After a hearty breakfast, we checked out and left our luggage at the hotel reception. We were taking the Desert Express Train to Windhoek but our departure was not until 2:30 that afternoon, so we still had time to enjoy Swakopmund that morning. My husband had his heart set on visiting the Kristall Galerie, so off we went. The Kristall Galerie is a private gallery housed in a modern three-storey building that features the world’s largest collection of quarts crystals, as well

On our last night in Swakopmund, we decided to go to the restaurant recommended by our tour guide. He said that this place is an absolute "must-try" when in the city. Almost everything on the menu is ostrich, with a few other wild game dishes. But diners go there for the ostrich treats. Aptly named Ombo Restaurant after the Oshiwambo word for ostrich, this small eatery situated on the first floor of the Bundu n See Hotel, has become a legend. It is owned and operated by a fam

Back in the Swakopmund downtown after the mine tour, we had a quick lunch of bratwurst and beer. You can literally find a more-than-decent bratwurst place on every street and German food is offered in most restaurants, regardless of size and price point. In fact, apart from local seafood and wild game dishes, traditional German fare dominated the menus – schnitzels, sauerkrauts, pork knuckles, boiled potatoes, German dumplings, apple strudels, Black Forest cakes, and other Ge

If you are in downtown Swakopmund, the following places are “must-visits:” Swakopmund Museum The mine tour that we signed up for was supposed to start at the Swakopmund Museum. We had to collect the tickets that we reserved from their reception office and the bus that would take us to Rössing Mine would pick us up at their parking lot. Naturally, we decided to check-out this museum. The Swakopmund Museum is the largest privately-funded museum in Namibia, established by Dr. Al

We reached Swakopmund at dinner time. There was still a little bit of light, so our guide drove us around town before dropping us off at our hotel. I immediately felt the change in vibe once we set foot in Swakopmund. First, it is a lot busier than Namibia’s capital, Windhoek. Second, since it is situated by the coast, you could see beaches and the Atlantic Ocean, compared to landlocked Windhoek. Third, the climate is much milder. And fourth, it transports you to a totally di