waaygat Whaling Station. Inside the restaurant is a photo gallery depicting the history of whaling, a bygone era that operated from there.  Larger than life posters on display educate about the penguins, the different whales and other marine mammals.

The restaurant is run by the ladies from the local community serving a menu of fresh fish and seafood. Shops in Harbour Road in the Kleinmond Waterfront are small, owner driven and sell a large selection of arts, crafts and gifts. Worth a visit are two excellent second hand bookshops. For the thirst traveller there are various coffee shops and restaurants, most of them with harbour and ocean views. A waterfront well worth a visit!

Greyton: 90 minutes from Hermanus

Greyton nestles at the foot of the Sonderend mountains between 2 rivers. Although the village is quaint and natural, with mostly dirt roads, the infrastructure is sophisticated with excellent food shops and eateries. Here you can buy the cheapest, best quality meat, freshly grown produce, freshly baked bread and anything you need for a memorable day. Visit the art meander, historic walk, iconic Saturday morning market, excellent restaurants.

Genadendal: 80 minutes from Hermanus ( next to Greyton)

This tree cladded, time forgotten village was the first missionary station in South Africa. Visit the working museum with its authentic displays of some of the country’s firsts: Printing press, fire engine, water wheel that still grinds corn to flour, school and kinder garden. Forget time under the famous pear tree and in the historic graveyard, , or sit in a church pew visited by Lady Ann Barnard. Forget time watching the weaver & potters and buy some on site produced merchandise. Do not forget to drink some home brewed honey bush tea complimented with freshly baked treat from the bakery. A visit to Genadendal might take some time..

Agulhas/ Struisbaai (90minutes)

Visit the most southern place in the world. It is also here the 2 oceans meet: Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. In the Agulhas lighthouse is an interesting display of optical lights from various lighthouses. Khoi fish traps. A shipwreck museum with indoor and outdoor exhibitions.