Walking Walvis Bay: Lagoon Shore and Church

October 31, 2026

Walvis Bay is a spread-out port city and its main sights are a short drive apart, so it suits short independent strolls rather than long guided walks. Walking here means the shore, the Waterfront and the old harbour area, while guided outings go by boat, 4x4 or on the dunes. This page covers the three walks that work, with tips for wind, fog and birds. Prices are in Namibian dollars (N$), pegged one to one to the South African rand.

Lagoon shore and Esplanade Park

The best walk in town follows the lagoon shore at Esplanade Park. It is a flat shoreline walk and it is free. Greater and Lesser Flamingos feed in the shallows, and tens of thousands use the lagoon, along with pelicans and many other waterbirds. In practice the birds come closest around mid to high tide, so check a tide table before you set out. Bring binoculars if you have them. Keep your distance from the birds and do not wade into the water, which is a cold, shallow tidal mudflat. The lagoon is part of the Walvis Bay Wetland, Ramsar site no. 742; its record is on the Ramsar site .

Waterfront promenade

The Waterfront on Atlantic Street links the lagoon walk to restaurants, the departure point for catamaran cruises and The Raft, a restaurant on stilts reached along a pier. Anchors at the Jetty on the same street is listed as open from 07:30 to 22:00. The stretch is short, so it suits a relaxed late afternoon walk that ends with dinner. Hours change, so check before you go.

The old church and harbour area

The Rhenish Mission Church arrived prefabricated from Hamburg and went up beside the harbour in 1880. A short walk through the harbour-side old town takes in the church from outside. Check what is open before you go.

What does not work as a walk

Pelican Point and its lighthouse are about 32 to 45 km away, reached by 4x4 or boat, so they are not part of a town walk. The salt works is an industrial site with no visitor programme, and Dune 7 lies about 10 km east of town. Plan transport for each, or join a tour. For wildlife and desert outings, operators run catamaran cruises, Sandwich Harbour 4x4 trips and dune sessions, which are covered in attraction tours in Walvis Bay .

Practical tips

Fog is common and often burns off by midday, so a warm layer helps even in summer.
Wind picks up in the afternoon, so morning walks are more comfortable.
The Atlantic is cold with rip currents, so walk the shore but do not swim from it.
Drive on the left if you move between the shore and the Waterfront by car.
Carry some cash in N$ or rand and a bottle of water.

Booking

If you want a guided outing, search for operators on GetYourGuide .