Bartolomeu Dias Museum Complex
Museum complex in Mossel Bay about the Portuguese sailors who landed here in the 15th century. It includes a full-size ship replica and the old Post Office Tree.
Garden Route
Plettenberg Bay, Knysna and Mossel Bay are tied together by a scenic coastal drive passing forests, lagoons and beaches.
Attractive locations
Cape St. Blaize Lighthouse
White lighthouse on a headland above Mossel Bay, with a coastal walking path below it. The cliffs and the sea views are the main attraction.
Seal Island
Rocky islet off Mossel Bay crowded with Cape fur seals. Boat trips take visitors close enough to watch them swim and rest on the rocks.
Cango Caves
A large cave system in the Swartberg foothills near Oudtshoorn, with big chambers of dripstone formations. Guided tours cover the main halls, and a more adventurous route is offered for the energetic.
Knysna Heads
Two sandstone cliffs guarding the narrow entrance from the Knysna lagoon to the sea. Viewpoints above the gap look over the lagoon, ocean and rocky shore.
Wilderness section of Garden Route National Park
A coastal area of lakes, estuaries and forest around the town of Wilderness, with canoeing, birdwatching and walking trails. Lagoons and beaches fill much of the landscape.
Plettenberg Bay
A holiday town on a curving bay with long beaches, whale and dolphin sightings and the Robberg peninsula nearby. It is a popular stop for hiking and water sports.
Airports
George Airport GRJ
It is about 34 km in a straight line from Garden Route.
Scams and safe taxis
Taxi and scam advice for this country is on the South Africa page
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan22.1 °C33 mm
- Feb22.2 °C31 mm
- Mar20.7 °C40 mm
- Apr18.1 °C38 mm
- May15.7 °C28 mm
- Jun12.9 °C36 mm
- Jul12.5 °C38 mm
- Aug13.0 °C47 mm
- Sep14.9 °C28 mm
- Oct17.1 °C42 mm
- Nov18.7 °C48 mm
- Dec20.7 °C32 mm
Driest months: Feb, May, Sep. Wettest months: Aug, Oct, Nov.
Costs
Prices here are about 42% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Who can help
Emergency
112 from a mobile phone. Police 10111. Ambulance 10177.
local government
South African Police Service (Crime Stop line)
Helps with: Anonymous crime tip-off line. For a police emergency dial 10111, or 112 from a mobile.
Who qualifies: Anyone in South Africa, including visitors, who needs to report a crime.
Phone: 08600 10111
local government
National Department of Tourism call centre
Helps with: South Africa's national tourism department. The government help-line directory lists its tourism call centre for visitor and tourism enquiries.
Who qualifies: Anyone travelling in South Africa or planning a trip there.
Phone: 0860 868 747
ngo
South African Red Cross Society
Helps with: South Africa's national Red Cross society. It lists a free, confidential service to reconnect people with missing relatives, plus disaster response and first aid training.
Who qualifies: People in South Africa who need its family-tracing, disaster relief or first aid training services.
Phone: +27 10 022 4197
Email: [email protected]
Address: 5 Ryder Road, Randburg, Johannesburg
un agency
International Organization for Migration (IOM) South Africa
Helps with: The UN migration agency, present in South Africa since 1995. It works on migration management, crisis response and partnerships; its office is in Pretoria.
Who qualifies: Migrants and governments working on migration. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: +27 12 342 2789
Email: [email protected]
Address: Building 4 Walker Creek Office Park, 25 Nicolson Street, Bailey's Muckleneuk, Pretoria 0181
embassy
Foreign embassies and consulates in South Africa (official list)
Helps with: For a lost passport or serious trouble, contact your own country's embassy or high commission. The foreign ministry's page lists each mission, with addresses, phones and emails.
Who qualifies: Citizens of each country, through their own embassy, high commission or consulate.
local government
National Disaster Management Centre
Helps with: South Africa's national disaster management centre, based in Centurion. Its contact page gives a main office number and email, and links to a disaster contact list.
Who qualifies: Anyone needing to contact the national disaster management authority. No public hotline is shown on its page.
Phone: 012 065 0969
Email: [email protected]
Address: Riverside Office Park Letaba Building, 2nd Floor, 1303 Heuwel Avenue, Centurion, 0157
local government
Emergency number 112 from mobile phones
Helps with: Reaches emergency services for all emergencies when called from a mobile phone. UK government travel advice lists this number.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors.
Phone: 112
local government
Police emergency number 10111
Helps with: Reaches the police. UK government travel advice lists this number.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors.
Phone: 10111
local government
Ambulance and fire emergency number 10177
Helps with: Reaches the ambulance and fire services. UK government travel advice lists this number.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors.
Phone: 10177