September 24, 2026, 3:22 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
The TRAVELBOOK Award entered a new round on September 22, 2026. Included was an award for the world’s most extraordinary city beach. On the list of new trend travel destinations for beach lovers were English Bay Beach in Canada, Haeundae Beach in South Korea, Mole Beach in Namibia, Praia de Matosinhos in Portugal, and Playa de San Lorenzo in Spain. We introduce the only African city beach on this list here.
Mole Beach in Namibia
Mole Beach is the city beach of the Namibian coastal town of Swakopmund. It is about 689 meters long, lined with a promenade and partly Wilhelminian architecture–a dreamlike setting for photographers. The year-round sea fog gives the beach a moody atmosphere. The picturesque coastal fog results from the interaction between the arctic-cooled water of the Benguela Current and the hot Namib Desert.
At the end of the public city beach stands a historic lighthouse, and the namesake Swakopmund Mole juts into the deep blue Atlantic. The Mole is a remnant of the German colonial era, originally intended to enhance Swakopmund’s harbor. A berth for cargo ships was planned, but the endeavor failed due to the Benguela Current, which transported sand from the southern desert to the harbor entrance, blocking it within a few years, as travel guide Lonely Planet writes. A few years later, the entire harbor had disappeared. Thanks to the sand, Palm Beach now exists south of the Mole.
The Benguela Current is also why Mole Beach is not a swimming beach. Instead, Swakopmund’s city beach is recommended mainly for couples who enjoy walking in a unique setting. Swimming is generally prohibited; the water, with an average temperature of around 16 degrees Celsius, is not only very cold, but the currents are also extremely dangerous.
What Can You Experience at Mole Beach?
Walking is perhaps the number one activity at Mole Beach, along its promenade and pier. It’s so relaxed here that you can lose yourself in slow walking and sightseeing. Dogs are allowed to accompany beachgoers but must be leashed near other people. For a small or large refreshment, there are various cafes, restaurants, and other establishments nearby.
In addition to walkers and photographers, anglers also visit Swakopmund’s city beach. Fishing is permitted in designated areas.
Not far from the beach is the Swakopmund Museum. History enthusiasts can learn more about the German colonial period and the country’s natural history. Also worth seeing is the Jetty Walk, an old wooden bridge that extends hundreds of meters into the sea from Palm Beach.
Vancouver’s English Bay Beach Is the Most Extraordinary Urban Beach in the World
Portugal’s Praia De Matosinhos Is One of the Most Extraordinary Urban Beaches in the World
Getting There
The beach is located on the edge of the town of Swakopmund and can be reached on foot or in a few minutes by car. Parking is available nearby.
Location of Mole Beach in Namibia:
Methodology for the TRAVELBOOK Award
Again this year, we say: All nominated regions, countries, and more for the TRAVELBOOK Award are already winners, even if they didn’t achieve overall victory. This also applies to Namibia’s Mole Beach. Every travel destination made it onto the shortlist beforehand, selected from a large number of contenders in a category.
The TRAVELBOOK editorial team asked the community on Facebook and Instagram for help and consulted experts from the travel industry to create the shortlist. For the first time this year, not only TRAVELBOOK readers but also BILD readers voted. More than 150,000 votes were cast to crown the trend travel destinations for 2027.