3. Nature’s Valley
Around 32 kilometers (20 miles) east of Plettenberg Bay lies the village of Nature’s Valley (on the Garden Route), with two contrasting, but equally stunning waterscapes. Stand on the deserted silver beach looking inland and you’ll see the tranquil Groot River Lagoon, against the backdrop of the Tsitsikamma Mountains. Turn seawards to experience the thrill of the Indian Ocean’s thunderous breakers; if you’re lucky, you may spy a pod of bottlenose dolphins. In the surrounding forest, exotic knysna lourie birds flash red and green as they swoop among the yellowwood trees. 360 degrees of enchantment makes this one of the most jaw-dropping beaches in South Africa in anyone’s mind.
