PLETTENBERG BAY

Unless you rank among the elite and own a family holiday pad in Plett (535km from Cape Town), or have a contact who does, you probably don't want to be here at Christmas. Gautengers crowd the beaches, their 4x4s hog the roads, prices leap, standards drop, and the town's entire infrastructure creaks under the load. From late January though, relative sanity returns to Sandton by the Sea, but the atmosphere is still far removed from the sleepy stupor that once typified this rustic holiday village. This said, irrespective of season and the rash of development, Plettenberg Bay is still painfully beautiful. The blue Tsitsikamma Mountains on one side, the long finger of Robberg on the other, the sweeping bay and a curvaceous arc of white beach, provide a constant backdrop to the town. Although house and accommodation prices in Plett have gone berserk over the years, affordable self-catering options can still be found out of peak season, with the months of July and August and the areas lying away from the main centre offering the best value.

Things To Do
  • It's not Plett central – a conglomeration of supermarkets, beachwear and slop shops, well-fed estate agents and restaurants – but the beaches that the crowds come for. There is a good choice, each with its own subculture: from the kugel tribes of Sandton to the farming folks from Springbok, come Christmas they’re all there. Main Beach is adjacent to the 1960s Beacon Isle Hotel eyesore and has the safest swimming. Further along, bleached teenagers boogie-board to the side of Lookout Rocks, while around the corner Lookout Beach has the best bodysurfing and babewatching. For solitude and long sunset walks, spread your towel on the 5km beach between Beacon Isle and Robberg. Alternatively, don your gold chain and Speedo and eavesdrop the kugel chatter.
     
  • Robberg Nature Reserve (tel 044-533 2125) is your escape chute from the Plett crowds – no concrete-mixers, no shops, no traffic jams, just nature in its buck-naked splendour. This thin rocky peninsula jutting deep into the ocean has one of the Garden Route's best walks, a 9km circular trail along high cliffs that overlook basking seals and dolphins cutting torpedo-like through the water. A two-hour walk and other shorter rambles (one to a Stone Age cave at Nelson Bay) are also available. A map will be provided with your permit at the entrance to the reserve.
     
  • Southern right whales and their offspring grace the bay from July to November. Ocean Safaris (tel 044-533 4963) runs regular guided whale-watching and 'eco-trips' into the bay, but there are also excellent vantage points for viewing these gentle giants from the shore. Less fussy about season are Plett's dolphins, which can be seen throughout the year, often in large groups.
     
  • Keurboomstrand (about 14km east of Plett) is a calm resort with stupendous views and wonderful beaches. An uncluttered place of old holiday houses and limited facilities, it makes for a good day outing (and an even better holiday destination) – but take care in the water. There is also a restaurant situated right on the beach; the superb outlook compensates for the erratic service.
     
  • Closer to Plett, canoeing up the Keurbooms River yields a refreshing perspective of the area; CapeNature (tel 044-802 5310) provides permits, basic canoes and the option of overnighting in a secluded cabin along the river bank.
     
  • Plett's restaurant scene has come a long way since the old days when the choice was limited to Cranzgots or Cranzgots. Looking just a little tacky, this institution is still there, but so are Le Bistro on the Bay (brilliant adjoining bakery and good for lunch in the courtyard; tel 044-533 1390), Cornutti (vibiest spot in town, but rip-off pasta and pizza prices; tel 044-533 1277), Weldon Kaya (creative Afro-chic décor and menu), Beacon Island Hotel (breakfast and dinner on the patio), Old Nick Country Kitchen (garden setting and arguably the best value in town; tel 044-533 6016) and Emily Moon River Lodge (Bali-style venue perched above the Bitou River; tel 044-533 2982).
     
  • Pop into the local tourist office and you'll discover that Plett has plenty in the way of outdoor action. There are some 40 operators offering a bit of everything: kayaking (Dolphin Adventures, tel 083-590 3405), river cruises (Keurbooms River Ferries, tel 044-532 7876), mountain biking (tel 044-532 7644) and horse riding in the Harkerville Forest, river and rock fishing (Matata Fishing Charters, tel 072-448 7582), a screamfest of bungy jumping off Bloukrans Bridge (tel 042-281 1458), skydiving (Skydive Plettenberg Bay, tel 044-533 9048), and heaps more. With a bit of planning you can do a lot of these activities on your own.
     
  • Plett's recent obsession with polo (of the horsey kind) is a sign of the changing times. While few can afford this indulgent pastime there is nothing to stop you from hobnobbing (as a spectator) with the well-manured and blue-blooded. A bottle of Bollinger (filled with Bellingham), a pair of soiled jodhpurs, and you'll fit right in. New Year's day is the highlight on the local polo calendar, with matches also held at Easter and during the year. The gawky guy with the big ears? Well, that must be Charles.