The breathtaking Sandwich Harbor lies just south of Walvis Bay and is only accessible with a 4x4 vehicle. It was discovered in 1486 by Portuguese sailors, although its importance at that time remains a mystery. Later, during the 19th century, it is believed to have been used as a moderately sized commercial port based around whaling and small scale fishing. In 1886 the hard-to-reach harbour gained more importance as a supply harbor for the colonial German South West Africa. This only lasted for few years until it was replaced by the harbor in Swakopmund.
Today Sandwich Harbour's lagoon is one of the area's must-see tourist attractions. The 10km long lagoon used to be an oceanic bay and was accessible from the coast. It is now completely surrounded by sand dunes and reeds. The main attraction of the lagoon is the incredible abundance of birdlife and the dramatic contrasting landscape of sea and towering sand dunes.