Reality Brief: Walvis Bay
What to know about Walvis Bay, gathered from AfriPilot's sourced information: alerts, rules, addresses and useful places. Nothing is added without a source.
Region: Erongo RegionGathered from 7 sources checked on October 2, 2026.
Current alerts
No official alerts recorded for this region.
Essentials before you arrive
Since 1 April 2025, a visa is required for short stays. It is issued on arrival (Windhoek and Walvis Bay airports and the main border posts) or online before departure (the "visa on arrival" section of the official site). Cost: 1,600 Namibian dollars from age 12 according to the UK.
France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Namibia, entry and residenceGOV.UK (FCDO), Namibia travel advice: entry requirementsGuide: Entry and residence
Passport valid for at least 6 months (after the end of your stay according to France), with 3 blank pages.
France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Namibia, entry and residenceGOV.UK (FCDO), Namibia travel advice: entry requirementsGuide: Entry and residence
Police 10111; the UK also lists 999 and 112. In Windhoek, fire and ambulance: +264 61 211 111.
France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Namibia, useful contactsGOV.UK (FCDO), Namibia travel advice: getting helpGuide: Health
Crime linked to high inequality: leave nothing visible in the car, drive with doors locked, do not pick up hitchhikers, limit walking at night (avoid western and northern Windhoek) and do not enter townships without a trusted person. In town, prefer a rental car or recommended taxis.
France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Namibia, safetyGuide: Safety and emergencies
Accidents are very frequent: do not drive at night (animals), keep to 80 km/h at most on gravel roads, use a 4x4 with lights on off tarmac; punctures are common. Drink-driving: zero tolerance.
France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Namibia, safetyGuide: Safety and emergencies
The currency is the Namibian dollar (NAD); the South African rand is also accepted. Cards are widely accepted in town, but cash is needed outside towns and at petrol stations.
Government of Canada, Travel advice: NamibiaGuide: Money and banking
The diamond area (Sperrgebiet) between Lüderitz and Oranjemund is off-limits without a permit. The Angolan border is sometimes barely marked: crossing it, even by a few metres, is punishable. Wild camping is banned; armed anti-poaching units operate in the Caprivi Strip parks.
France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Namibia, safetyGuide: Safety and emergencies
Living in Walvis Bay
Crime linked to high inequality: leave nothing visible in the car, drive with doors locked, do not pick up hitchhikers, limit walking at night (avoid western and northern Windhoek) and do not enter townships without a trusted person. In town, prefer a rental car or recommended taxis.
France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Namibia, safetyGuide: Safety and emergencies
Accidents are very frequent: do not drive at night (animals), keep to 80 km/h at most on gravel roads, use a 4x4 with lights on off tarmac; punctures are common. Drink-driving: zero tolerance.
France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Namibia, safetyGuide: Safety and emergencies
Field experience
- Tip
Pharmacies, clinics and hospitals
Listed in OpenStreetMap (not exhaustive): pharmacies (7), clinics (4), hospitals (2). Locate those near your home in the first days and check opening hours and on-call services locally.
- Tip
Where to shop for food
Listed in OpenStreetMap (not exhaustive): markets (1), supermarkets (17). Compare a few basic prices between market and supermarket before settling into habits.
- Tip
Banks, cash machines and exchange
Listed in OpenStreetMap (not exhaustive): banks (8), cash machines (3), currency exchange (2). Withdraw and change money at these official places, preferably during the day, never in the street.
- Tip
A shop for your SIM card
Listed in OpenStreetMap (not exhaustive): phone and internet (4). Go with your passport: SIM registration is often mandatory.
- Tip
A furnished flat for the first weeks
Listed in OpenStreetMap (not exhaustive): furnished apartments (4). A furnished flat gives you time to visit several neighbourhoods before signing a lease.
Useful contacts
Contact details taken from the official sources cited. Check them before going.
Emergency numbers
Police 10111; 999 and 112 according to the UK.
France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Namibia, useful contactsGOV.UK (FCDO), Namibia travel advice: getting help· Oct 2, 2026