Known as South Africa’s playground for the jet-setting crowd, Plettenberg Bay is indeed a holiday paradise of note. Favoured by all age groups, especially by youngsters leaving school and wanting one last hurrah with their mates, Plett, as it affectionately known, is truly the place to be. Endless stretches of pristine waters that are clear and warm with decadent white sand and copious amounts of African sun are amongst the many reasons why holidaymakers flock to this Garden Route diamond in their droves each year. While Plett’s vacation hot spot tag is well-known, there is definitely more that meets the eye when it comes to this elegant seaside resort.
Plettenberg Bay is heavily steeped in history with the first signs of civilization emerging as early as the 15th Century when Portuguese explorers were said to have visited regularly. There were numerous artifacts left behind by the Portuguese to exhume in light of this with the most prominent one being that of the Gonzales Wreck. Other traces of early civilization can be found at monuments like the Old Rectory that had been built by the Dutch East India Company in 1776 as well as Forest Hall, which was a privately owned stately home built by William Henry Newdgate; both of these stem from the time of the European settlers that had moved to South Africa. Besides being history laden, Plett is also something of a gourmet capital with many fine dining eateries in the area namely the restaurant at the opulent Beacon Isle Hotel as well as the Mampoer and Witblits distilleries where visitors can try some of the strong alcoholic beverages brewed there. But let’s face it – Plett is all about leisure and pleasure and in this vein the activities to enjoy here are endless: yachting, polo, bungee jumping, charter boat cruises, abseiling, hiking, and much more. Indeed, a vacation to the legendary Plettenberg Bay promises to be unforgettable.
