The Garden Route's best beaches and its richest marine life. Walk the Robberg peninsula past a seal colony, watch for whales offshore from June to November, or just swim at the route's most polished resort town.
Plettenberg Bay is the Garden Route’s beach town, and the one most people slow down for on the coast. The beaches are the route’s best, long and clean and warm enough to swim in summer, and the bay holds more marine life than anywhere else on the drive. It’s the polished, upmarket end of the route, but the sea and the sand are free.
The walk to do is the Robberg peninsula, a nature reserve on a rocky finger of land south of town. A coastal circuit runs the length of it, about 9 km the full way, past sweeping ocean views, an ancient cave and a Cape fur seal colony at the point, with shorter loops if you want less. Back in the bay, Central, Robberg and Lookout beaches are the swimming spots, busiest and best in the summer months.
The water is the other half of Plett. Boat trips from Central Beach go out for southern right and humpback whales between June and November, and for dolphins and seals all year, and you can snorkel with the seal colony off Robberg. Just east at The Crags, the free-roaming Monkeyland and Birds of Eden sanctuaries and the big-cat parks make the easy all-weather day with children. Plett is a natural last beach stop before Tsitsikamma to the east, and a good place to stay a night or two.
Beaches, the Robberg peninsula and the marine life, at the route's most polished resort town.
The town beaches are long and clean, and warm enough to swim in summer. The standout walk is the Robberg peninsula, a nature reserve with a 9 km coastal circuit past a Cape fur seal colony and an ancient cave, with shorter loops if you don't want the full distance.
Boat trips from Central Beach go out for whales between June and November and for dolphins and seals year-round, or you can snorkel with the seal colony off Robberg. Just east at The Crags, Monkeyland, Birds of Eden and the big-cat sanctuaries are the easy, all-weather family option.
Pick the loop that suits you, from a short circuit to the full 9 km point route, for big ocean views and a Cape fur seal colony at the end.
Southern right and humpback whales pass from June to November, peaking around September. Take a boat trip from Central Beach, or watch from the cliffs.
A boat out to Robberg lets you snorkel with the seal colony, the curious ones who come to you in the water. A wetsuit makes it comfortable.
Monkeyland and Birds of Eden, the free-roaming primate and bird sanctuaries just east of town, are the easy all-weather day with children.
Central and Lookout are the main swimming beaches. Mind the currents at the river mouths, and stick to the lifeguarded stretches in season.
Plett is the route's nicest beach town and a good last stop before Tsitsikamma to the east, or before turning inland. Stay a night or two.
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A boat trip out of Plettenberg Bay for southern right and humpback whales from June to November, with dolphins and seals year-round.
Book on GetYourGuide →Boat out to the Robberg reserve and snorkel with the Cape fur seal colony, the curious ones who come to play in the water.
See seal trips →The free-roaming primate and bird sanctuaries at The Crags, set in indigenous forest. The easy, all-weather day with kids.
See the sanctuaries →Beachfront hotels and guesthouses above the bay, the nicest beach base on the route.
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Plettenberg Bay is the Garden Route's beach at its best. See the rest of what the route holds.
