The Garden Route

This excellent museum includes the spring from which Bartholomeu Dias watered the postal tree, the 1786 Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie; VOC) granary, a shell museum (with some interesting aquarium tanks) and a local history museum. The highlight of the complex is the replica of the caravel that Dias used on his 1488 voyage of discovery (adult/child R20/5). Its small size brings home the extraordinary skill and courage of the early explorers.

The replica was built in Portugal and sailed to Mossel Bay in 1988 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Dias’ trip.

This reserve contains a vast range of wildlife, including lions, elephants, rhinos, buffaloes and giraffes. Day visitors are welcome for a variety of activities including three-hour wildlife drives (adult/child R420/210), horse riding (per hour R270) and elephant rides (R820). The reserve is about 20km northeast of Mossel Bay along the N2 (take the Little Brak River turn-off and follow the signs towards Sorgfontein). Bookings essential.

There are wonderful views from the lighthouse. Sadly, the St Blaize Cave, dating back to the Stone Age era, is rather neglected and frequented by vandals.

Boasting one of Mossel Bay’s best locations, this low-key restaurant has picnic tables on the sand overlooking the ocean. Most of the dishes – including stews, burgers, boerewors (farmer's sausage) and some seafood – are cooked on massive fire pits and there's local beer on tap.

A long-running Cuban-themed restaurant that's as popular as ever. Stews, steaks and seafood all make it on to the menu and there's a good cocktail list. It stays open late and is the best place for some after-hours action.

This ramshackle place right on the rocks at the Point is great for a sundowner and serves burgers, seafood and steaks.

A well-respected restaurant based in an old house. The menu is small and includes plenty of South African meat, including rack of lamb, kudu osso bucco and the very popular springbok shank.

Enjoy great coffee and homemade cakes at this funky cafe with eclectic decor and ocean views from the deck. It's an awesome spot to spend a couple of hours chilling or playing vinyl on the old-school jukebox.

Hikers can tackle this fabulous coastal trail in three or four days. It follows the coastline from Mossel Bay to Dana Bay via Cape St Blaize, where you’re likely to see the endangered black oystercatcher.

Mossel Bay is well known for its surf, and this company offers lessons for beginners. It also runs three-hour sandboarding experiences (R380).

Led by an archaeology professor, this fascinating four-hour tour includes a hike to the Pinnacle Point Caves, where discoveries have shed light on human life from 162,000 years ago.

Regular boat trips head out to Seal Island to see the seals, birds and dolphins that frequent these waters. In late winter and spring this outfit also runs whale-watching trips (R640, 2½ hours).

Full-day cage-diving trips to view great white sharks, including lunch, drinks and snacks.

Tandem skydives start from 3000m and when the weather and tides cooperate you get to land on Diaz Beach.

This well-run and long-established backpackers has swallowed the adjoining guesthouse, meaning there are some excellent en suite rooms on offer alongside dorms and basic doubles. There's even a honeymoon suite, complete with spa bath. Staff can arrange all sorts of activities.

The quirky, fake lighthouse on this exceptionally well priced hotel’s exterior is a sign of what’s inside: a range of fun, funky, bright rooms and friendly service. Rooms have a kitchenette and some have balconies. There are also two- and three-bedroom apartments with good sea views (R1800).

This modern hotel boasts a spectacular location, right above the wave-pounded rocks at the Point. There’s a decent restaurant (mains R60 to R120) and the spacious rooms have balconies with ocean views – request a south-facing room for the best vistas.

George was the hub of the indigenous timber industry and, thus, this museum contains a wealth of related artefacts.

The starting point and terminus for journeys on the Outeniqua Power Van, this museum is worth a visit if you’re interested in trains. A dozen locomotives and 15 carriages, as well as many detailed models, have found a retirement home here, including a carriage used by the British royal family in the 1940s.

In the one-time town administration building dating back to 1848, this long-standing restaurant is known for its excellent steaks and ever-changing game-meat options.

There's not a lot to keep you occupied in George, so this family-run microbrewery is a welcome addition. Sip a taster tray of the six staple beers brewed on-site and munch on simple platters while admiring the quirky mural detailing the brewing process.

A trip on this motorised trolley van is one of the best things to do in George. It takes you from the Outeniqua Transport Museum on a 2½-hour trip into the Outeniqua mountains. You can even take a bike and cycle back down the Montagu Pass.

