Along the Namibian Coast: Where the Desert meets the Sea

Namibian Coast: Where the Desert meets the Sea

The Southern Namib desert is home to some of the tallest and most spectacular dunes of the world, ranging in color from pink to vivid orange. These dunes continue right to the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. The cold waters of the sea brushing against the dunes of the Namib desert is one of the most surreal sights.

Namibian Coast: Where the Desert meets the Sea

While the sea coast extends for hundreds of miles, one of the best places to see these dunes is at Swakopmund. Known as Swakop in Namibia, it is the country’s biggest coastal town and a mecca for Namibians on holiday. The city’s German origins are quite pronounced in beautiful old German Colonial buildings throughout the city, making an even starker contrast for this town sitting at the edge of the Namib Desert.

Namibian Coast: Where the Desert meets the Sea

From here, helicopter ride is available that flies you around the Skeleton Coast and the Namib desert in general. For much of that distance, the windblown dunes of the Namib Desert reach right to the pounding surf of the Atlantic Ocean, leaving a stark yet beautiful landscape.

Shaped by the winds and largely unpopulated, Namibia’s coastal area is home to only a handful of towns and villages. Shipwrecks lie in place for decades, slowly reclaimed by the sea or the desert. In places, fur seals gather in huge numbers, mostly free from harassment.

Source: amusingplanet.com

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