South Africa boasts many beautiful places - and, as we've said before, we believe that Plettenberg Bay is the most beautiful of all.

Watch whales (navigate to Whale Watching on this page) while you breakfast, stroll down to the lagoon, (navigate to Beaches on this page) relax on Plett's quiet beaches (navigate to Beaches on this page) or head out for a round of golf (navigate to Golf on this page) on any one of the Garden Route's championship courses - and come home at the end of the day to Thanda Vista.

BEACHES

The protected waters of our Lagoon and the lagoon-side Poortjies Beach lie within an easy 5 minutes walk from Thanda Vista, while Plett's fine swimming beaches are all just a short drive away.

• POORTJIES BEACH:
  Just 300 metres from our front door, the lagoon-side Poortjies Beach is a perfect, quiet spot for relaxing, bird watching and safe, wave-free swimming Poortjies Beach is just across the water from the Lagoon Mouth - which is in a constant state of flux and, in the natural order of things, is slowly migrating westwards).
  
  
• CENTRAL BEACH:
  Often the busiest beach in Plett, with life guards on duty in season. It's the launch site for Marine Safaris, fishing and dive charters and ocean kayaking tours. Facilities include restaurants, bars, public toilets (5 minutes);
  
  
• ROBBERG BEACH :
  Popular for long - long - walks, Robberg Beach stretches for kilometres between the Robberg Peninsula and the Beacon Island. Facilities include public toilets and various parking areas (5 minutes).
  
  
• KEURBOOMS BEACH:
  A little wilder, but equally beautiful. Facilities include a restaurant, public toilets and parking (15 Minutes).

CANOEING ON THE KEURBOOMS RIVER

Rent a canoe in the Keurbooms River Nature Reserve - laze your way up river between high craggy rocks and deep verdant forest. Also a perfect opportunity for birding (the Garden Route has nearly 300 bird species).

DIVING

The Beacon Isle Adventure Centre in the Beacon Isle Hotel and Diving International on Central Beach offer dive charters and advice on where to snorkel in the rich marine environment of Plettenberg Bay.

FISHING AND ANGLING

Rock anglers can expect to bag galjoen, elf, roman or steenbras from Nature's Valley, Keurbooms Beach, Lookout Rocks, Beacon Island or Robberg Beach. Deep Sea anglers can hunt for tuna, leervis, hake and calamari in their seasons. Fishing charters offering boat-based salt water fly fishing, game and line fishing depart regularly from Central Beach.

GAME VIEWING

Watch rhino, lions, giraffe, zebra, buffalo and kudu - as well as other big mammals and more than 150 species of birds - at Rhino Base Camp just 15 minutes drive from Thanda Vista.

GOLF

Plett boasts two fine, challenging courses:

• Plettenberg Bay Country Club - 18 hole par 72 (5 minutes from Thanda Vista); and
• Goose Valley - 18 hole par 72 (3 minutes from Thanda Vista).

... And there are a number of other great championship courses within easy driving distance, too: Pezula, Simola and Knysna Golf Club in Knysna (35 minutes from Thanda Vista) and Fancourt and George Golf Club in George (90 minutes).

MARINE SAFARIS & BOAT CRUISES

Both Ocean Safaris and Ocean Blue offer marine safaris and boat-based whale and dolphin watching (navigate to Whale Watching on this page) from Central Beach - three to four times a day, seven days a week (conditions permitting).

MONKEYLAND AND BIRDS OF EDEN

The primates at Monkeyland were all originally bred or held in captivity prior to coming here. Visitors may enjoy guided walking safaris. Also at Monkeyland, the Birds Of Eden project is the world's largest single-span aviary.

NYATI jjj MAMPOER DISTILLERY

Nyati jjj Liqueurs are made from Mampoer - Africa's potent, traditional, citrus-based spirit. Visit the Nyati Distillery at Buffalo Hills Game Reserve near Plettenberg Bay where Mampoer is steeped in a variety of fruits to create liquors that capture the flavour of Africa. Distillery tours and mampoer tastings are offered free of charge to casual visitors and are included in all safari game drives at Buffalo Hills.

