Plettenberg Bay Holiday Weather Overview
Plettenberg Bay, on South Africa’s Western Cape coastline, is one of the country’s most popular resorts. Stunning beaches are set against a backdrop of spectacular mountain scenery; here visitors can enjoy everything from sunbathing to water sports, and from wildlife watching to arts and culture, wine tours and archaeological sites.
The caves along this stretch of coastline are fascinating to visit, and show evidence of stone age occupation. Wildlife reserves are plentiful and Plettenberg Bay is a very good spot for whale watching and dolphin spotting.
Plettenberg Bay’s Climate
Plettenberg Bay enjoys hot, damp summers, and mild dry winters. High sunshine levels make it an attractive place to visit all year round, but most people go to Plettenberg Bay for a specific reason, and that will affect the time of year you choose to travel.
Sun, Sea and Sand
For a beach holiday, head to Plettenberg Bay in the summer, between December and February. Average temperatures through the summer months reach 30°C, with overnight lows around 16°C - ideal beach weather.
Winds can be strong, but this is good for those who enjoy surfing and other water sports. Summer is also a glorious time for wildlife watching in the surrounding countryside, and the perfect time to hunt for pansy shells, native to this area, on the beach.
If you visit Plettenberg Bay in the summer, take sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat, and plenty of lightweight summer clothing. Take an umbrella too, as summer rain is common; this is one of the wettest times of the year, but most rainfall comes at night.
Whale Watching
Southern right whales breed off the coast of Plettenberg Bay during winter and spring, between June and October. Humpback whales can also be seen on their migration path during July. Dolphins can be spotted all year round, and so can Bryde’s whales, but most whale watchers will want to visit in winter or spring.
Between June and August, Plettenberg Bay’s winter, you can expect average daily highs of around 18-20°C, but nights can be a chilly 7-8°C so take some warmer clothing for the winter evenings. Winter is a relatively dry time of year, but you may still catch the odd shower, so take an umbrella.
Spring temperatures start to rise in September, and can reach 25°C, rising to 27°C by the end of November. Overnight temperatures rise too, reaching 13°C as summer approaches. Spring showers bring the surrounding greenery to life, but this is still quite a dry time of year.
Plettenberg Bay in Autumn
Autumn is the quietest season in Plettenberg Bay, although the surrounding wineries are busy with the harvest. Between March and May, temperatures will start to fall from 29 to around 20°C, with overnight lows reaching 9°C by the end of May.
March is the wettest month of the year, and can bring some very heavy downpours, so take a waterproof jacket if you are heading to Plettenberg Bay in the autumn months.
Best months to visit Plettenberg Bay?
March and December are the best month to go for holiday or travel to Plettenberg Bay. The weather averages gathered from Plettenberg Bay weather forecast and Plettenberg Bay weather history also forecast these months temperature to be around 23°c and average of 245.0667 hours of sunshine in a month.
Coldest months of Plettenberg Bay?
July and August are the coldest months with temperature at around 12°c.
Which months receive most rainfall in Plettenberg Bay?
July and June receive most rainfall with precipitation count of 69.79mm.
Travelling to Plettenberg Bay? Check out our Weather averages of Plettenberg Bay to better plan your holiday or travel.
If you would just like to know what the weather was for a past dates for research or education or you are just curious then visit our historical weather of Plettenberg Bay section.