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The first Plett Ocean Festival, and Marine Science Symposium, held in Plettenberg Bay from 1 – 10 July 2022 has proved three very solid propositions: firstly, that the ocean provides an enigmatic attraction for almost anyone who lives nearby, secondly, that many, many people are deeply curious about the mysteries of the ocean and its creatures and that, thirdly, Plettenberg Bay is the ideal place for such a festival to be held!

The festival proved a resounding success with over 500 tickets sold for the Marine Science Symposium, held at the Beacon Island Resort, averaging 150 people per day and with full three-day passes as the highest contributor to sales. The festival and symposium were introduced alongside an invitation to Observe.Conserve.Preserve. providing a platform for both conservation and community involvement with the phrase “citizen science” used as both a presentation topic and to denote regular community members who contribute towards research, volunteer and assist conservationists on their projects. And, if you’re going to be a citizen scientist, Plett is certainly the place to do it.

The Marine Science Symposium was MCed by passionate freediving instructor, influencer and dynamic presenter, Zandile Ndhlovu of the Black Mermaid Foundation. Ndhlovu founded the Black Mermaid Foundation seeking to create diverse representation in the ocean arena of South Africa. Her work centres around enabling access to ocean spaces for local ocean communities with the goal of inclusive participation, recreationally and professionally, while creating a new generation of ocean guardians.

To this end, the Black Mermaid Foundation partnered with Plett’s Louise Ausperg of Adopt A Swimmer to introduce new young swimmers to the wonders beneath the surface of the Keurbooms Estuary, which include rays, juvenile reef fish, sea hares and much more. It was a match made in paradise as Ausperg and Ndhlovu’s workshop was received with great enthusiasm from participants and brought an optimistic and wondrous spirit to the festival from the first day.

In our global climate, a symposium around conservation and marine science might have been filled with doom, gloom and dire warnings, however, each presenter brought their knowledge and passion to the symposium with a fresh perspective, solution thinking and a true desire to share their work. MC Zandile and symposium attendees returned this enthusiasm with their own curiosity fostering positive conversations and optimistic networking opportunities.

Highlights included Dr Chantel Elston’s “What lives in the Keurbooms Estuary”, Lacey Williams’ “The White Sharks of Plettenberg Bay”, Lloyd Edwards’ “Humpback Whale Migration Route”, and Danielle Conry’s “A story of killer whale research in South Africa” were hugely popular with Williams’ talk sold out. Pierre de Villiers and Chanel Hauvette, both of CapeNature, tackled the challenges of marine protected areas and marine life strandings, respectively, and Ndhlovu further impressed with a kind and thought-provoking look at why diverse representation in our ocean spaces is so important.

Plettenberg Bay provided a true feast for the senses as art-lovers connected at the ninth annual Plett ARTS Festival from 30 September – 9 October 2022. The festival provided an experience that embraced all the senses through music, food, artisanal libations, fashion, traditional art, sculpture, digital art, dance and land art while continuing to focus on the festival’s unique attraction of art in nature.

Festival director, Cindy Wilson-Trollip put together a dazzling programme with highlights that included the popular Plett Food & Film experience, music events, and the Plett ARTS Twilight Meander through Plett’s Main Street. Plett Food & Film is a pairing of film with food and experiences inspired by that movie and, for 2022, A Night of Kalahari Enchantment featured The Great Dance, a Hunter’s Story, by Damon & Craig Foster.

Introduced with a poetry reading by Was Lemuel, of Antjie Krog’s adapted San works, and paired with a veritable feast, including wild edibles, inspired the hunting and foraging featured onscreen and a guided tasting of urban-foraged edible roots, leaves and unexpected delectables – the evening proved both entertaining and informative. The final magical moments of the evening proved to be the most impressive as Dizu Plaatjie – of Amampondo fame – performed moving music from across the ages. The audience was both touched and absorbed by Plaatjie’s performance, which finished with a standing ovation and calls for an encore resounding beautifully with the film and dishes served.

