If you have never visited Plettenberg Bay during Whale Season – you are in for a treat! Plettenberg Bay is one of the best places for whale watching in the world! Every year (between July & November), Southern Right and Humpback whales visit the sheltered Plettenberg Bay to mate and calve. Visitors to Plettenberg Bay are treated to a spectacular display of breaching, tail and flipper slapping, sailing and spyhopping (peaking the head out of the water)
At Amakaya Backpackers, we recommend either booking a whale watching excursion with one of the local operators. Or we can tell you about all the best spots for land based whale watching. A walk on Robberg Peninsula during whale season is an excellent place to enjoy the whales whales, as well as possible sightings of seals, sharks & dolphins. Many of the whales will hang out just behind the beach breaks, so a walk on the beach is often very rewarding. Visiting Robberg, Keurbooms or Lookout beaches are good choices. Plettenberg Bay also has a number of elevated lookout spots. Visit our information kiosk at the backpackers for more information on these.
A boat based whale watching experience is perfectly wonderful. Although, there is no guarantee of seeing whales, or having a close encounter, these chances increase dramatically during the whale season. The boats are permitted to approach the whales but are limited to a specific distance and attempt to not disrupt the whales, especially if they are with their calves. The whales will often approach the boat and spend some time looking around. This is nothing short of magical.
So if you are planning to visit Plettenberg Bay, you should definitely consider the wonderful “winter” months of our secret season (whale season) as one of the best times to visit our Plett!
Cool, can you arrange boat trips to see them?