Hostels in Plettenberg Bay, South Africa

A mere five hundred kilometers east of Cape Town on the south coast Garden Route, Plettenberg Bay, South Africa, is a city of in excess of thirty thousand people and is home to several Plettenberg Bay, South Africa hostels offering dorm and camping accommodation. Tourists come to Plettenberg Bay mainly for the sea life.

Whales are easily spotted in the June to December breeding season. Southern right, Bryde’s, and humpback whales are common, with the occasional killer and sei whales also seen. Three species of dolphins and African penguins are also commonly spotted and there is a Cape Fur Seal colony on Robberg Peninsula. A large variety of sea birds inhabit the coast and estuaries around Plettenberg Bay including the endangered African black oystercatcher.

It's not all about the sea and the coast, though. Plettenberg Bay is also a jumping-off point for the Tsitsikamma National Park and its many hiking trails. The flagship trail is the Otter Trail, a six-day walk along the coast to Storms River starting or finishing at the nearby Nature's Valley. There are many day trails of varying lengths, all giving access to the fynbos forests and staggering views down to the beach and along the estuaries.

Within a few kilometers of Plettenberg Bay is the Monkeyland and Birds of Eden complex housing one of the world's largest free-flight aviaries. Every Plettenberg Bay, South Africa hostel and its surrounds can organize hiking, diving, and surfing excursions as well as helping with shuttles to the various attractions or trail heads.

The journey east from Plettenberg Bay along the N2 features the crossing of a number of deep, narrow gorges. One of these, Bloukrans Gorge, has what is claimed to be the highest bungee jump from a bridge in the world.

The choice of accommodation here is wide with many Plettenberg Bay, South Africa hostels in the town as well as in the surrounding countryside. You can choose to be close to the beach or nearer the nature as you wish. Public transport is plentiful, so moving around the area is fairly simple and Plettenberg Bay's proximity to the N2 makes it easy to move on along the coastal Garden Route without too much trouble.