The Governor of the Cape, Baron Joachim van Plettenberg, renamed the town Plettenberg Bay in 1779. In 1787 a woodcutter's post was established and Johann Jacob Jerling was commissioned by the Dutch East India Co. to build a storehouse for timber which was first exported in 1788.The timber trade grew leading to Thomas Bain building Prince Alfred Pass (1868) and the 90km forest road through the Tsitsikamma to Humansdorp. Three major passes had to be constructed: Groot Rivier, Blauwkrantz and Storms River.

The entire road was complete 16 years later in 1885. In 1910 Captain Sinclair set up the whaling station on Beacon Island to harvest the placid Southern Right whales but this ceased operation in 1916. The first hotel was erected by Hugh Owen Grant in 1940 and replaced in 1972 by the current well known landmark on Beacon Island.

Visit the Old Timber Store which was build in 1787. A beacon of stone stands in approximately the same place and has the original markings on it. Beacon Island got its first navigational beacon in 1772.There are 27 common species of Ericas in this area and there are a vast number of other flowering species. Amongst the well known is the yellowood, stinkwood and the Quteniqua yellowood.

The great forests lying at the feet of the fabled Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma mountains are the gateway to the incredible indigenous African wealth of Plettenberg Bay, which lies on South Africa's spectacular south coast 210 kms from Port Elizabeth and +/- 600 km from Cape Town.

The Outeniqua-Tsitsikamma indigenous forests are a unique mixture of Cape Fynbos and temperate forest and offer the nature lover world-renowned hiking trails and an exciting opportunity to see the last remaining forest elephants of South Africa. The entire area teems with birdlife. Nearly 300 species are to be found in the great variety of habitats ranging from fynbos to forest to wetlands.

No less than ten important nature reserves embrace the varied ecosystems of the area as well as unique marine reserves, home to soft coral reefs, dolphins, seals and a host of other marine life. The bay itself is Nursery to the endangered Southern Right Whale which come here to calve in the winter and spring (July to December).

The area is of course a sports paradise and boasts fabulous trails for hikers, mountain bikers, horse riders and canoeists. The highlight of the area is undoubtedly the rivers, beaches and the bay with its ideal conditions for all facets of watersports, including sailing in the safe waters of the Bay, superb rock and surf fishing and scuba diving spots.