Music always features prominently at the Plett ARTS Festival and Dizu Plaatjies’ show will be remembered for many years to come. Expanding on the musical theme both Main Fact and King Melisizwe brought their signature styles to tshisanyamas in Plett, at Kasi Lyfstyle and Lehae respectively, performing under a glorious Plett sky.

Plett’s music in nature performances were hosted at Bosky Dell, where jazz group The Collectiv played a sold-out show in the rose gardens, and in the forests of Bronze Fields Foundry, Wynand Davel & Rynier Prince played a duet of guitar and violin that floated through the trees on a gentle breeze. Robert Leggat, master bronzemaker of Bronze Fields and sculptor of Plett’s iconic Dolphin Circle, reported that at one point in the forest concert, a bird sang a duet along with the violin – what a perfect Plett ARTS Festival moment. “Thank you, Plett Tourism, for arranging a wonderful event for us artists,” said Leggat in a message. 

Plettenberg Bay was recognised, along with eight other unique, enviable destinations across the globe: Puebla, Mexico, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Alentejo, Portugal, Svalbard, Norway, Goa, India, Scottsdale, Arizona, Val Graziosa, Italy, and Chiang Mai, Thailand. What an honour to be recognised amongst such exquisite international destinations. Plettenberg Bay is indeed in good company.

“Plettenberg Bay is South Africa’s summer playground, and I, a Capetonian, would drive the 186-mile coastal path along the scenic Garden Route each year to join the fun,” writes Condé Nast editor Isabella Sullivan. “The bohemian seaside town sits atop a sheltered bay, where a jumble of hipster coffee shops, seafood restaurants, and kitsch boutiques tumble down onto fynbos-covered cliffs.” 

The Plettenberg Hotel, a favourite with Condé Nast travellers and winner of a Condé Nast Traveller’s Award for 2019, 2020 and 2021, is a grand dame overlooking the bay and mountains receives a special mention in the article as does the modern, seaside Robberg Beach Lodge and timeless, luxurious Tsala Treetop Lodge. The list also mentions Plett’s winter whale and dolphin season,  Gary Player golf course, beautiful Keurbooms and Robberg Nature Reserves, the Plett Polo Club, animal sanctuaries and, of course, gorgeous golden beaches.

As the summer season winds down, it is easy to imagine that things in Plettenberg Bay are slowing down. And, compared to the frantic, sun-kissed days and sultry nights of high summer in Plett, the town is certainly more relaxed but by no means a sleepy little town. From February through to November, visitors will find many and varied reasons to visit. The diversity of Plett’s events is, by now, well known.

Cindy Wilson-Trollip, Plett Tourism’s events manager sums up the year-round calendar: “The diversity of events in Plett are a reflection of the many facets of our town and all of them highlight the unique personality of Plett and Plett people. The reverberation of sport and adventure events, arts, music and lifestyle happenings is felt throughout the year in the forests and estuaries, stadiums and indoor venues, all the way to the shoreline. You have an open invitation!”

The Easter and school holidays in March or April are always a mixture of adventure sport with the BUCO Adventure Weekend, and music with Amapiano, GQOM, rock and Afrikaans musicians sharing venues across Plettenberg Bay.  Agriculture takes centre stage as autumn rolls around and it’s harvest time in the Plett Winelands. While it is difficult to plan a winelands harvest event (due to each wine farm harvesting curing their calculated perfect conditions), many of these overlap and visitors are often welcomed with huge smiles and faces glowing with post-harvest excitement.

Until 2021, Plett Tourism hosted the much-loved Plett ARTS Festival during the winter holidays – introducing visitors and festival-goers to local and national artists, poets, land artists, musicians, and performers – especially during the Main Street Twilight Arts Meander (like nowhere in South Africa) and bringing film and cuisine together in a unique and flavourful blend for the popular Plett Food & Film – a pairing of a classic foody film with dishes inspired by it. The Plett ARTS Festival is now positioned in the spring (October) holidays and, following an entirely live-streamed event in 2020, took to the fresh air in 2021 to combine all things artistic and outdoorsy for a weekend of fantastic fun.

