Overview

Lookout Beach is the main beach of Plettenberg Bay, one of the most popular seaside resorts on the Garden Route. This magnificent golden sandy beach faces south-southwest, with the Tsitsikamma Mountains as a backdrop. The beach is at the mouth of the Keurbooms River, offering a mix of ocean conditions and estuary area. It is a well-established spot with an active kite community. Dolphins and whales (in winter) are frequently spotted.

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Spot forecast for Lookout Beach

Sunrise 05:38 · Sunset 18:44

Open-Meteo

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< 7 kn7–12 kn13–20 kn21–30 kn31–40 kn41+ kn Gusts Your minimum: 7 kn

Forecasts provided by Open-Meteo

Swell and waves

Swell and tides over 8 days. Premium members see the swell and tides over 8 days. Without a subscription: 5 days.

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Wave height: < 0.5 m 0.5–1 m 1–2 m 2–3 m ≥ 3 m

Swell data by Open-Meteo Marine

Tides

Heights above lowest astronomical tide, in the spot's local time. Computed 5.7 km from the spot.

Tuesday 20 October Low tide 05:24 · 0.8 m High tide 12:05 · 1.3 m Low tide 18:29 · 0.8 m
Wednesday 21 October High tide 00:19 · 1.3 m Low tide 06:25 · 0.7 m High tide 12:50 · 1.5 m Low tide 19:08 · 0.7 m
Thursday 22 October High tide 01:04 · 1.4 m Low tide 07:03 · 0.6 m High tide 13:23 · 1.6 m Low tide 19:39 · 0.5 m
Friday 23 October High tide 01:40 · 1.5 m Low tide 07:36 · 0.4 m High tide 13:53 · 1.8 m Low tide 20:09 · 0.3 m
Saturday 24 October High tide 02:12 · 1.7 m Low tide 08:08 · 0.3 m High tide 14:23 · 1.9 m Low tide 20:40 · 0.2 m

Lookout Beach: when to go?

Rideable days and hours computed for a minimum wind of 7 knots · log in to set your own (foil, twin-tip…)

Season · peak

229h

in December · 28.5 rideable days

The season runs from September to March, peaking in December: 25 rideable days a month and 229 hours of usable wind, at 23 °C. The low point is May, at 8 days.

Rideable days per month

Wind strength when it is rideable

7-12 knots · 90%13-20 knots · 10%

When the spot works, wind sits mostly between 7 and 12 knots — 90% of rideable hours. Big-kite territory. The coldest month is July, at 18 °C. The wettest month is April, with 72 mm.

Monthly averages: Lookout Beach

Monthly averages — Lookout Beach — averaged over 2 years of records — Weather data by Open-Meteo.com — How it is calculated
Month	Rideable days	Usable wind	Temperature	Rain
January	26.0	215 h	25 °C	57 mm
February	23.5	155 h	25 °C	33 mm
March	20.0	132 h	25 °C	34 mm
April	14.0	98 h	23 °C	72 mm
May	8.0	38 h	22 °C	16 mm
June	8.0	28 h	20 °C	72 mm
July	10.0	43 h	18 °C	28 mm
August	14.0	61 h	19 °C	11 mm
September	22.0	130 h	20 °C	50 mm
October	25.5	190 h	21 °C	59 mm
November	28.0	204 h	23 °C	47 mm
December	28.5	229 h	25 °C	27 mm

Photo gallery of Lookout Beach

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Technical details of Lookout Beach spot

The spot works with winds from ESE, SE, SSE, S, SSW, SW, WSW.

Rideable Not rideable

Spot functioning

The spot works mainly with SE wind in side-onshore. The beach is vast and well-suited for kiting. The Keurbooms mouth offers a slightly calmer water area on the river side. Waves are good for wave riding. Rideable at all tides. At low tide, the beach is very wide. The local kite community is active and welcoming. Best from October to March.

Spot opening date · Required level

Spot opening date: Open all year round
Required level: Intermediate

On the water

Waves of 1-2.5 metres on the ocean beach, ideal for wave riding. Sandy bottom. Calmer area near the Keurbooms mouth. Moderate chop in SE wind. Water temperature between 18-22°C (marked Indian Ocean influence). 3/2 wetsuit in summer, 4/3 in winter. Water generally warmer than the western Garden Route.

Parking

Large parking at Lookout Beach, well maintained. Access from the N2 via Plettenberg Bay, follow signs to Lookout Beach. Paid parking in high season. Showers, toilets and restaurant/bar on the beach. All Plettenberg Bay shops minutes away. Best-equipped spot on the Garden Route in terms of facilities.

Wind specificities

Southeast wind is the dominant wind, blowing side-onshore. The SE thermal picks up regularly between 12pm and 2pm from October to March, reaching 15-25 knots. Plettenberg Bay is reputed to be one of the windiest spots on the eastern Garden Route thanks to the bay configuration that accelerates the SE flow. WSW/SW wind accompanies cold fronts.

Hazards

Currents at the Keurbooms mouth, especially on outgoing tide. Shore break during large SW swells. Sharks present — Plettenberg Bay is a known area for great whites. Respect shark alert signals. Many swimmers and surfers in high season — respect riding zones. Lateral currents possible during large swells.

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Plettenberg Bay Airfield5.6 kmsource iweathar.co.za

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Nearby spots

All spots: Western Cape

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Lookout Beach kitesurf, wingfoil and windsurf spot