Hermanus, a small town in itself, is surrounded by even smaller, quainter towns. A village like Vermont, ten minutes’ drive east of Hermanus, could be just the thing for those looking to stay slightly removed from the touristy madness during Hermanus’ whale-watching season.

Vermont, named for the belt of fynbos lining its beaches and the green Onrus Mountain looming behind it, is a ten-minute drive from Hermanus and populated mostly with holiday houses. Together with its sister village, Onrus, Vermont has enough activities and natural beauty that its visitors hardly need to drive to Hermanus at all (although it’s easy enough to do so).

Beaches are Vermont’s number one draw, with Breakfast Bay Beach and nearby Onrus Beach offering two different types of experiences. Breakfast Bay Beach is rocky and wild, with a rough path winding along it and one of the best sunrise views in the area. Onrus Beach is much wider and sandier and great for sunbathing, fishing and surfing.  

Vermont is home to the ecologically unique Vermont Salt Pan. The pan fills with water during the rainy season and is often host to flocks of flamingos and other rare bird life. Don’t miss the sunset over the salt pan, which locals claim is the best in the world.

Onrus Beach has its own restaurant, the Milkwood, which includes a full-service dining room as well as a “Beach Hut” with a wooden bar next to the beach. The Milkwood is sometimes closed on off-season afternoons, but have no fear if it is. Just up the hill from the Milkwood is the Sweet Moments Soft Serve Ice Cream Truck, a cheerful blue and white caravan offering ice cream to anyone with a mid-afternoon hankering. Vermont also has its own small shopping centre near the highway that sells everything needed for a self-catering holiday. 

The best thing to do in Vermont is simply to walk. The air is clear and smells like the sea, and everywhere you look are quaint green signs advertising Vermont’s “Green Belts”. And of course, if you walk along the ocean between August and December, you’re likely to spot some whales. 

Vermont is accessible via the R43 highway about nine kilometers west of Hermanus.