Plett Introduction
Plettenberg Bay is the jewel of The Garden Route. It's more than a village, less than a town. Plettenberg Bay is tranquil and charming, hospitable and rather special. Originally and rightly christened "Bahia Formosa" (beautiful bay) by early Portuguese explorers, Plettenberg Bay can now be accessed by first class national roads, by sea or by scheduled air flights.
Plettenberg Bay is characterised by sweeping, unspoilt golden beaches, a dramatic rocky peninsula, intriguing lagoons and estuaries, towering indigenous forests and unpolluted rivers and sea. With its exceptional climate, and beautiful view sites over the Indian Ocean, Plettenberg Bay is perfect for tourists interested in exploring, watching or just lazing.
Plettenberg Bay is home to the rare Knysna forest elephant, teaming wildlife, vast expanses of Cape flora, delicate ecosystems in wetlands and lagoons, gigantic trees, and a bay large enough for the great whales of the Southern Ocean to calve in and protect their young.
More than a village and less than a town, Plettenberg Bay is accessible by first class national roads, by sea or by scheduled air flights (Plettenberg Bay has the only airport within a 100km radius). It also boasts:
- Knysna Elephant Park - Be touched by an elephant today
- Birds of Eden - Largest free flight bird aviary in the world
- Monkeyland Primate Sanctuary - A living forest experience
- Noah's Park Wolf sanctuary and touch farm
- Sweeping, unspoiled golden beaches
- Dramatic rocky peninsula
- Intriguing lagoons and estuaries
- Towering indigenous forestry
- Unpolluted rivers and sea
- Beautiful view sites over the Indian Ocean
- Exceptional climate all year round
Scenic Drives & Day Trips:
- Kranshoek picnic site, overlooking cliffs and sea
- Pheasant Hoek, outstanding views along circular drive
- Garden of Eden, picnic site and Big Tree
- Brackenhill Falls, series of cascades down a deep ravine
- Knoetzie beach and river, Knoetzie castles and river estuary
- Knysna, scenic coastal town 35 kms from Plett
- Keurbooms River and Beach, picnic spot next to river, restaurant
- Prince Alfred Pass, stunning mountain views along historic pass
- The Crags and Forest Hall, tea and historical tour of mansion
- Grootriver Pass to Nature's Valley, picnics, viewspots and beach
- Bloukrans Pass, unique pass amid indigenous forests
- Plettenberg Bay Arts and Crafts Route
- Storms River Mouth, exquisitely scenic river mouth in Tsitsikamma National Park
Hiking Trails:
- Harkerville to Nature's Valley
- Kranshoek Coastal Walk
- Robberg Nature Reserve
- Milkwood Scenic Trail
- Wittedrift Nature Trail
- Nature's Valley Network
- Stinkhoutkloof Trail
- Storms River Mouth Trails
- Bloukrans to Storms River (Tsitsikamma National Park)
{mospagebreak}
Plettenberg Marine Environment
More than 100 species of fish are known to occur along this coast. Fish found on the reefs are highly susceptible to exploitation and marine reserves play an important part in restocking overfished areas.
Some of the finest soft coral reefs in the world are found here with sponges, starfish and many shellfish including our unique Pansy Shell.Common marine animals are dolphins, whales and seals. During winter months the spectacular Southern Right Whales are resident in our bay when they arrive up from the southern oceans to calve.
Fynbos and Flowers
The small Cape Floral Kingdom between Cape Town and Grahamstown (0.04% of the world's land mass) contains 8500 different flowering plants. This is more than is found in the Entire Northern Hemisphere. There are 27 common species of Ericas in this area, a great many wild proteas and an extensive list of geophytes.
Indigenous Forests
Although the largest tract of natural forests in South Africa, only 65 000Ha of the original forests remain today. The Outeniqua yelowwood or kalander is a true forest giant reaching over 50m in height. Other magnificent specimens are the ironwood and stinkwood trees. Our forests also harbor many species of ferns including the seven week fern, prolific in the Tsitsikamma area, as well as a profusion of colourful lichens on rocks and trees and many species of mushrooms.
