Trekker’s Hostel Highlights: Hermanus Backpackers
Greetings and salutations to all my travel buddies out there. Today I am going to be re-exploring Hermanus Backpackers, definitely one of my all time fav spots!
Located in the small coastal village of Hermanus, along the Garden Route, this backpacker has all the comforts of home and more. Situated in a double-story house just a short walk from town and a stone’s throw away from a coastal day hike, this is the place to be.
The dorms are clean and comfortable and the private rooms are, well, just that private! There is a swimming pool for those hot days and the bar is outside the main house, which limits the noise for those heading to bed early. There is always a good breakfast with toast and porridge, so you can all dig in and have at least one hearty meal. For those of you who prefer two hearty meals, just chat to the staff and a delicious braai (BBQ), can be organized for the evening, with food for vegetarians also on offer.
With a wide range of movies and “cable” (M-Net), there is always TV for anyone needing a couch potato day. In a separate, “quiet” room there is internet and comfy chairs in which to sit and read. The staff provides you with a key to your room and the front door, so safety isn’t an issue.
I originally went for 3 nights and ended up staying for 5! The staff was helpful and full of fun, the town quaint and the shopping fantastic. Not to mention the numerous activities from sandboarding to shark cage diving – the front desk is open long hours to help organize travel activities.
The sandboarding instructor, when I was there, is actually a South African champ and is more than happy to get a group together and hit the slopes, ahhh I mean the dunes.
My main activity of choice, though, was the shark cage diving, and even though we didn’t see a ton of sharks, we did get to jump in the cage as a rather large carnivorous fish swam past. There are many who despise and ridicule the idea of shark cage diving, fearing it encourages sharks to see humans as food and not to be afraid of us. But, in my opinion, you can’t knock it till you try it, then you can have a fair assessment. The skipper and crew, on my boat at least, did an excellent job of educating us and teaching us to respect the Great Whites as magnificent creatures and not the man-eating machines of the “Jaws” films.
- See pics of Trekker shark diving on her Baz Bus Blog!
- Book your stay at Hermanus Backpackers.
All in all, Hermanus Backpackers is up there with the best of them and if I should ever find myself in their corner of the world again, it will definitely be where I choose to rest my head.
Till next time, keep trekkin’
Trekker