Formerly the Wilderness National Park, this section has now been incorporated into the vast and scattered Garden Route National Park along with the Knysna Forests and Tsitsikamma. The park covers a unique system of lakes, rivers, wetlands and estuaries that are vital for the survival of many species. There are several nature trails in the national park for all levels of fitness, taking in the lakes, the beach and the indigenous forest.

The Kingfisher Trail is a day walk that traverses the region and includes a boardwalk across the intertidal zone of the Touws River. The lakes offer anglers, canoeists, windsurfers and sailors an ideal venue. Canoes (R250 per day) can be hired from Eden Adventures, which also offers abseiling (R375) and canyoning (R495).

There are two similar camping grounds in the park with basic but comfortable accommodation, including in rondavels (round huts with conical roofs): Ebb & Flow North (campsites from R150, double rondavel without/with bathroom R280/325), which is the smaller, and Ebb & Flow South (campsites from R150, forest cabins R540, four-person log cottage R1015).

Although no trains ply the tracks any more, this cafe filling the old station building is still a nice spot for salads and sandwiches. In the evenings, traditional South African fare is served.

It doesn’t look much from afar – a restaurant tucked down the side of a petrol station – but Girls gets rave reviews. Try the fresh prawns in a range of divine sauces or the venison fillet.

Stylish decor combines with home-grown organic produce, free-range meats and lots of vegetarian options at this delightful place.

Readers and locals recommend this elegant restaurant with a deck overlooking the lagoon. The South African-inspired menu changes monthly but always features original takes on old classics. It's the town's fine-dining option. Bookings essential.

Set in leafy grounds overlooking the Touws River, this long-running hostel is based in an 1874 farmhouse. The bar and cafe are in another building some distance away, so boozers won’t keep you awake. Staff can arrange all manner of activities. If you’re driving, head into Wilderness town and follow the main road for 2km to the Fairy Knowe turn-off.

It gets rave reviews from readers, and we can’t argue: this is a well-run and very friendly guesthouse offering magnificent lagoon views. Delicious dinners are available on request.

With bright, modern, glass-fronted rooms looking on to the glorious beach, this hotel makes the most of its awesome location. It's worth paying the premium for an ocean-facing room if you can, though the mountain-view rooms are also delightful. The hotel has a rooftop pool, spa and steps leading straight to the sand.

The Knysna Lagoon opens between two sandstone cliffs known as the Heads – once proclaimed by the British Royal Navy to be the most dangerous harbour entrance in the world. There are good views from the eastern head, and from the Featherbed Nature Reserve on the western head.

The best way to appreciate the lagoon is by boat. The Featherbed Company ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %044-382 1693; www.featherbed.co.za; Remembrance Dr, off Waterfront Dr; boat trips adult/child from R100/55) operates various vessels and also runs a trip that allows you to explore the nature reserve on foot (adult/child R380/130).

South Africa’s oldest microbrewery has moved to bright, new premises on the edge of the lagoon. You can join a tour, or just taste its range of English-style beers in the beer garden. Pub meals (R45 to R70) are also served. Bookings essential for tours.

Since this region has plenty of wet weather, a rainy-day option is welcome. The main museum is a pleasant complex in a mid-19th-century building that was once the gaol. There’s a gallery showcasing local art, a display on the Knysna elephants and a community art project.

Around the corner from the Old Gaol Museum, Millwood House is a mini complex of museums detailing Knysna’s history. It’s a quaint set of buildings dating back to the town’s booming timber era. This is the main focus of the museum, though it also houses information on Knysna’s involvement in the Anglo-Boer War and details on the town’s founder George Rex.

This reserve is accessible from the Buffalo Bay road, and protects 14km of rocky coastline, sandstone cliffs, dunes covered with coastal fynbos (literally 'fine bush'; primarily proteas, heaths and ericas) and forest, and Groenvlei, a large freshwater lake.

Belvidere, 10km from Knysna, is so immaculate it’s positively creepy. But it’s worth a quick look for the beautiful Norman-style Belvidere church that was built in the 1850s by homesick English expats. Further on is the Featherbed Nature Reserve and, on the seaward side, Brenton-on-Sea.

Reached by a turn-off along the N2 10km east of Knysna, Noetzie is a quirky little place with holiday homes in mock-castle style. There’s a lovely surf beach (spacious but dangerous) and a sheltered lagoon running through a forested gorge. The trail between the car park and beach is steep.

A wildly popular bakery and cafe that's as much a hit with locals as it is with tourists. There's an excellent breakfast menu, lots of fresh salads, some inventive lunch specials and quite a bit for vegetarians.

