Ivana’s Firefly Home in the Woods Guidebook
Food Scene
This is a family run dairy farm and a farmstall with a restaurant where you can get freshly baked goods, fresh milk and selection of dairy products made on the farm. They also make their own ice-cream. There is a playground for kids and a nursery. Here you can also get stocked up on fruits and fresh veggies, mostly grown on the farm or on farms around The Crags. It's one of the favorite places by locals too.
36 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Natures Way Farm Stall
This is a family run dairy farm and a farmstall with a restaurant where you can get freshly baked goods, fresh milk and selection of dairy products made on the farm. They also make their own ice-cream. There is a playground for kids and a nursery. Here you can also get stocked up on fruits and fresh veggies, mostly grown on the farm or on farms around The Crags. It's one of the favorite places by locals too.
Thyme and Again is another farmstall which we love, it's in the direction to Plett, just before Keurboomstrand turn off, where you can find great selection of fresh products, baked goods, pantry items and they serve delicious food and coffee
53 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
THYME & AGAIN
N2Thyme and Again is another farmstall which we love, it's in the direction to Plett, just before Keurboomstrand turn off, where you can find great selection of fresh products, baked goods, pantry items and they serve delicious food and coffee
When it comes to pizza you will not find a better place, it's like Italy away from Italy. One of the most popular restaurants in the Plett, with amazing views. During the season they can be very busy, so make sure you arrive early for lunch. It's one the must to visit restaurants when you are in the area. Bon Appétit!
220 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Ristorante Enrico
296 Main StWhen it comes to pizza you will not find a better place, it's like Italy away from Italy. One of the most popular restaurants in the Plett, with amazing views. During the season they can be very busy, so make sure you arrive early for lunch. It's one the must to visit restaurants when you are in the area. Bon Appétit!
Lovely food ranging from pizzas, curries, pastas, burgers. Great atmosphere, and it's a quick stroll to the most beautiful beach
Blue Rocks Cafe the only restaurant in Nature’s Valley
Lovely food ranging from pizzas, curries, pastas, burgers. Great atmosphere, and it's a quick stroll to the most beautiful beach
Lovely place to relax and enjoy their delicious platters
33 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Kay and Monty wines
Lovely place to relax and enjoy their delicious platters
Mouth watering food, bookings have to be made a day in advance so make sure to book your spot for their 3 course dinner nights which menu changes weekly
8 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Villa Villekula
Mouth watering food, bookings have to be made a day in advance so make sure to book your spot for their 3 course dinner nights which menu changes weekly
Our 4 year old son's favourite place. They serve delicious breakfast and light lunches, very well priced, and kids have the whole outside area to run around and play, to feed horses, goats and bunnies
6 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Bread and Brew
Our 4 year old son's favourite place. They serve delicious breakfast and light lunches, very well priced, and kids have the whole outside area to run around and play, to feed horses, goats and bunnies
Peppermill is the closest restaurant to our home. They serve yummy food, but make sure to check first if they are open, as off the season their working days vary. Alternatively, you can contact me, and I will make an inquiry with the owner
9 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Peppermill Restaurant
Peppermill is the closest restaurant to our home. They serve yummy food, but make sure to check first if they are open, as off the season their working days vary. Alternatively, you can contact me, and I will make an inquiry with the owner
If you wat to feel like you are on the top of the world while having your breakfast or lunch, then go and visit this beautiful place. Please first make an inquiry with the restaurant if they are open
Fairview House
If you wat to feel like you are on the top of the world while having your breakfast or lunch, then go and visit this beautiful place. Please first make an inquiry with the restaurant if they are open
Neighborhoods
Nature's Valley is 20 minutes drive from us. The most beautiful place to swim safely for both kids and parents is at Nature's Valley lagoon. Bring along your picnic or braai and enjoy the sunset there.
The Crags has many wine estates who also operate as restaurants.
This is a 'secret' eco-village, Kuthumba, 20 minutes away from the town deep in the forest, so instead of going to the packed Plettenberg Bay central beaches, we have our own access through our hike to a couple of beaches that don't have road access. Take a look at the gallery of images where I discuss these in the captions.
