Plettenberg Bay beaches
One long bay, half a dozen beaches, each with its own character. Here is how to choose.
Plettenberg Bay’s main beaches run in a curve from Robberg in the south to Keurbooms in the north. Central Beach has the calmest swimming and is where the seal boats launch. Robberg 5 is the long family beach. Lookout Beach has the surf and the view. Keurboomstrand is quiet and wild.
| Beach | Best for | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Central Beach | Sheltered swimming, small children, boat trips | Home of the seal boats. Car park on Hopwood Street. Busy in December. |
| Robberg 5 | Long walks, families, space | A wide beach stretching towards the Robberg Peninsula. |
| Lookout Beach | Surfing, sundowners, the view | Beside the Keurbooms lagoon mouth, which shifts from year to year. |
| The Wedge | Bodyboarding | A punchy break beside the Beacon Island headland. |
| Keurboomstrand | Quiet, rock pools | North of the river. Walk to Arch Rock at low tide only. |
| Nature’s Valley | Lagoon swimming, forest setting | About 30 km east of Plett, where the Tsitsikamma forest meets the sea. |
Several Plett beaches fly the Blue Flag in summer, with lifeguards on duty in season. The list changes each year, so look for the flag and swim between the lifeguards’ markers.
Central Beach
The town’s most sheltered beach sits in the lee of the Beacon Island headland. The water is usually calm enough for small children, and there is always something to watch: every seal trip, kayak tour and whale boat launches from here.
Our office is in the car park. If you are booked on a seal trip, this is where you check in, 30 minutes before departure.
Robberg 5
South of town, Robberg Beach runs for kilometres towards the peninsula. Robberg 5 is the best-known access point, with parking and plenty of room even in the holidays.
Lookout Beach
The surf beach, with a restaurant deck above the sand and a view along the whole bay to the Tsitsikamma mountains. Dolphins surf here too.
Keurboomstrand
Fifteen minutes north, past the river. Fewer people, more rock pools, and a walk to Arch Rock that is only possible around low tide. Check a tide table before you set out.
The beach at Robberg
The wildest beach in Plett is the tombolo inside Robberg Nature Reserve, a strip of white sand joining The Island to the peninsula. You reach it on foot via the Witsand circuit.
Staying safe
- Swim where lifeguards are on duty, between the flags.
- Shark spotters operate at Plett’s main beaches. Learn the flag colours on the signboards.
- Do not approach seals resting on the beach, and keep dogs away from them. Report sick or injured seals to the Plett Marine Animal Stranding Network on 079 463 4837.
From the beach to the seals
Ready to meet the seals?
Trips leave Central Beach at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 every day, weather permitting. Pick a date and we will have a wetsuit waiting.