Plettenberg Bay has developed into one of the most popular bathing resorts on the Garden Route, thanks to the marvelous beaches which extend for almost 12km/7.5mi round the town, many of them particularly suitable for children. The sun is claimed to shine on 320 days in the year at Plettenberg Bay, and the temperature of the
sea is around 20°C/68°F throughout the year. These advantages have attracted many South Africans to build luxurious holiday homes here, while for visitors there are numerous hotels, guest houses and camping sites. During the main holiday season in summer the 10,000 inhabitants of the town are outnumbered by anything up to 50,000 visitors. There are fewer visitors between February and April, and since during these months weather conditions are usually ideal that is the best time to choose for a visit.
The Portuguese navigator Mesquita da Perestrelo, who anchored in the bay in 1576, originally named it Bahia Formosa ("Beautiful Bay"). Its present name comes from the governor of the Dutch colony, Joachim van Plettenberg, who visited the region in 1778.