Saldanha Travel, Attractions, Tourism

Before World War II the shortage of fresh water hindered development on this part of the West Coast. With the outbreak of the war Saldanha Bay suddenly became very important because of its strategic position. Work started on a project to build a pipeline to provide the town with water from the Berg River. This project stimulated the development of the entire area.

When whales or whale watching in South Africa is mentioned, the place name of Hermanus invariably springs to mind. However, it is far less widely known that the West Coast of the Western Cape is another rich haven for whales and dolphins. The presence of an old whaling station at Donkergat in Saldanha Bay, still operational in the earlier part of the last century attests to that.