In a nutshell
- Plettenberg Bay is, alongside Wilderness, the town that impressed us the most along the Garden Route — and we’d go back in a heartbeat.
- The top things to do in and around Plettenberg are hiking the Robberg Nature Reserve and exploring the Tsitsikamma National Park — don’t miss either.
- Knysna or Plettenberg Bay — which should you base yourself in? We’d answer without hesitation: Plettenberg Bay. Our top accommodation pick: The Joneses.
- One more thing: locals simply call it Plett. Now you’ll fit right in.
Things to Do Around Plettenberg Bay
Robberg Nature Reserve: Breathtaking National Park
The Robberg Nature Reserve, right on the edge of Plettenberg Bay, was one of our absolute highlights on the Garden Route.
The national park is breathtakingly beautiful. There are three hiking trails in total that run through the Robberg Nature Reserve:
The Gap (2.1 km)
Witsand (5.5 km)
The Point (9.2 km)
The individual trails connect with one another. So you can decide halfway through The Gap whether you want to turn back or continue on the Witsand trail.
The hikes aren’t difficult, but they’re not completely easy either. In some spots the trail gets a bit steeper going up or down, and occasionally you’ll need to use your hands to hold on.
We did the middle Witsand trail with two young children and it took us about two and a half hours.
We’d strongly recommend doing at least the Witsand hike — it’s the only way to see the biggest highlights of the national park, like the large seal colony and the massive Witsand sand dune.
Our tip: Get there as early as possible. We set off just after 8 AM and our car was one of the first in the parking lot. By the time we got back, cars were already parked several hundred meters away — it gets seriously crowded.
Tsitsikamma National Park and Suspension Bridge
Half an hour from Plettenberg Bay lies the Tsitsikamma National Park. A sign at the entrance reads “The Garden of the Garden Route” — and that’s a pretty accurate description. Everything in Tsitsikamma is even greener and flowers are blooming everywhere.
The park has a lot to offer, and you can even spend the night here. The most important highlights, however, can easily be explored on a day trip from Plettenberg Bay.
The Suspension Bridge over the Storms River is probably the most well-known attraction in Tsitsikamma. In reality, it’s not just one suspension bridge but three in a row, one right after the other.
A trail leads from the parking lot to the Suspension Bridge — it’s about 2 km round trip and totally manageable.
Restaurant tip: Right at the parking lot is the steakhouse Cattle Baron. From the outside it doesn’t look inviting at all and feels more like a giant cafeteria. But the steaks are really good and the value for money is great.
The World's Highest Bungee Jump at Bloukrans Bridge
On the way from Plettenberg Bay to Tsitsikamma National Park, you cross the massive Bloukrans Bridge. You won’t even notice what’s happening directly below the road surface.
Every day, adrenaline junkies hurl themselves off Bloukrans Bridge from 216 meters up — the world’s highest bungee jump.
From the parking lot next to the bridge, you can watch all the action and cheer on — or nervously watch — the jumpers. Or maybe you’ll even jump yourself?
The fun costs around 75 euros and is absolutely an experience you’ll never forget.
If bungee jumping isn’t your thing, the Sky Walk on the Bloukrans Bridge for around 18 euros is a great alternative — you still get an up-close look at everything on the bridge.
By the way: Sarah from our team has already done the bungee jump (and survived). Crazy!
Monkeyland and Birds of Eden
About 20 minutes from Plettenberg Bay, two animal attractions await. The names Monkeyland and Birds of Eden already give away what they’re all about: monkeys and birds.
These are mostly rescued animals, and unlike many other sanctuaries, we had the feeling that the animals are genuinely well cared for here.
Monkeyland can only be visited on a guided tour. The tour lasts just under an hour, and there are seven different species of monkeys to see — some very close up, others only from a distance.
Note: Wear long clothing and sturdy shoes. There are a lot of hungry mosquitoes in Monkeyland. And when we say “a lot,” we really mean it.
You can walk through the massive aviary at Birds of Eden on your own. The 23,000-square-meter enclosure, which reaches up to 55 meters high, is the largest of its kind in the world and truly impressive.
You walk along wooden walkways through the aviary and can observe more than 3,500 birds living there.
There is a combination ticket available for both attractions, which is cheaper than buying two separate tickets.
Important: The combination ticket is only available if you select English as your language at Monkeyland — for some reason it’s not offered for other language options.
Get tickets for Monkeyland and Birds of Eden
Discover the Beaches of Plettenberg Bay
Things to do in Plettenberg Bay aren’t limited to classic sights — there’s also one dream beach after another.
Bordering the town center are Lookout Beach and Central Beach. Head north and you’ll find the often deserted Keurbooms Beach, and to the south the stunning Robberg Beach.
There are more than enough long beach walks to take around Plettenberg, and if you get up early, you can catch the sunrise on the beach too.
A Taste of Safari at the Plettenberg Bay Game Reserve
Want to do a game drive on the Garden Route because you don’t have any of the major national parks on your South Africa itinerary? Or do you have young children who are still too little for the big parks?