To coincide with winter and the abundant marine wildlife that passes along our coastline at that time of year, Plett Tourism is proud to introduce the first Plett Ocean Festival (1-10 July 2022) a celebration of Plettenberg Bay’s most beloved treasures: our ocean, marine life, and beaches. The festival will be anchored by a three-day marine science symposium and a variety of ocean-themed events with a strong conservation theme.  The Plett Ocean Festival will appeal to family audiences with the screening of the new Seal Team film, a fun run, surfing and fishing competition in addition to the marine science symposium.

Finally rolling back around towards summer and the Plett Summer Festival and Plett Rage Student Festival, two festivals that have reached legendary status for the sheer quality of performances and perfection of the location. The summer festival features staples such as the Polo Pony Street Parade and Polo International, summer music festival at Kwano Stadium, the Get Lucky Summer residency with GoodLuck and the Sabrina Love Ocean Challenge to name a few.

Situated between two Marine Protected Areas, Robberg and Tsitsikamma, Plett is ideally positioned for scientific research and marine tourism activities, including whale and dolphin watching. The Tsitsikamma Mountains and Robberg Nature Reserve provide a dramatic backdrop to the bay which is a popular whale-watching destination along with many other outdoor, adventure activities, including mountain biking, kayaking, hiking, trail running, bungy jumping, skydiving, and much more.

A Whale Heritage Site is an initiative by the World Cetacean Alliance (WCA) to recognise and accredit destinations across the world that support and demonstrate the importance of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) and their ocean habitats. Furthermore, these sites empower communities to care for and protect these magnificent marine mammals while encouraging respect for and celebration of cetaceans through local culture, arts and events, supporting local economic and environmental sustainability; and developing locally based science, research and education – a perfect fit for Plettenberg Bay.

The WCA seems to agree: “Sites like Plettenberg Bay have the potential to lead the way in responsible tourism, research and conservation, helping local communities and visitors alike to celebrate and care for the marine environment,” says Elizabeth Cuevas of World Cetacean Alliance. “We look forward to working with the stakeholders at Plettenberg Bay on their journey to become a Whale Heritage Site!”

Those working towards Whale Heritage Site accreditation hope that it will help to bring together different stakeholders in the local community, as well as gaining Plettenberg Bay well-deserved recognition for its sustainability achievements and ecological importance. Southern right whales and humpbacks can be seen here from July to December during their migrations, while Bryde’s whales frequent the bay throughout the year. Bottlenose dolphins, common dolphins, and endangered humpback dolphins are also year-round visitors.

The initiative has been spearheaded by passionate local photographer and wildlife enthusiast Rob Smith who, after attending a series of presentations at the Marine Science Symposium held at Plett’s first Ocean Festival earlier this year, was inspired to investigate the Whale Heritage Site process. Smith says: ” The Ocean Festival organised by Plett Tourism in July this year opened a treasure chest of Plett’s marine ecology. It was a moment to acknowledge the unique beauty of our town’s marine and coastal systems.”

Even in an age where many travellers plan and book their holidays online, the Plett Tourism office, located on the upper level of Melville’s Corner in Main Street, Plettenberg Bay, has been a destination for visitors to get up-to-date information and advice on where to stay and how to spend their time in and around Plettenberg Bay. Now, with the addition of an in-house Concierge Service, the office can expand on providing a Plett-style personalised and hassle-free service for visitors to make use of.

The front-of-house staff at the Plett Tourism office are knowledgeable and friendly, and are easily able to assist with enquiries and bookings in real-time and answer any questions guests may have. Plett Tourism CEO Patty Butterworth is pleased with the introduction of this new service: “We have been looking at a dedicated Concierge Desk in the office for some time now, and it felt like the right time to introduce this invaluable resource as visitors return to Plett.”

The Concierge Team brings together a dynamic duo of experience and enthusiasm in Emily Potgieter and Brayley Booysen. Emily is a Plett Tourism office legend with 22 years’ experience in the office, specialising in understanding guest requirements and handling special requests. Her knowledge of local activities, restaurants and shopping destinations is second to none and she speaks English, German, isiZulu and Afrikaans.

