When most of us think Hermanus, we only think whales. Wrong – because although it is a famous whale-watching destination, which sees foreigners and South Africans flocking here in the winter, this town which hugs the Walker Bay coast in the Overberg region rocks for many reasons.

There’s the sea of course, but it’s got so much more on-the-go – from hikes, to wine farms, to good restaurants, shopping even.

I have a takkie fetish and I don’t need not even one more pair, but in the main shopping drag just off the waterfront in Hermanus, I managed to find a trendy brand I didn’t have from a surf shop and of course I bought them. There are plenty of bespoke shops to tempt visitors including art galleries.

I first came to know about Hermanus when I worked in Cape Town years ago and locals used to blame Hermanus holiday-home owners for the traffic on a Friday afternoon headed that way, but until then I hadn’t visited.

Well-heeled South Africans have holiday homes here and there are dozens of guesthouses and accommodation establishments to take your pick from.

Unless you have many millions to spend, property prices here have shot through the roof as it’s a very desirable town to live in. The municipality works, the pavements are clean, there’s no sign of urban decay – rather a noticeably well-maintained infrastructure.