The paths through the forest literally start across the road from our home, a stone throws away, and is completely shaded even on the hottest summer days, it's a pleasure to walk through as it's the coolest place to be. The path takes you through these magical woods and to the Kuthumba dam. Then you can cross the road there to the Tsitsikamma path which takes you to the mouth of where the Salt River meets the ocean. There are many other forest hikes in Kuthumba in all directions.
The eco-village is known for colourful bird life and many other wild animals but they usually stay away from humans until late at night when they could wander from the Tsitsikamma closer to Kuthumba. Our neighbours sometimes see monkeys and on rare occasions wild pigs but we haven't spotted either so far. We always see fireflies which are in their hundreds during the spring and summer, particularly if you switch off the lights. There are dozens which come up to our house and you can even see some through the windows. We have gone out walking 50 metres to 100 metres around our land and you will see hundreds of fireflies in the path beside us. You can see them flashing between the trees and our friends tell us that they have not seen fireflies since they were toddlers and that they have disappeared from suburbs in South Africa. You won't find as many as here as we are in the greenest forest in SA. From a 3-minute walk in our Kuthumba forest path, you will already reach the Tsitsikamma forest, Africa's version of the Amazon, the lungs of our country where you won't find fresher air.
Kuthumba Eco-villiage and Forest Reserve
This is a 'secret' eco-village, Kuthumba, 20 minutes away from the town deep in the forest, so instead of going to the packed Plettenberg Bay central beaches, we have our own access through our hike to a couple of beaches that don't have road access. Take a look at the gallery of images where I discuss these in the captions.
The paths through the forest literally start across the road from our home, a stone throws away, and is completely shaded even on the hottest summer days, it's a pleasure to walk through as it's the coolest place to be. The path takes you through these magical woods and to the Kuthumba dam. Then you can cross the road there to the Tsitsikamma path which takes you to the mouth of where the Salt River meets the ocean. There are many other forest hikes in Kuthumba in all directions.
The eco-village is known for colourful bird life and many other wild animals but they usually stay away from humans until late at night when they could wander from the Tsitsikamma closer to Kuthumba. Our neighbours sometimes see monkeys and on rare occasions wild pigs but we haven't spotted either so far. We always see fireflies which are in their hundreds during the spring and summer, particularly if you switch off the lights. There are dozens which come up to our house and you can even see some through the windows. We have gone out walking 50 metres to 100 metres around our land and you will see hundreds of fireflies in the path beside us. You can see them flashing between the trees and our friends tell us that they have not seen fireflies since they were toddlers and that they have disappeared from suburbs in South Africa. You won't find as many as here as we are in the greenest forest in SA. From a 3-minute walk in our Kuthumba forest path, you will already reach the Tsitsikamma forest, Africa's version of the Amazon, the lungs of our country where you won't find fresher air.
The lagoon is one of our favourite places to spend time together. It's a safe place to swim for both adults and kids, you can enjoy SUP there or kayak. From Kuthumba you can walk all the way to Nature's Valley and the lagoon, we recommend though to have someone waiting for you there to bring you back as walking back might be too tiring. Walk is not difficult and we did it with our 3-year-old many times.
Nature's Valley Lagoon
Otter TrailThe lagoon is one of our favourite places to spend time together. It's a safe place to swim for both adults and kids, you can enjoy SUP there or kayak. From Kuthumba you can walk all the way to Nature's Valley and the lagoon, we recommend though to have someone waiting for you there to bring you back as walking back might be too tiring. Walk is not difficult and we did it with our 3-year-old many times.
Both wonderful places to encounter the most beautiful birds and monkeys who are living their best life now, as most of them are rescued either from zoos, or circuses or been handed down by owners who couldn't give them the proper care and space they need to thrive. These are only a 10 minutes drive from our house and in the same area as us, The Crags.
176 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Monkeyland and Birds of Eden
Both wonderful places to encounter the most beautiful birds and monkeys who are living their best life now, as most of them are rescued either from zoos, or circuses or been handed down by owners who couldn't give them the proper care and space they need to thrive. These are only a 10 minutes drive from our house and in the same area as us, The Crags.
One of the best wine estates in the greater Plett area and they serve delicious food.
53 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Newstead Wine Estate
One of the best wine estates in the greater Plett area and they serve delicious food.
