Keurboomstrand, Garden Route

Lying on the other side of Keurbooms River from Plettenberg Bay, Keurboomstrand or beach lies on an enviable part of the Garden Route, highly popular for camping, fishing and swimming. But don't let the idea of holiday fever crowds deter you during the off season, as the views and beach at Keurbooms Strand are pretty spectacular.

The word 'keurboom' comes from the local Keurboom tree or choice tree (Virgilia oroboides), which produces pretty pink-mauve flowers from August to September and again in December. Keurboomstrand lies in the shadow of a mountain thick with trees, its beaches a pristinee and the warm waters of the Indian Ocean an added bonus here in the heart of the Garden Route, with easy access to its highlights like the Tsitsikamma (but a half hour's drive from here), Storms River Mouth, Knysna, Nature's Valley and the attractions of Plettenberg Bay.

From the beach your direct line of sight across the waves is of the Robberg Peninsula and nature reserve on the other side of Plett, as the very popular neighbouring beach side town is known. The Keurbooms River, which lies just a little further than midway between Plett and the suburb of Keurbooms Strand, meets the Bitou River to form a lagoon with its own island. This is a wonderful hive of skiing, fishing and boat cruises where one can explore the river in a canoe. The estuary of the Keurbooms River is one of the best examples of a tidal river mouth that the Garden Route has to offer

One can take long walks along the Keurboom Strand or if hikes are what you after then the Keurbooms River Nature Reserve, just a few kilometres out on the N2 from Keurbooms Strand, has a few to offer.