• Lookout Beach, Plettenberg Bay, beach walks, sandy beaches, swimming

    Lookout Beach, Plett

  • Brenton-on-Sea, Brenton, Knysna beaches, swimming, beach walks

    Brenton-on-Sea

  • Pledge Nature Reserve, nature walks, nature reserve, Knysna nature reserve walks, fynbos, Knysna lagoon, Knysna Heads

    Pledge Nature Reserve

  • Brenton-on-Sea, Brenton, Knysna beaches, swimming, beach walks, scenery, viewpoints

    Brenton-on-Sea

  • Kranshoek, Kranshoek Coastal Day Walk, beautiful scenery, coast walk, forest walk, beaches, swim

    Kranshoek

Step out of Our Door and Explore at The Heads in Knysna!

Hope Villa is situated in such a perfect part of Knysna that one doesn’t even have to get into the car to go anywhere but can still experience awesome sights and lovely beaches!

A few hundred metres down the road takes you to a small little beach on the lagoon. It is calm with no waves so ideal for easy lagoon swims. When the tide is high though, the little beach is under water so best to go at low tide! Then if you walk in the other direction from Hope Villa and take one of the roads up the hill, after a beautiful 15 minute walk you will reach the top East Head viewpoint. Wow, this view will take your breath away! You can see right over the lagoon to Lake Brenton, across Leisure Isle to Thesen Island and then through The Heads to the Indian Ocean. In whale season you will more than likely get to see a whale or two moving past in the bay. Every time you go up to this viewpoint the sea and the lagoon will be different, be it high tide, low tide, turquoise blue or dull grey blue. You won’t ever tire of going up there.


If you carry on a bit further down the hill you will reach Coney Glen Beach. This beach is not recommended for swimming as you will see by the generally rough conditions. But there are many little rocky coves down there and it is a lovely place to spend time amongst the rock pools looking for “sea treasure”! Just keep your eye on the incoming waves! When you are down on the beach have a look up the steep rock face of the East Head and you will see where the viewing deck that overlooks the Indian Ocean is way above you! Very impressive.


Leisure Isle is another easy 4km walk along George Rex Drive. Steenbok Nature Reserve is on the town-facing side of Leisure Isle. You will find lovely indigenous gardens with benches under the trees throughout the reserve area, easy walking paths and wide open spaces which makes this tranquil side of Leisure Isle a must-do! Walking around to the other side of the island you will be met with a beautiful view towards The Heads. When the tide is low you can walk far out on the sands of the lagoon. Bollard Beach is also a lovely, calm swimming beach with no waves so also ideal for young children.

Action & Adventure

Knysna's newest adventure activity is the Knysna Ziplines!  An adrenaline-filled experience that takes you across the gorge at Kranshoek!  Definitely not for people with a fear of heights, the ziplines cross the gorge at heights of 200m and is sure to be one of your holiday highlights!  And if you enjoy the wind in your hair, why not head for Sedgefield where you can fly the wind streams on a tandem paraglide. 

Water

Go waterside and join an eco-adventure on the Knysna Lagoon. These sea safaris begin at Thesen Island and the Waterfront and guarantee you a fun day on the water. Knysna Lagoon offers many sailing and cruising options. Head out on the lagoon on a yacht or catamaran and then sail through the Heads in search of dolphins and whales. Or stay within the lagoon and enjoy a lunchtime or evening sundowner cruise on the only paddle-driven vessel in South Africa! For a dinner with a difference – try the double-decker floating restaurant for a fun-filled family experience.

Walking and Hiking

Your options are endless!  You will find walks and trails suited to experienced hikers as well as suitable day or shorter hikes for the whole family.  Walking gives you the opportunity to experience all that the area has to offer in terms of forest, wetland, dune, Fynbos, estuary and riverine. We love walking too and will happily share our recommendations with you.

Biking

Hire a bike and ride one of the many mountain-biking trails in the area which cater for beginners to the more experienced rider.

Golf

Knysna offers three superb golf courses. Knysna Golf Club is a short drive from Hope Villa and is situated on the edge of the lagoon. It is an 18-hole golf course that meanders through the tidal pools created by the lagoon. Pezula Championship Golf Course is a beautiful course with fairways and greens rolling through the landscape. The views at Simola Golf Estate make concentrating on the game difficult! This golf course is one of South Africa’s premier golfing destinations. Other golf courses can be found in nearby George and Plettenberg Bay.