There’s an outdoor deck overlooking the lagoon and ocean, lots of fish and seafood, plus a few vegetarian dishes. It's a very popular spot so expect to wait for a table in high season.

One of Knysna's more upmarket restaurants is a romantic spot with a blackboard menu that changes regularly. Bookings advisable.

Inside, it’s a stylish place to dine on steak and seafood; outside, it’s a laidback bar with wood-fired pizzas and the full range of Mitchell’s beers.

Knysna's top spot for late-night dancing offers a relaxed vibe and a balcony area for lounging.

Led by township resident Ella, the three-hour trip visits some of Emzini's community projects. Tours can be tailored to suit your interests but generally end at Ella’s home for tea, drumming and a group giggle as you try to wrap your tongue around the clicks of the Xhosa language.

A nonprofit organisation that offers 90-minute walking tours to visit various art and education projects.

Long-running agency that rents out mountain bikes and supplies maps of the region's trails.

Offers surfing classes for beginners, snorkelling around the Heads (R300) and boat cruises, as well as a full-on kloofing (canyoning) day trip (R850).

A funky backpackers with excellent communal areas, cheery staff and nicely decorated rooms. There’s a lively bar and a small pool on the deck.

On the seaward side of the lagoon, the hills drop to Brenton-on-Sea, overlooking a magnificent 8km beach. The cottages have a full kitchen while cabins have a kitchenette; many have ocean views. There are plenty of braai (barbecue) areas dotted around the manicured lawns.

Perched on the shores of Knysna Lagoon are these highly impressive self-catering log cabins, each with its own deck and braai area. There's no pool but there is a small beach.

This reserve, 9km southeast of Plettenberg Bay, protects a 4km-long peninsula with a rugged coastline of cliffs and rocks. There are three circular walks of increasing difficulty, but it’s very rocky and not for the unfit or anyone with knee problems! Basic accommodation is available at the spectacularly located Fountain Shack (4 ppl R875), which is reachable only by a two-hour hike. To get to the reserve head along Robberg Rd, off Piesang Valley Rd, until you see the signs.

You can also take a boat trip to view the peninsula – and its colony of Cape fur seals – from the water. You can even get in the water to swim with seals. Contact Offshore Adventures (www.offshoreadventures.co.za; boat trip R250, swimming with seals R500) to book.

This very popular attraction helps rehabilitate wild monkeys that have been in zoos or private homes. The walking safari through a dense forest and across a 128m-long rope bridge is superb. A combo ticket with Birds of Eden costs R280/140 per adult/child.

This is one of the world’s largest free-flight aviaries with a 200-sq-metre dome over the forest. A combo ticket with Monkeyland costs R280/140 per adult/child.

Highly recommended by readers and right on the beach, this is the place for seafood in Plett. Enrico has his own boat that, weather permitting, heads out each morning. If you book ahead you can join the fishing trip and have your catch cooked at the restaurant.

A funky, minimalist venue with pizzas featuring an array of inventive toppings.

Enjoy a good cup of coffee and a freshly baked pastry in the courtyard or on the balcony overlooking Plett's main road. There's also a small lunch menu, largely focusing on salads and sandwiches.

With a deck overlooking the beach, this is a great place for a simple meal and perhaps views of dolphins surfing the waves.

Tucked away in a quiet courtyard, this is one of Plett's most upscale eateries. The speciality is Chalmar beef, though you'll also find lots of South African favourites including ostrich, Karoo lamb and traditional dishes such as bobotie (delicately flavoured curry with a topping of beaten egg baked to a crust). Reservations recommended.

For a bit of retail therapy, head for this complex 3km east of town, with resident artists, a weaving museum, antiques and a restaurant.

Trips on 30-person boats to view dolphins and whales in season.

Boat trips to view dolphins and whales in season. The trips are permitted on 30-person boats.

This recommended operator offers dives with outstanding views on the way down.

A long-running surfing outfit that also offers stand-up paddle-boarding lessons (R150 per hour).

This excellent, five-star budget option is owner-run and it shows. There’s a great bar area with satellite TV, yet you can still find peace and quiet in the large grounds. Rooms are worthy of a budget guesthouse.

This upmarket and extremely friendly backpackers is two minutes' walk from a magnificent beach; surf and body boards are provided free. To reach the house follow the Keurboomstrand signs from the N2 (about 6km east of Plett), then turn into Milkwood Glen.

A remarkable location, right on the beach and overlooking the lagoon. Rooms have had a revamp and their bright new look has a beachy feel. There’s a restaurant on-site and kayaks are free for guests.