Lookout Beach
Plettenberg Bay's main beach — a wide arc of sand between the Beacon Isle hotel and the sea, with dolphin and whale sightings in season.
Trip Role
Ideal stay
Best for
Our take
The reliable, scenic heart of Plettenberg Bay.
The reliable, scenic heart of Plettenberg Bay.
- Trip Role
- Day Trip
- Ideal Stay
- Half a day
- Time Needed
- 3-4 hours
- Best For
- Whale watching and family beach days
- Go If
- You want a classic, wide-open beach experience with easy access to town.
Why it's worth your time
Plettenberg Bay's primary beach, forming a wide arc between the Beacon Isle hotel and the river mouth. It is a popular spot for whale and dolphin watching during the season.
What we love
The expansive views across the bay toward the Tsitsikamma mountains.
What to know
The beach profile changes significantly with the tides and river mouth shifts.
More beach in Western Cape
Arniston (Waenhuiskrans)
A whitewashed Overberg fishing village with a sheltered beach, a sea cave, and the Kassiesbaai fishermen's cottages — the prettiest village on the south coast.
Bikini Beach
A tiny sheltered cove at Gordon's Bay — False Bay's warmest, most protected swimming spot.
Boulders Beach
A sheltered cove of granite boulders and an African penguin colony, half an hour from central Cape Town.
Buffalo Bay (Buffelsbaai)
A long, dune-backed beach near Knysna — dolphins most mornings and a surf break at the point.
Camps Bay
Cape Town's glamorous Atlantic-Seaboard beach — palm-lined, sunset-facing, and crowded for good reason.
Clifton 4th Beach
Four coves of sheltered white sand below Clifton's apartment stacks — wind-free when the rest of the coast is howling.