Watch dolphins, Cape fur seals and marine life from a boat

When the great whales have moved on, a different ocean story begins off Plettenberg Bay – full of movement, lightness and life. From December to May, boat trips follow the coast out to sea, where with a bit of luck you can see three different dolphin species: common bottlenose dolphins and humpback dolphins close to the shore, and common dolphins further out in open water.

The tour starts at Central Beach and first follows the coastline to the north-east – always with an eye on the moving backs in the surf. Further out you glide over the open sea, where Bryde's whales sometimes appear – shy but fascinating. Along the way, seabirds cross the sky and, at the end, a highlight awaits: the colony of Cape fur seals on the Robberg peninsula. Dozens of animals lie on the rocks, dive in, call out, splash about – a lively spectacle right in front of you.

The trip lasts around two hours and is ideal for anyone who wants to experience the smaller, but no less impressive, inhabitants of the ocean – in all their energy and playfulness and in the midst of one of South Africa's most beautiful coastlines.