Fun things to do in Plettenberg Bay

Plettenberg Bay is a popular city along the Garden Route. Oftentimes called “Plett,” there are plenty of fun things to do in and around Plettenberg Bay.

My siblings and I stayed 2 nights in Plettenberg Bay rather than one night here and then another in Nature’s Valley. Just 30 minutes apart, we decided to make a day trip out of Nature’s Valley instead. We used our time in Plett mostly to relax as this was mid-way through our Garden Route Road trip. There is plenty to do but we also enjoyed Netflix on a strong internet connection…

Garden Route Itinerary Suggestion

After spending a night in Knysna, spend 2 nights in Plettenberg Bay. Arrive in the evening after going on a boat cruise in Knysna. The next day, visit the Elephant Sanctuary and spend some time at the beach before having dinner in town. As you leave Plettenberg Bay, make a stop at Nature’s Valley before ending at Storms River.

Fun things to do in Plettenberg Bay

Hike at Robberg Nature Reserve

Whether you’re a hiker or not, visiting Robberg Nature Reserve’s sand dunes is a fun thing to do in Plettenberg Bay. The reserve is about 15 minutes outside town. The 5.5km Witsand hike takes around 2 hours and will reward you with stunning coastal views, Cape fur seals, and sand dunes. Read the full hiking guide. Run (or roll) down the sand dunes towards to beach.

Visit the Elephants at Plettenberg Bay

Just 30 minutes outside Plettenberg Bay, visit the gentle giants of the Elephant Sanctuary. Spend an hour for the Walk Trunk in Hand experience to get up close to them. This is a unique activity for all ages! Read the full review.

Visit the Bird and Monkey Sanctuaries

For bird enthusiasts, the Birds of Eden sanctuary offers self-guided walks with over 200 bird species. On the same property, Monkeyland hosts over 500 primates.

Go to the Beach

After testing the waters in Knysna, we knew that there was no chance of warmer water in Plett. However, brave souls can visit one of several beaches around. Wreck Beach, Sanctuary Beach, and Lookout Beach all have long beaches with mountain backgrounds.  

Bonus: Food and Lodging in Plettenberg Bay

Food in Plettenberg Bay

We had a nice Christmas eve dinner at Nguni Restaurant. Honestly, I was not as impressed as I thought I would be but the vibe here is really nice. Other places I thought looked good for dinner were Ninteen 89, The Table Restaurant, and The Fat Fish. In all honesty, we were so tired and lazy on Christmas that we ordered 3 large pizzas from Debonairs Pizza and it satisfied all our hunger in no time.

Christmas Eve dinner at Nguni Restaurant

Lodging around Plettenberg Bay

Airbnb near Robberg Reserve— We stayed our two nights at this Airbnb with views overlooking the coast. It was such a luxury and one of the few places we stayed with a good internet connection. We also ran 3 loads of laundry here! The Airbnb is in a secure complex and is just 5 minutes away from Robberg Nature Reserve. This was one of our more pricey stays and amounted to around R6000 total for our Christmas stay for 3 people.

Emily Moon River Lodge—If you feel like really splurging, plan to spend a night or two at Emily Moon River Lodge. It looks like a magical getaway along the Bietourivier. Joburgers may find the décor similar to that for sale at Amatuli, the popular crafts and artifacts shop in Kramerville Design District, as it’s under the same ownership.

What do you think of these fun things to do in Plettenberg Bay? Let me know in the comments!