Exploring Plettenberg Bay's Beaches

Plettenberg Bay, known to locals as ‘Plett’, is famous for its pristine beaches and we are lucky that many are just a short stroll away from our beautiful new hotel, The Old Rectory. To help you explore this glorious stretch of coastline, from the safest places to swim to spots the kids will love, here is our quick guide to the beaches of Plett.

CENTRAL BEACH

Central Beach is known as Plett’s iconic ‘family beach’ and is often the busiest beach in Plett. This beach fronts the famous Beacon Isle Hotel and has amenities that include public toilets, restaurants and bars, ice cream vendors, kayaking, dive charters and boat-based whale watching. Central Beach is well known to be the safest swimming beach in Plett and is monitored by lifeguards all year around. It gets decent mid-sized surf while remaining calm for safe swimming and bodyboarding.

2 minutes from The Old Rectory.

HOBIE BEACH AND WEDGE BEACH

You’ll find Hobie Beach further down the same stretch from Central Beach. It is just past the Ski Boat Club and launch area where you can hire a hobie cat or jet ski.

Keep strolling along this stretch of sand and you will come across Wedge Beach – just a short stroll from our hotel, The Old Rectory. It offers one of South Africa’s best bodyboarding surf breaks and so it’s highly recommended for those with bodyboarding experience.

1 minute from The Old Rectory.

LOOKOUT BEACH

Lookout Beach was washed away during floods in 2007 but has returned to its former glory as one of Plett’s most pristine beaches. This Blue Flag beach is popular with sunbathers, surfers and bodyboarders and adjoins the lagoon which buzzes with kite surfers and SUP paddlers. It is the perfect spot to end your day with a long walk by the ocean and a beautiful sunset.

2 minutes from The Old Rectory.

ROBBERG BEACH

Robberg beach is a four kilometre stretch between the Beacon Isle Hotel and the Robberg Peninsula and it’s popular for long walks, kayaking, paddle skiing, swimming and lazing in the sun. Dolphins, whales and seals can be spotted in or just behind the waves that break onto the beach. At low tide, where the beach meets the Robberg Peninsula, you can spot the shipwreck of the Athena, a Greek trawler which sank here in 1967. The beach is monitored by lifeguards during the holiday period and on weekends and is divided into several swimming sections. There are some strong riptides so it is important to stick to lifeguard-monitored areas. The best swimming area is the Blue Flag beach, ‘Robberg 5’. This is about half-way down the beach and accessed via Beachyhead road or on foot via the main beach.

5 minutes from The Old Rectory.

KEURBOOMS LAGOON BEACH

This beach runs along the front of the lagoon and can vary in size depending on tides, it can be a thin strip of sand or a broad stretch of beach. There are often wide sandbanks that are covered in shallow water that warms up nicely on a hot day. It is ideal for kids and is one of the safest swimming spots in Plett. It offers picturesque scenes with rowing boats, yachts and ski boats cruising up and down the channel. There are public toilets but no other public amenities.

10 minutes from The Old Rectory.

KEURBOOMS BEACH

Keurbooms Beach is a slightly wilder and less populated beach, positioned on the eastern side of the river mouth. This Blue Flag beach is one the most beautiful beaches in South Africa, with indigenous greenery hugging the coastline. It is not as busy throughout the year as the main beaches, largely due to its length. It is ideal for long beach walks where you can watch dolphins frolic in the waves. Amenities include a restaurant, public toilets, wheelchair access and ample parking.

15 minutes from The Old Rectory.

NATURE’S VALLEY BEACH

Last but not least, Nature’s Valley Beach stretches for six kilometers alongside the mouth of the Groot River at the bottom of the Groot River pass and the Groot River estuary. This Blue Flag beach forms part of the Tsitsikamma De Vasselot Nature Reserve. The beach includes a beautiful lagoon which flows into the ocean and is surrounded by rich fauna and flora. It is a bird watcher’s paradise too. Lifeguards are on duty during high season. Facilities include a restaurant, public toilets, wheelchair access and parking.

32 minutes from The Old Rectory.