Beautiful beach to spend a relaxing day with family or to take a hike to Salt River mouth, from Nature's Valley beach the hike is around 20 to 30 minutes. What we usually do is we hike from Kuthumba to Salt River where we spend a day and then we hike back via Nature's Valley where someone is waiting for us to give us a ride back to Kuthumba. There is also a restaurant just before the beach entrance
Nature's Valley Beach
134 Saint Michaels AvenueBeautiful beach to spend a relaxing day with family or to take a hike to Salt River mouth, from Nature's Valley beach the hike is around 20 to 30 minutes. What we usually do is we hike from Kuthumba to Salt River where we spend a day and then we hike back via Nature's Valley where someone is waiting for us to give us a ride back to Kuthumba. There is also a restaurant just before the beach entrance
City/town information
In South Africa you'd normally hear how Cape Town is annually voted among the most beautiful cities in the world. This is technically true, even though Plettenberg Bay is by far more beautiful. The reason is that Plett is not a city but the best holiday town in the country. It is part of the famous garden route of South Africa and the grass is literally greener here compared to dry Cape Town. It's also very safe, and unlike Cape Town you can go on isolated hikes without even thinking of your security. Similarly, we leave our doors open at night and we even keep our keys to the cars in the car. This is unthinkable in big SA cities. Most of all, the people are so friendly here, there's hardly any traffic and there are not many people compared to the over-populated cities.
107 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Plettenberg Bay
1 Crescent StreetIn South Africa you'd normally hear how Cape Town is annually voted among the most beautiful cities in the world. This is technically true, even though Plettenberg Bay is by far more beautiful. The reason is that Plett is not a city but the best holiday town in the country. It is part of the famous garden route of South Africa and the grass is literally greener here compared to dry Cape Town. It's also very safe, and unlike Cape Town you can go on isolated hikes without even thinking of your security. Similarly, we leave our doors open at night and we even keep our keys to the cars in the car. This is unthinkable in big SA cities. Most of all, the people are so friendly here, there's hardly any traffic and there are not many people compared to the over-populated cities.
Sightseeing
Beautiful hikes and scenery for the whole family. Pack a picnic and enjoy sunset in this beautiful place
12 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Robberg Nature Reserve - View Point
Beautiful hikes and scenery for the whole family. Pack a picnic and enjoy sunset in this beautiful place
Payo sa lungsod
Paano makapaglibot
High-suspension vehicles
These vehicles, such as SUV's and 4x4 are much easier to get around the wild here. However, there are people who come here every day with normal, low-suspension cars and there are people who even live here with such cars.
Our sand road is just next to the N2 highway, but once you are on it, it takes 10 minutes to get to Kuthumba, far enough to be quiet and peaceful so that you don't hear the highway noise anymore.
Huwag palampasin
Sanctuaries
We have four sanctuaries in our area: for elephants, all kinds of monkeys, birds of Eden and Teniqua (wild cats mostly). There's also a snake park another 5 minutes down the road, a donkey sanctuary another 2 minutes down the road, and a second wild cat sanctuary called Jukani 5 minutes further down. All over the Crags, you will see many fields of horses. There are also ostriches at the Crags Superette, and there are wild animals such as baboons and deer wandering around.
Mga kagawian at kultura
Nature
What is very common in these parts is a respect for nature, the environment. We live in an eco-village so you can imagine we try to be as natural as possible in how we recycle and the products we use. In our region, you also have a ban on fireworks which upset wild animals.
Mga paraan para makatipid
Tsitsikamma access
Instead of paying so much at the Tsitsikamma entrance gate in the Eastern Cape, we are on the Western Cape side and have private access into the famous forest at no extra cost. Instead of low-quality lodging and camps there, you can live in style in our fully-equipped home within the forest.
Ang dapat iempake
Clothing etc.
Don't forget hiking shoes which grip better.
You can also use running shoes or just walk barefoot like the hobbits here :)
Check the weather because we do get rain here, but it's not as rainy as the sub-continental or South American jungles.
Carry a hat that shades you from the sun when on the road, but if you're walking in our woods, you won't need one.
There are so many wonderful paths to cycle, so bring your bike with you. We can lend you our bikes too.
May mga kasamang bata sa pagbiyahe
Kids
This is not the Kruger National Park so you don't have to worry about your kids in the wild with animals. There are so many children on our street and we brought them here to roam freely outside. There are not a lot of cars moving on our road either. We would not recommend, leaving them outside alone at night, but we do walk with them in the dark to see the fireflies.