Where the whale watching begins

The New Harbour is the departure point for boat-based whale watching in Hermanus. During the main season, roughly June through November and sometimes early December, with peak activity in September and October, Southern Right Whales use Walker Bay as a calving ground, and charters head out from the quay to find mothers and calves close inshore. Trips run about 1.5 to 2 hours and are weather- and sea-dependent; good operators also bring in humpback and Bryde's whales, racing pods of common dolphins, Cape fur seals and African penguins along the way.↗

Big boards advertising the day's charters greet you before the descent to the quayside, and a couple of operators keep it sailing rather than motoring. The catamaran Ocean Quest runs shorter educational bay cruises and longer sunset sails from the harbour, drifting under sail when the wind allows, with the crew talking you through the coastline's history, seals and penguins, and soft drinks and snacks on board. Book the whale and boat trips ahead in high season.↗↗

Eat at the water's edge

The harbour has become a small food-and-drinks destination in its own right, with a handful of waterfront spots that lean into the view. Harbour Rock sits perched above the quayside with enviable outlooks back toward Hermanus; The Whale Shack is a blue wooden hut selling fish 'n chips and boldly posting the time of the next whale trip; and visitor favourites include the Gecko and the Breakfast Room for a casual bite, plus the Bientang's Cave Restaurant and Wine Bar near the cliffs. It is an easy place to finish a morning's boat trip or walk with fresh local seafood in hand.↗↗

If you are here on a Saturday, the New Harbour Market turns the harbour into a local gathering. Held in the harbour's multipurpose centre, it brings together art exhibitions, crafts, accessories and local designs, authentic food stalls, a fresh fish market, car-boot sales and live music, poetry and entertainment—with games for children. It is a good, low-key way to spend a couple of hours and to put money directly into the surrounding community.↗↗

Walking the Cliff Path between the harbours

One of the most rewarding things to do around the New Harbour is to set the two harbours against each other on foot. The easy, mostly flat Coastal Cliff Path runs roughly four to five kilometres from the Old Harbour to the New Harbour (or the reverse), following the shoreline past viewpoints, the start of the Cliff Path and a working abalone farm, with the walk traditionally ending at the New Harbour on a tour of the abalone operation. It is an unhurried, scenic stroll rather than a hike, and a wonderful way to combine land-based whale-spotting with the bustle of the quay.↗

A local tip in season, especially around the September Whale Festival: park just above the New Harbour at the Cliff Path's western end, walk the path into town, then make your way back after lunch. You get the working harbour, the headland views and the whale-crier promenade in one loop.↗

Good to know before you go

The harbour is a genuine working environment, so stay on public areas, mind the safety signage and keep clear of operational zones; watch children at the slipways and be respectful when photographing crews and their catch. Mornings and early afternoons are best for harbour activity, and the listed daytime hours (roughly 8 am to 2 pm, closing an hour earlier on Sunday) match the times the boats and market are most lively. Public parking sits at the quayside, the entrance area is reported to be wheelchair accessible, and a small entry charge may be collected at the gate.↗↗↗

Getting there is straightforward: the New Harbour lies just off Westcliff Road on the western side of Hermanus, around two kilometres from the town centre, easy to reach from Marine Drive. Pair it with the Cliff Path, the nearby Fick's Pool and the town-centre art promenade, or use it as your base for the day's whale watching and finish with a sunset catamaran off the quay.↗↗

Nearby highlights

The New Harbour sits within a walkable cluster of coastal attractions: the historic Old Harbour and harbour museum with its Gearing's Point whale-viewing promenade to the east, the famous Hermanus Cliff Path along the headland, scenic tidal pools like Fick's Pool, and the start of the coastal walk. In season, even visitors who don't go by boat can usually spot whales from the shore.↗↗↗