POLO

Plett is South Africa's Polo Mecca with exciting tournaments played at Bitou House and Kurland during Easter, December and January and Polo practices throughout the year.

RESTAURANTS

We'd be delighted to help you choose a restaurant and make a booking for an unforgettable evening in Plett - local restaurants offer everything from fine cuisine to light meals, and there's something to suite every taste.

RIVER BOAT RIDES

There are about 6 km of navigable waters in the Keurbooms River Nature Reserve and a number of picnic spots next to the river with secluded beaches where you can spend your day swimming, tanning and fishing:

• Keurbooms River Ferries offers relaxing 2½ hour guided cruises; or
• Motorboat hire is available at Angling Club if you want to explore the river on your own.

SHOPPING

Plett's Main Street (central precinct) and our Market Square Mall boast a host of interesting shops and restaurants. The little town of Knysna, 30 km to the west, is also a popular shopping destination.

We particularly recommend OLD NICK - just 2 minutes from Thanda Vista - where you'll find great arts and crafts, jewellery, home decorations, a nursery, tea garden and restaurant. It's a showcase for some of the finest talent in Plett.

WHALE & DOLPHIN WATCHING

You can watch whales from the air, from the water or from the land - more different types of marine mammal have been recorded in Plettenberg Bay than at any other place in the Indian Ocean.

• African Ramble offers scenic, whale watching and charter flights from Plett Airport;
• Ocean Blue and Ocean Safaris offer whale and dolphin watching marine safaris from Central Beach;
• Thanda Vista offers great land-based whale and dolphin watching from our roof-top terraces or our breakfast room - and there's a telescope for our guest's exclusive use.

Minke Whales, Orcas (killer whales) and Bryde's whales visit the Bay throughout the year - as do dolphins, Cape fur seals and many other marine mammals. The migratory Southern Right and Humpback Whales appear during 'Whale Season' - between June and November - when they come to the shallow, protected waters of Plettenberg Bay to mate and calve.

Here's everything you'll want to know about your accommodation at Thanda Vista:

BEDROOMS

Each of our 5 en-suite bedrooms at Thanda Vista has:

• Air conditioning;
• Bar fridge;
• Coffee & tea facilities;
• Television;
• Radio / alarm clock;
• Personal safe (strongbox);
• 4 bedrooms have showers, 1 has both a shower and a bath and all are equipped with Toilet Friend ventilation systems for your personal hygiene and comfort.

SEA VIEWS

3 of our 5 rooms have balconies with sea views while the other 2 look out onto the garden. The following bed configurations are available:

• Sea view rooms - 2 with queen-size beds and 1 with twin bed (or king-size Bed on Request)
• Garden View Rooms - twin beds

BREAKFAST

Our first-floor breakfast room provides an elevated view of the Bay - and while you eat, you may be lucky enough to see the whales or dolphins for which Plett is famous.

For breakfast, choose from a continental menu and/or a full English breakfast

PUBLIC AREAS

Thanda Vista offers the following areas exclusively for our guests' use:

• Private Guest Lounge with television, music centre and free WI-FI broadband internet access;
• Roof top terraces (ideal for whale watching)
• A terrace for smokers (to comply with the law, smoking is not permitted in the bedrooms or indoor public areas at Thanda Vista).

PARKING

On-site parking is available.

SEA VIEWS

3 of our 5 rooms have balconies with sea views while the other 2 look out onto the garden. The following bed configurations are available:

• Sea view rooms - 2 with queen-size beds and 1 with twin bed (or king-size Bed on Request)
• Garden View Rooms - twin beds

BREAKFAST

Our first-floor breakfast room provides an elevated view of the Bay - and while you eat, you may be lucky enough to see the whales or dolphins for which Plett is famous.

For breakfast, choose from a continental menu and/or a full English breakfast

Directions from Knysna/Cape Town


• Follow N2 through traffic circle at Shell Ultra City
• Continue towards Port Elizabeth
• Turn right into Beacon Way at Engen Garage
• Pass Market Square on the right hand side
• Turn left into the first street on the lefthand side, Zenon Street
• At the T-junction turn left into Plato Street
• Go over one speed hump and turn left at the first street - Bird Street
• 8 Susan Street in front of you at the T-junction