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What’s the water temp like over December?
Depends on the currents … the average, according to seatemperature.org which monitors ocean temps worldwide, is 22.5C in December, rising slightly over Jan and Feb and peaking in March at around 24C. Coolest month is August @ around 19.4C
Is the road any good? It used to be awful.
Tarred 99% of the way with a short gravel bit over the river causeway. Always be careful of animals in the road. Cows, goats, sheep, donkeys love hanging out on the tar (especially at night).
The crime situation?
One of the pleasures of Hamburg is that the streets are safe to walk day and night. Crime is minimal and the local police station has a good relationship with the community. That said, vigilance is important, especially over the holiday season, and a common-sense attitude towards safety is always needed.
Shopping?
Shopping in Hamburg is very limited – a liquor store and adjacent shop selling basics, a small food/hardware store and a couple of spaza shops is all you’ll find. There’s no petrol/diesel available in Hamburg, so make sure you fill up before arriving. Kidd’s Beach is the nearest petrol stop.
The restaurant scene?
There’s Dorego’s, the pub/restaurant in the caravan park overlooking the Keiskamma estuary, with spectacular sunsets for your sundowners.
Wondering how this tiny village in a remote corner of South Africa got named after a major German city?
In the 1850s, as a reward for joining the Crimean War on the side of Britain against the Turks, Britain (which was at the time the colonial master of South Africa) granted a group of German legionnaires (aka mercenaries) land in the village which was then named Hamburg.
What’s the water/electricity situation?
OK, this is not a section that any tourism-promoting website likes to deal with, but best we tell you some uncomfortable truths.
Although it’s surrounded by water, Hamburg struggles with a reliable supply of fresh water, mainly due to constant pipeline/pump breakdowns, and this can cause serious disruption especially over the holiday season. Always check with your accommodation hosts about their rainwater tank situation because without tanks (and rain!) water can be a major challenge.
Eskom supplies power to Hamburg, and, like water, infrastructure breakdowns are a pretty regular feature. The local grid is long overdue for an overhaul, Not surprisingly, an increasing number of properties have gone solar. So check with your hosts that they have a backup in place.