Things to do in Plettenberg Bay
We launch off Central Beach every morning and have opinions about how you should spend the rest of the day.
The best things to do in Plettenberg Bay are in or beside the sea: swim with the Cape fur seals at Robberg, hike the Robberg Peninsula, watch whales and dolphins, and pick a beach. Inland, The Crags has wildlife sanctuaries and wine farms, and the Tsitsikamma forest and Bloukrans Bridge are under an hour away.
In and on the ocean
Swim with seals
Snorkel with wild Cape fur seals at the Robberg colony. About 1.5 hours, R1 295, all gear included. How it works
Seal viewing boat trip
The same boat ride without getting in. R795, from age 2. Seal viewing
Whale and dolphin watching
Humpbacks and southern rights from about June to November, Bryde’s whales and dolphins all year. Whale guide
Sea kayaking
Guided paddles leave from Central Beach on calm mornings, often with dolphins for company.
A beach day
Central for calm water, Robberg 5 for space, Lookout for the view. Beach guide
Surfing and bodyboarding
Lookout Beach and The Wedge are the local breaks. Surf schools run lessons in summer.
On foot
Hike Robberg
Three circuits from 30 minutes to 4 hours on a World Heritage peninsula. Robberg guide
Keurbooms River
Paddle or take the ferry up a forested gorge in Keurbooms River Nature Reserve, with swimming stops on the sandbanks.
Nature’s Valley and Tsitsikamma
A lagoon village and the start of the forest, 30 kilometres east. The Storms River Mouth suspension bridges are about an hour from Plett.
Animals and adrenaline in The Crags
Twenty minutes east of town on the N2.
Birds of Eden
A huge free-flight aviary built over indigenous forest, with walkways through the canopy.
Monkeyland and Jukani
Free-roaming primates next door to Birds of Eden, and a big-cat sanctuary down the road.
Tenikwa
A wildlife rehabilitation and awareness centre. It also treats stranded seal pups before they are returned to the Robberg colony.
Canyoning
Jump, slide and abseil down a river gorge in a wetsuit with a kloofing guide.
Bloukrans bungee
At 216 metres, one of the highest commercial bridge bungee jumps in the world. About 40 kilometres east of Plett.
Plett Winelands
Cool-climate vineyards known for sparkling wine, most with a restaurant and a view.
With children
- Seal swim from about age 6, or the viewing trip from age 2
- Birds of Eden and Monkeyland
- Adventure Land water park, open in the warmer months
- The Gap circuit at Robberg, 30 minutes with big views
- Central Beach, the most sheltered swimming in town
Free or nearly free
- Any of the beaches
- Whale spotting from the lookout points above town in winter and spring
- Sunset from Signal Hill
- The Saturday morning Harkerville market, between Plett and Knysna
A three-day plan
Day one: the peninsula. Seal swim at 10:00, lunch in town, then the Witsand circuit at Robberg in the afternoon to see the colony from above.
Day two: The Crags. Birds of Eden and Monkeyland in the morning, a wine farm for lunch, and Nature’s Valley lagoon before sunset.
Day three: river or bridge. Paddle the Keurbooms River, or drive to Bloukrans and Storms River Mouth. Finish on Lookout Beach.
Plett questions
Is Plettenberg Bay worth visiting?
Yes. It has some of the best beaches on the Garden Route, a marine reserve with a seal colony on its doorstep, whales in winter and spring, and forests, wine farms and wildlife sanctuaries within half an hour. Two or three nights is the minimum to do it justice.
What can you do in Plettenberg Bay on a rainy day?
Seal trips run in the rain, and you are getting wet anyway. Otherwise, the wine farms have tasting rooms, Old Nick Village has craft shops and a café under cover, and the forest canopy at Birds of Eden takes the edge off a light shower.
Is it better to stay in Knysna or Plettenberg Bay?
They are half an hour apart, so you can see both from either. Choose Plett for beaches, the ocean and wildlife. Choose Knysna for the lagoon, the waterfront and forest walks.
What are some unusual things to do in Plettenberg Bay?
Snorkel with wild seals, kloof down a river canyon in a wetsuit, abseil off Robberg, or bungee from the Bloukrans Bridge, 216 metres above the river.
How many days do you need in Plettenberg Bay?
Three days covers the essentials: a morning with the seals and an afternoon on Robberg, a day in The Crags for the sanctuaries and a wine farm, and a beach or river day.
Start with the seals
Daily from Central Beach at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00. Book the morning and keep the afternoon free for Robberg.