Hidden just east of Cape Town, South Africa, lies an escape from urban life, coined “Nature’s Valley” ; Plettenberg Bay, South Africa. This destination is now gaining popularity for its bountiful supply of beach, sea, nature and fun. Plettenberg Bay is a popular stop-by on the famous Garden Route, and is located between George and Port Elizabeth. Plettenberg is also just 20km east of popular beach resort Knysna.

Famous for its beauty, Plettenberg has been named on National Geographic’s “Cool List”. For starters, Plettenberg is lined by sandy white beaches such as Central Beach, Lookout Beach, Keurboomstrand and Robberg Beach. Robberg beach in particular is an ideal spot for taking surfing lessons. The curve of the coastline jutts out sharply here, creating what is known as a point break. Warm Indian Ocean waves roll to the shore, making for long rides and gentle spills for beginners. Plenty of orcas, dolphins and seals call this part of the coastline home and can frequently be seen out in the waves.

Once you venture further away from the beautiful seaside resorts and pristine beaches, lush forests emerge brimming with animal life. An amazing thing about Plettenberg is the plethora of animal sanctuaries, and one in particular, Tenikwa, is a tourist favorite. Humans take vacations to relieve some stress from busy lives and feel rejuvenated. This animal sanctuary is a rehabilitative facility designed to be the same; a vacation for the wildlife! The sanctuary studies loss of animal habitat, human-animal environmental conflicts, and rehabilitates with the goal of releasing animals back into the wild. Some of the impressive species you can encounter include white lions, leopards, and bobcats.

Another hotspot, very close to Plettenberg Bay, is Tsitsikamma National Park . Here you can snorkel, kayal, and hike. Robberg National Reserve is also nearby, and is very popular with hikers, and often lucky visitors report dolphin and whale sightings during reproduction season.

By far the most popular activity in the vicinity of Plett is bungee jumping from the world-famous Bloukrans Bridge. This jump is the highest bridge in the world, dropping jumpers from 216m high!

Plettenberg Bay is a small town with a big personality and holds a treasure chest of activities waiting to be discovered. From nature to water sports, including scuba diving with seals and canyoning, Plettenberg Bay is just waiting to be explored.