Food scene
Peppermill Restaurant
The best local breakfast and lunch.
Villa Villekula
Diverse dinner menu in a wonderful setting.
Italian cuisine with ocean front views. Watch the dolphins play!
220 locals recommend
Ristorante Enrico
296 Main StItalian cuisine with ocean front views. Watch the dolphins play!
Kay and Monty wines
Lazy lunches with amazing wine.
Lovely tapas style lunch in the vineyards.
135 locals recommend
Bramon Wines Restaurant & Wine Tasting
N2Lovely tapas style lunch in the vineyards.
Bread and Brew
Easy breakfast and lunch, 5 min from Forestchild S/C
Newstead Wine Estate
Great lunch at an award winning Plett winery.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner in a peaceful setting. In Plett town, about 20 minutes from Forestchild S/C
42 locals recommend
Barringtons Plettenberg Bay
Erf 2104 Piesang Valley RdBreakfast, Lunch and Dinner in a peaceful setting. In Plett town, about 20 minutes from Forestchild S/C
The best views over the bay! And lovely food. In Plett town, about 15 min from Forestchild S/C
23 locals recommend
Sky Villa Boutique Hotel
The best views over the bay! And lovely food. In Plett town, about 15 min from Forestchild S/C
A rural relaxed setting. Serving homemade cheese and bread from chef and cheesemaker extraordinaire. Take your own wine and enjoy an afternoon on the farm porch. In Tsitsikamma, about 40 min from Forestchild S/C
11 locals recommend
Fynboshoek Cheese
A rural relaxed setting. Serving homemade cheese and bread from chef and cheesemaker extraordinaire. Take your own wine and enjoy an afternoon on the farm porch. In Tsitsikamma, about 40 min from Forestchild S/C
The best baked goods, cheese, farm grown vegetables, preserves and a lovely outdoor relaxed atmosphere!
36 locals recommend
Natures Way Farm Stall
The best baked goods, cheese, farm grown vegetables, preserves and a lovely outdoor relaxed atmosphere!
Emily Moon Restaurant @ Emily Moon River Lodge
Beautiful views and lovely food.
Wonderful deli and restaurant for breakfast and lunch. At the deli you can find a great selection of healthy alternative treats!
53 locals recommend
THYME & AGAIN
N2Wonderful deli and restaurant for breakfast and lunch. At the deli you can find a great selection of healthy alternative treats!
My favourite hikes
Nature's Valley - 2 / 3 hour walk through indigenous forest and fynbos, next to a lagoon and along the seaside rocks.
Park your car at the Nature's Valley trading store (about 15min drive from Forestchild s/c)
Take the walkway to the beach and turn right. Walk along the beach and look out for the Salt River hiking trail sign that will take you into the forest. Follow the path, clearly marked out and walked often.
Salt River Hiking Trail
Nature's Valley - 2 / 3 hour walk through indigenous forest and fynbos, next to a lagoon and along the seaside rocks.
Park your car at the Nature's Valley trading store (about 15min drive from Forestchild s/c)
Take the walkway to the beach and turn right. Walk along the beach and look out for the Salt River hiking trail sign that will take you into the forest. Follow the path, clearly marked out and walked often.
The Point Hiking trail -
From the car park at the Nature's Valley lagoon (about 15min drive from Forestchild s/c) walk along the lagoon to the mouth at the sea. Turn left towards the mountain in front of you. Walk along the beach until you are at the foot of the mountain and then look out for the The Point hiking trail sign on your left that will take you into the forest. Follow the path, clearly marked out. About a 1 hour walk from the car park and back, but take some time to swim in the sea and lagoon!
75 locals recommend
Nature's Valley
The Point Hiking trail -
From the car park at the Nature's Valley lagoon (about 15min drive from Forestchild s/c) walk along the lagoon to the mouth at the sea. Turn left towards the mountain in front of you. Walk along the beach until you are at the foot of the mountain and then look out for the The Point hiking trail sign on your left that will take you into the forest. Follow the path, clearly marked out. About a 1 hour walk from the car park and back, but take some time to swim in the sea and lagoon!
Pig's head hiking trail -
From the Nature's Valley lagoon parking area (about 15min drive from Forestchild s/c), walk along the lagoon to the mouth at the sea. Before you get to the beach, look to your left for a path going up and into the forest. This is the start to the Pig's head hiking trail. Follow the sign and the path, clearly marked out and easy to follow. After taking in the view from Pig's head, you can also continue on to the very top of the mountain towards the cell phone tower for even more spectacular views over the valley. Approximately 30 min to 1 hour.
75 locals recommend
Nature's Valley
Pig's head hiking trail -
From the Nature's Valley lagoon parking area (about 15min drive from Forestchild s/c), walk along the lagoon to the mouth at the sea. Before you get to the beach, look to your left for a path going up and into the forest. This is the start to the Pig's head hiking trail. Follow the sign and the path, clearly marked out and easy to follow. After taking in the view from Pig's head, you can also continue on to the very top of the mountain towards the cell phone tower for even more spectacular views over the valley. Approximately 30 min to 1 hour.