Brayley is newer to the Plett Tourism team, graduating from tourism intern to information officer in 2022, but brings a passion for music, arts, events and culture to the team and strong organisation skills to both the Concierge and Community Hot Desk. She speaks English and Afrikaans. Both Emily and Brayley are strong ambassadors for Plett and enjoy meeting and assisting visitors.

Greek philosopher, Aristotle theorised, “Art takes nature as its model” and it’s almost impossible to immerse yourself in the natural surroundings of the Garden Route and Plettenberg Bay without being inspired to create: a sandcastle, a painting, a photograph, a poem, or, in the case of land artists, a beautiful, transient artwork made from natural materials that embodies any number of creative forms.

Land Art returned to Plettenberg Bay for the Plett ARTS Festival this past spring in the form of the Plett ARTS Festival Connect Land Art Route. Plettenberg Bay is no stranger to Land Art and art in nature: following two successful Site_Specific Land Art installations in 2011 and 2013, and a reintroduction at the 2021 arts festival, this year’s activation will feature a full Land Art Connect Route exhibition. But, what is Land Art?  This type of art is created using materials from the natural environment and artworks are on display only for as long as nature (the tide, the winds, the waves) allows – a transient beauty as perfectly fleeting as a spring breeze.

However, Land Art can take a more lasting form as in the two artworks created during the Site_Specific events. “Land Art has been a part of the Plett landscape for a number of years with permanent artworks like Aartmoeders in Kranshoek and Calling the Herd at Crossroads,” says Plett ARTS Festival festival director, Cindy Wilson-Trollip. “And there are plans to add to this outdoor exhibition and art route in the near future in intriguing ways.”

A decade ago, when Land Art was first introduced to Plettenberg Bay, these two permanent pieces signified a new type of artwork for the region, both visually appealing and with a lovely story to tell, inspired by the Garden Route’s indigenous elephant population. The first installation was “Aartmoeders”, by Simon Max Bannister which can be found at Kranshoek and is a series of life-size boulders arranged to look like elephants moving along the coastal cliffs. The second is “Calling the Herd” which is located at Crossroads on the R340. This piece was created by Strijdom van der Merwe and visitors can actually blow the horn to “summon” the elephant herd.

An impromptu trip to photograph the night sky turned into an exciting find for Jared as he captured an enchanting image of the Milky Way, the vibrant Magellanic clouds, electric blue bioluminescence in the waves of the bay…and the comet of the moment, Comet Leonard.

What Jared originally thought was a smudge on the photo turned out to be much more; with the help of renowned Astro-photographer, Matt Dieterich, Jared identified the smudge as Comet Leonard!

Comet Leonard, also known as Comet C/2021 A1, was identified just a year ago by Greg Leonard, an astronomer with Arizona’s Catalina Sky Survey, and last passed earth 80 000 years ago. While its flyby of Earth is about 35 million kilometres, Comet Leonard came the closest it has ever been to Venus (scientifically speaking, a hair’s breadth at 4.2 million kilometres). Sadly, this astral object is not expected to pass this way again as its trajectory will take it out of our solar system and into deep space.

Adding sparkle to an already remarkable starscape, the waves of Plettenberg Bay were bright with bioluminescence. Bioluminescence, also known as sea sparkle, is light emitted by organisms in the ocean; some marine creatures like squid, tiny crustaceans, algae, and some fish produce this strange light either to confuse predators, attract prey or lure in potential mates. In Plettenberg Bay, bioluminescence is most often caused by a plankton bloom which results in the ocean glowing as the waves disturb the plankton.

Photographers have always enjoyed capturing the sparkling skies over Plettenberg Bay with the bonus of the opportunity to include a bioluminescent seascape. The area is an amazing coastal town with astonishing natural beauty and many natural wonders, so it’s no surprise a once-in-a-lifetime photograph has captured a magical moment.

