"Plett", as the town is affectionately known, is sometimes jokingly referred to as "Sandton-on-Sea" because so many of the holiday-home owners come from Johannesburg's affluent Sandton suburb. During summer holidays in excess of 50 000 people from it and its surrounding northern-Johannesburg suburbs flock to Plett. The town is truly a playground for South Africa's rich and increasingly for the wealthy from elsewhere on the globe. Reflecting the allure of Plett for the rich and famous it has developed into a premier polo venue for international tournaments. However, it is still accessible to regular travelers.

Plettenberg Bay is more than worth a visit. Amongst the various attractions and activities on offer our top two has to be going on a whale & dolphin watching boat cruise and exploring the Robberg Nature and Marine Reserve on foot. The town offers excellent accommodation from mid-range to five-star luxury levels as well as shops and restaurants.

The Bay
Plettenberg Bay, on the shores of which the town by the same name is located, is well sheltered - which makes for safe swimming. Because it is sheltered it is frequented by whales that rear their young in the calm waters. The most sought after species of these being the southern right whales. They trek from the Arctic regions to South Africa's southern shoreline from August to November (approximately). Large numbers of dolphins and seals frequent the Bay year-round.

Beaches (west to east)
Plettenberg Bay and surrounds is blessed with great beaches offering good swimming conditions. However, keep in mind that the water is quite cool. For sub-tropical water temperatures you need to head north to the KwaZulu-Natal coastline.

Keurbooms River
The Keurbooms River Mouth is right next to Plett's Lookout Beach. However the rest of the tidal river, should you follow it "up-stream", angles sharply away from the town for about two kilometres before it turns to the interior. Near to its mouth the River has a typical lagoon feel with only a narrow stretch of beach between it and the ocean. Slightly deeper into the interior, just beyond the N2, it has cut out over millions of years a very scenic gorge into the surrounding mountainous terrain.

While swimming in the lagoon near the ocean is fun we highly recommend that you make a journey up the river, as the scenery is very special. As you enter the Keurbooms Gorge you will be greeted by lush vegetation, vertical cliff faces, rich bird-life (including the African Fish Eagle - if you're lucky) and secluded picnic spots. You can paddle up the river or take the more leisurely option of an informal river cruise, which Africa Deluxe Tours gladly arranges for our clients if so requested.

Bitou River
The Bitou River runs more or less parallel with the Keurbooms River although divided by mountainous terrain. It joins the Keurbooms River a kilometre or two from the river mouth it shares with the latter. The Bitou is much less accessible than the Keurbooms River. It is narrow, winding and lined by dense reed on both sides. It does however offer good birding opportunities and one or two good riverside accommodation options.

The Robberg Nature and Marine Reserve
The Robberg Peninsula, which forms the western shoreline of the (Plettenberg) Bay, is managed as a small nature reserve by Cape Nature Conservation. The northern shore of the Peninsula consists mainly of steep mountainside and cliffs. On that side a large seal colony resides at the base of the cliffs, halfway along Robberg's length. The southern side is also rocky, but it is easier to get close to sea level. The southern side is also home to two pristine sandy beaches. At times you may be the only one there although the area is very popular with nature lovers and you should bump into some of them from time to time.

Robberg features a number of marked trails. There are a couple of shorter trails leading to one of the two beaches or selected viewpoints. If you have at least half-a-day available you should seriously consider doing the 9km circular route, which goes all the way to the furthest point of the Peninsula. You can return the same way you went or return along the opposite side of the Peninsula. The pathways on the northern side of Robberg runs near to the top of the steep mountainside thus providing a very high and advantageous vantage point for viewing seals, dolphins and whales.

We recommend an outing to Robberg very strongly for anyone who is healthy and fit enough to walk for a couple of hours. We gladly arrange transfers and guiding, if required, for our clients who want to enjoy what Robberg has to offer.

Boat cruises (dolphin, seal & whale watching)
If your itinerary allows you time to do so we strongly recommend that you opt for one of the very informative and entertaining cruises out onto the Bay. While sightings cannot be guaranteed there's a good probability that you will see dolphins and seals on the trip. During August to November there's also a good chance of seeing whales, including the sought after southern right whale.

Your guide will provide you with interesting information on marine ecology and the various marine and bird species that you encounter on the outing. The cruises also provide a unique view of the spectacular Robberg as you head out to its furthest point. As always, if required, we will gladly arrange this excursion for our clients should it not be included in your itinerary already.

Land based whale watching
The topography of Plett (town) and surrounds provide various elevated viewpoints. Some close to shore. Because of this Plett is an ideal destination for conducting land-based whale watching. The best vantagepoints are those along the northern shore of Robberg.

Coastal flights & glider trips
Scenic flights are on offer from the small Plettenberg Bay Airport. Packages can be negotiated. The best route is probably heading out towards Knysna along the coast, overflying the Knysna Estuary once there, and then returning over the mountainous and forested interior. Motorised and non-motorised glider trips over the Bay are also on offer from the same airport.

Plettenberg Bay to Knysna
The ±40km stretch of the N2 (National Route 2) linking Plettenberg Bay and Knysna cuts through spectacular indigenous bush and plantations. A host of arts and crafts outlets are concentrated along parts of the route. More noteworthy attractions on this stretch include the Knysna Elephant Park (a little too zoo-like for our liking but you may enjoy the opportunity to touch and get close to elephants); the Harkerville forestry area (excellent mountainbike tracks and hiking routes through forested areas to remote mountainous shoreline); Garden of Eden (short forest walks) and the Diepwalle Forest ±20km from Knysna and inland from the N2 (excellent hiking and mountainbiking routes).

Prince Alfred's Pass offers an alternative day outing for self-drive clients, linking Plett to Uniondale and Knysna via an inland detour of gravel roads and passes. To be on the safe side, enquire about the state of this route from locals before venturing onto it though, especially after heavy rains.

Other attractions and activities
Other attractions and activities on offer in and around Plettenberg Bay include Monkeyland (15-minutes away), scuba diving, sea kayaking and deep-sea fishing.

Africa Deluxe Tours can arrange visits to, or engagement in, all of these attractions and activities as well as all those mentioned above.