The path runs along the edge of the cliff, the Cape fur seal colony below, the open sea beyond. Robberg is a peninsula of rock that closes the bay of Plettenberg Bay to the south, a nature reserve with circular routes and one of the best places on this coast to watch animals: seals all year, southern right whales from July to December, plus humpbacks and Bryde’s whales. Plett, as everyone here calls it, is the beach town of the Garden Route, with Central Beach and Robberg Beach as long, wide stretches of sand and a town that bursts at the seams in December.
- east of Mossel Bay, about two hours
- 140 km
- peninsula with a seal colony
- Robberg
- southern right whales in the bay
- July to December
- estuary with the Knysna seahorse
- Keurbooms
East of town the Keurbooms River reaches the sea, and its estuary holds the Knysna seahorse, which lives nowhere else. Boats run upstream. If you want animals behind netting, the aviaries of Birds of Eden and the primates of Monkeyland are nearby, entry on the operators’ websites. From Mossel Bay it is around 140 kilometres, which leaves little time as a day trip. Plett works better as a stop on the way east.
- Time needed
- a long day or one night
- Cost
- beaches free, Robberg by the reserve’s tariff
- When
- all year, whales July to December
- From Mossel Bay
- 140 km, 120 minutes
Our tipDo not make Plett a day trip from Mossel Bay, make it your second base. One night there, the Robberg circuit in the morning before the sun is on the rock, the beach in the afternoon.
Plettenberg Bay: frequently asked questions
How far is Plettenberg Bay from Mossel Bay?
Around 140 kilometres on the N2, about two hours of driving, past Knysna. That is a long day trip from Mossel Bay. It works better as a stop on the way east.
What is the Robberg Nature Reserve?
A rock peninsula closing the bay of Plettenberg Bay to the south, with circular paths over the cliffs and a large colony of Cape fur seals. From up there you see whales and, with luck, sharks. Entry is by the reserve’s tariff, worth checking before you drive.
When can you see whales in Plettenberg Bay?
Southern right whales come into the bay to calve from July to December, along with humpbacks and Bryde’s whales. From the Robberg peninsula you look down on them. In Mossel Bay the whale season runs from June to November.