The article mentions Plettenberg Bay, amongst other Garden Route destinations, by name: “Ready for a road trip to remember? Drive along South Africa’s Garden Route, which stretches from Mossel Bay to Storms River, taking in some of the world’s most beautiful coastline. Propose during a barefoot walk along Noetzie Beach, or pluck up the courage after a wine or two at the vineyards outside Plettenberg Bay. Alternatively, you could ask your loved one to take the leap – literally and figuratively – in the town of Wilderness, where you can paraglide over sweeping beaches or cliff jump on a canyon tour; marriage is an adventure, so why not start as you mean to go on?”

The Garden Route, and specifically Plett, has long been a coveted romantic destination for engagements, proposals, weddings, and honeymoons. With a selection of locations to “pop the question”, from forest to sea, we are sure you will find a perfectly memorable spot.

The new Plett Tourism Board was voted in at the Plett Tourism AGM held at The White House on 31 August 2022. Board members are elected by a majority vote by the association’s members and sit for a three year period and function as guides and overseers of the activities, campaigns and projects of Plett Tourism.

The newly elected board members to be welcomed include Linda Packwood of Plett Villas representing the self-catering accommodation portfolio. Packwood has been an active member of the tourism industry for twenty years and brings both experience and enthusiasm to the table. Our other new board member is Nicole Tunmer, Group Sales & Marketing Manager of The Liz McGrath Collection also with twenty years’ experience in sales, marketing and business development in the Garden Route. Plett Tourism and Plettenberg Bay is indeed fortunate to be guided by these highly experienced and skilled board members.

There are several re-elected board members who have been voted in for another term.  Victor Zingwena of Lion Roars accepted his nomination and will serve a second term. Zingwena will represent guesthouses and bed & breakfasts, bringing more than ten years’ marketing experience in the tourism sector. Jaco Kruger of Offshore Adventures has also accepted his nomination and will serve a second term. Kruger has over a decade of experience in the tourism sector in Plettenberg Bay, and is also the chairman of the Plett Shark Action Group and station commander of the local NSRI (Sea Rescue). Kruger represents the activities sector in Plett.

Restaurants are represented by Alex Olivier, general manager of Emily Moon. Olivier will also serve a second term after accepting his nomination. Olivier is a passionate and experienced chef and businessperson with a passion for food and hospitality that extends into cooking with CBD oil and coastal foraging. Recently accepting a position on the Board prior to the AGM, Ecotourism is represented by Grahame Thomson, director of Venture Beyond and wildlife author. From his years in the safari industry, Thomson brings strong problem-solving skills and vast industry knowledge to the Plett Tourism Board.

Read more about the Elected Board Members

Per the constitution, the Board also consists of appointed members as follows: Two members from Bitou Municipality, Lesley Jacobs Bitou Municipality Economic Development & Tourism Manager, and Ludolph Gericke, Director of Strategic Services. Chairman, Bruce Richardson, treasurer, Liz Phillips, and CEO, Patty Butterworth have all been appointed to continue in their roles, and Sally Turner is appointed as representative of the Community Police Forum. The Plett Chamber of Business will be appointing their representative and the board will be electing two new community representatives.

The Plett Tourism Association is excited to welcome tourism industry representatives at the next Plett Conversations, scheduled for 24 of November, 15h00 – 17h00 at Emily Moon in the James Room. The programme for the next Plett Conversations includes an overview of the Plett Tourism Association Business Plan and Marketing as well as an introduction to the Plett Tourism team members. This to be followed by a Q&A and a networking opportunity with other guests.

As we emerge from the pandemic, it is important to stay focused and work together. The Business Plan offers exciting opportunities for the local industry. “ Working together with committed efforts between the Bitou Municipality and the Association, we are focused on supporting existing objectives and delivering on some new projects. Most importantly, increasing visitation beyond pre-pandemic numbers, increasing domestic and international visitors, and growing the average spend across all markets to generate additional income streams. As always, who we are, where we represent and how we operate at all levels as a business continues to be a focus,” says Patty Butterworth Plett Tourism CEO. ”

The Plett Tourism Association offers a number of membership options, including free membership.

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