Walvis Bay Lagoon

The lagoon at Walvis Bay is one of the most important coastal wetlands in southern Africa, a shallow, sheltered basin where the cold Benguela current pushes up nutrients and the mudflats fill with food, and the result is birds in numbers that are difficult to take in: tens of thousands of lesser and greater flamingos standing in pink drifts across the water, along with pelicans, cormorants, terns and waders. You can see them simply by pulling over on the lagoon road. On the water, boat trips out to Pelican Point pass Cape fur seal colonies thousands strong, and heavyweight pelicans land on the boat rail for fish while dolphins run alongside. Kayak trips paddle out among the seals, which come to investigate. Behind it all rise the dunes, and the strip between town and Swakopmund is one of the strangest coastlines anywhere.

What you actually see

• The flamingos - tens of thousands feeding on the lagoon flats.
• Pelican Point - the seal colony and lighthouse at the end of the spit.
• Kayaking with seals - paddling out among curious Cape fur seals.
• Pelicans and dolphins - the birds landing on the boats and dolphins alongside.

When to go

Birds are present year-round, with numbers usually highest in the southern summer from around November to March when migrants arrive; flamingo numbers shift with water levels and can vary week to week. Mornings are calmest on the water, before the afternoon wind gets up.

Honest expectations

The wind is the constant here and afternoon trips are often cancelled or unpleasant, so book for the morning. The lagoon is right beside a working port and salt works, so the setting is industrial in places rather than pristine. Some boat operators feed pelicans and seals to guarantee close encounters, which is worth deciding how you feel about before choosing.

Nearby

Swakopmund is half an hour north; Sandwich Harbour lies south along the coast.