Arch Rock walk, Keurbooms Beach -
Park your car at Enrico's restaurant in Keurbooms beach (about 15min drive from Forestchild s/c). Follow the wooden walkway that meanders around the bottom edge of the restaurant, towards your left. Keep on walking on the beach after the walkway. At low tide, you can walk along the beach all the way to Arch Rock. At high tide, you have to follow the patch along the mountain ridge. To find this path, walk to the rock jutting out into the sea where you cannot pass. Here, look to your left. You will see a rope and steps that goes up the Rock onto the mountain. Follow this path until it takes you down to the beach again, then just after the little stream that mouths into the sea, a little further on, look out on your right towards the sea for the very noticeable Arch. Enjoy the loveliest rock pools and lots of spots for easy sea swimming. Approximately 30 min to 1 hour.
7 locals recommend
Arch Rock Beach
Arch Rock walk, Keurbooms Beach -
Park your car at Enrico's restaurant in Keurbooms beach (about 15min drive from Forestchild s/c). Follow the wooden walkway that meanders around the bottom edge of the restaurant, towards your left. Keep on walking on the beach after the walkway. At low tide, you can walk along the beach all the way to Arch Rock. At high tide, you have to follow the patch along the mountain ridge. To find this path, walk to the rock jutting out into the sea where you cannot pass. Here, look to your left. You will see a rope and steps that goes up the Rock onto the mountain. Follow this path until it takes you down to the beach again, then just after the little stream that mouths into the sea, a little further on, look out on your right towards the sea for the very noticeable Arch. Enjoy the loveliest rock pools and lots of spots for easy sea swimming. Approximately 30 min to 1 hour.
Lagoon hiking trail -
Park your car at the picnic area at the edge of the forest after the bridge (about 15min drive from Forestchild s/c). To get here, drive down to Nature's Valley but instead of turning right to enter the village, carry on straight. You will pass the De Vasselot camping grounds, drive on past this until you cross a bridge. On the other side of the bridge, to your right is a parking area and picnic spot, under the trees, by the river. Follow the wooden walkway from here, keeping left on the walkway. Where the walkway turns right, keep on the path that goes left. Follow this path all through the forest as it meanders along the side of the lagoon. It ends where the lagoon mouths into the sea. From here you can walk along the other side of the lagoon, towards the entrance to the village and follow the tar road past De Vasselot camp grounds taking you back to your car. Approximately 2 hours.
75 locals recommend
Nature's Valley
Lagoon hiking trail -
Park your car at the picnic area at the edge of the forest after the bridge (about 15min drive from Forestchild s/c). To get here, drive down to Nature's Valley but instead of turning right to enter the village, carry on straight. You will pass the De Vasselot camping grounds, drive on past this until you cross a bridge. On the other side of the bridge, to your right is a parking area and picnic spot, under the trees, by the river. Follow the wooden walkway from here, keeping left on the walkway. Where the walkway turns right, keep on the path that goes left. Follow this path all through the forest as it meanders along the side of the lagoon. It ends where the lagoon mouths into the sea. From here you can walk along the other side of the lagoon, towards the entrance to the village and follow the tar road past De Vasselot camp grounds taking you back to your car. Approximately 2 hours.
Kalanderkloof hiking trail -
Stop your car at the picnic spot opposite the De Vasselot camp grounds (about 15min drive from Forestchild s/c)
Follow the path and signs through the forest and up the mountain. Clearly marked out and easy to follow. Approximately 2-3 hours.
75 locals recommend
Nature's Valley
Kalanderkloof hiking trail -
Stop your car at the picnic spot opposite the De Vasselot camp grounds (about 15min drive from Forestchild s/c)
Follow the path and signs through the forest and up the mountain. Clearly marked out and easy to follow. Approximately 2-3 hours.
Drive to Robberg Nature reserve (about 25min from Forestchild s/c). Pay your entrance fees at the gate and get a map. Hiking trail is clearly marked out and easy to follow. Approximately 2 hours for the gap trail and 4 hours around the point of Robberg. Take enough water :)
39 locals recommend
Robberg Hiking Trail
Drive to Robberg Nature reserve (about 25min from Forestchild s/c). Pay your entrance fees at the gate and get a map. Hiking trail is clearly marked out and easy to follow. Approximately 2 hours for the gap trail and 4 hours around the point of Robberg. Take enough water :)
Activities & Sightseeing
Birds of Eden
A wonderful stroll through indigenous forest and beautiful birds.
Nature's Valley Lagoon
Otter TrailThe best day hikes, swimming and beach days.
Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary
N2Wonderful activity for families.
Africanyon River Adventures
Monkeyland RoadFace Adrenalin Bloukrans Bungee
Kurland Park Horse Trails
Loredo NorthRide through lush farm lands.
Karoo Donkey Sanctury
Say hello to our local donkeys and farm animals!
City/town information
Plettenberg Bay
1 Crescent StreetRelaxing seaside luxury
Knysna
Beautiful scenery and lots of world class restaurants.
Traveler advice
Getting around
You will need a car to get around.
Most of the restaurants, hikes and activities can only be accessed with a car from Forestchild S/C. As this is a rural area we do not have access to public transport.