At the southern tip of Africa the Indian and Atlantic oceans converge, resulting in one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on earth. Not surprisingly this is one of the best places to watch whales, with annual visits from humpbacks and southern rights as well as huge pods of dolphins, sharks and seals. Each year whales commune around the sheltered bays of the Western Cape to court and nurse newborns; the cliffs above affording amazing land-based viewing. To watch these giants is a rare privilege, and the best time to do so is from June to December, with peak calving around July and August.