The beaches of Plettenberg Bay are truly stunning, as attested to by the great crowds of visitors during peak holiday seasons such as December. If beach parties and crowds of the "in" people is your scene, then this is the time to join in the fun. Outside school holidays, the beaches are usually much quieter. Sunny days may be plentiful, even in colder months, but be warned--bad weather is also a strong possibility in winter, so have some other plans for any rainy days.
"Bahia Formosa" is a Portuguese term coined by the early explorers along this coast and justifiably means "beautiful bay." Plettenberg Bay’s three beaches are the jewels in this crown.
Anyone in Plett should be able to direct you to the Beacon Isle parking area, with Central Beach to your left, Robberg Beach to your right and the Beacon Isle Hotel dramatically positioned in front of you. For a brisk walk of about 8km (5 miles), there and back, Robberg Beach leads to the imposing Robberg ("seal mountain") Peninsula, jutting out into the sea. Dotted along the sand dunes are millionaires’ homes, their lavish glass surfaces glinting in the sun. Ever-present gulls and other sea birds are there, seemingly to entertain and from July to December, Southern Right Whales may be spotted in the shelter of the Robberg Peninsula.
From the parking area, in the opposite direction, take the footbridge over the Piesang River to Central Beach. This beach can be crossed in about fifteen minutes. For an impressive view of the bay, take the gully path upwards onto the headland and then traverse towards the sea. Often fishermen are found here, and below, where you have just come from, are invariably the surfers. Around the corner lies Lookout Beach and further north, the bay sweeps around towards the Tsitsikamma. Central Beach also has a most active little fishing industry. Rubber boats beach themselves with crates of fish on ice, fresh from fishing vessels anchored offshore. Boat trips for whale and dolphin spotting are also launched from the beach. Houses climb the large hill overlooking the beach and a couple of restaurants and an ice cream shack are concentrated to the south side of the beach. The white sands and the warm (depending on what you are used to) Indian Ocean water complete the picture of a heavenly beach.
Lookout Beach lies on the other side of the headland described above and can be reached by climbing over it and dropping down the other side. However, the path is not too good in places, so you may find it better to drive there. Either way, you are welcomed by another wonderful beach. White sands lead one onto the mouth of the Keurbooms River. This beach may be a good place to find a pansy shell (sand dollar). On your return, the restaurant and pub on Lookout Beach may be just the spot for a sundowner or dinner with a sea view.