Then we’d recommend a trip to the Plettenberg Bay Game Reserve. This small, private reserve offers daily two-hour game drives that welcome even toddlers.
You can spot rhinos, lions, giraffes, elephants, and zebras, among others. It’s obviously no comparison to a real national park, but it’s also a far cry from a zoo.
For less than 50 euros, we think this is a really great deal. You must book online in advance, as you’re not allowed onto the property without a reservation.
Book at the Plettenberg Game Reserve
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Unwind at Old Nick Village
Old Nick Village is still something of a local favorite and is only a few minutes outside the center.
Here you’ll find a few charming little shops with local arts and crafts and clothing, a café, and two nice playgrounds.
It’s not a must-see, but it’s definitely worth a quick detour.
Enjoy Yourself on Main Street
It’s not just the attractions around Plettenberg Bay that are worth your time — the town itself is great too. Along Main Street you’ll find a really lovely mix of shops, restaurants, and cafés.
From surf shops to galleries to bookstores, it’s all here. If you’re staying close to the center, you can easily walk to Main Street for meals at any time — a real advantage over many other places in South Africa.
Take a Day Trip to Knysna
If you haven’t already planned a longer stay in Knysna, you can easily visit on a day trip from Plettenberg Bay.
In a day, you can take in the most important sights — the lagoon, the Waterfront, and more.
Traveling with kids? A visit to the Knysna Elephant Park makes for a seriously exciting outing.
Read our detailed tips on Knysna and the Elephant Park
The Best Hotels in Plettenberg Bay
Not sure where to stay in Plettenberg Bay? No problem! Here are our top accommodation picks.
Our Accommodation in Plettenberg Bay
We stayed in a vacation rental at The Joneses — a small, privately run property with several apartments and vacation homes. The friendly Mr. Jones (Louis) is a wonderful host and is always happy to share tips or help with anything you need.
The vacation homes are new, with comfortable beds and well-equipped kitchens. The décor is a bit old-fashioned for our taste, but perfectly fine. The two pools are worth their weight in gold in summer — we made great use of them.
More Hotels in Plettenberg Bay
Not quite the right fit for you? We have six more hotel recommendations for Plettenberg Bay, ranging from budget to luxury.
Good and affordable
Better
Luxurious
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Cafés and Restaurants in Plettenberg Bay
Plettenberg Bay was also one of our culinary highlights in South Africa. There are so many excellent restaurants here — and these are our favorites.
Ice Dream Land: Authentic Italian Pizza
We love pizza! So much so that we regularly need a good pizza fix — and that’s a real problem in South Africa.
We tried a number of pizza places and never found a good one. Until we got to Plettenberg and received the ultimate tip: Ice Dream Land.
The name is a bit misleading. They do serve ice cream, but it’s mainly a pizza place — and the pizza is seriously good. It tastes like it does in Italy, just the way it should be.
If you’ve been missing good pizza in South Africa, you absolutely have to visit Ice Dream Land. The restaurant is located about ten minutes outside of Plettenberg Bay.
Nineteen89: Best Burger in Plettenberg Bay
Our experience with burgers in South Africa had also been pretty underwhelming — some good ones, but unfortunately far more bad ones.
Perhaps the best burger of our three-month road trip was the one we had at Nineteen89 in Plettenberg Bay.
The restaurant is at the end of Main Street. It’s not just burgers on the menu — there are plenty of other options too. But the burgers are truly in a class of their own.
Ristorante Enrico: Pizza with an Ocean View
Enrico’s at Keurboomstrand is a true institution in Plett and every local will point you there.
Some say it has the best pizza for miles around — that’s not quite true (see restaurant tip #1 for that). Still, we can absolutely recommend Enrico’s. The location right on the beach is unbeatable, the service is great, and the pizza is good by South African standards.
The Lookout: The Most Famous Restaurant in Town
Another Plett institution: The Lookout scores mainly with its incredible position right on Lookout Beach. The food is pretty good, but nothing extraordinary — people come here for the setting, and honestly, that’s reason enough.
Make a reservation for dinner; at lunch there’s almost always a table available.
Thyme & Again
Thyme & Again is a farm shop with an attached café and restaurant. In the shop you’ll find a wide selection of local produce and international organic goods.
The café serves really delicious cakes and a great selection of lunch dishes — many of them vegan and vegetarian.
Our Verdict: Is Plettenberg Bay Worth a Visit?
Absolutely! If your trip to South Africa is going to take you along the Garden Route, you simply must stop in Plettenberg Bay. We spent one week there and could have easily stayed another. If you don’t have that much time, we’d still recommend spending at least three to four full days in the area before moving on along the Garden Route and into the Cape Winelands.
We also liked Plettenberg Bay more than Knysna, and we’d always choose to base ourselves in Plettenberg Bay — using it as a starting point for day trips toward Knysna rather than the other way around.
