Knysna Area Information

The picturesque town of Knysna ('place of wood') derives its name from the indigenous Khoi-San people. From these humble beginnings, the town of Knysna has grown into a mini-metropolis which draws visitors from around the globe.
Nestled between the majestic Outeniqua mountain range and the Indian Ocean, and between Plettenberg Bay and Sedgefield, the town of (take out) Knysna encircles the 21 hectre Knysna lagoon which is the centre of many of the activities on offer. Knysna is protected from the elements by the imposing sandstone 'The Heads' and boasts an amazingly moderate climate for a seaside resort.

Knysna offers an abundance of encounters - choose from a selection of world class restaurants, cultural and heritage activities or adventure and leisure experiences. If it's adrenaline you're after, enjoy mountain biking in the lush surrounding forests, paddling or fishing on the lagoon or nearby rivers, paragliding or surfing and paddling the waves, scuba diving with the unique Knysna seahorse. For the more faint hearted, Knysna offers a meander along the lagoon, searching for the famous Knysna Loerie while bird-watching in the forests, or catching a glimpse of the elusive Knysna elephant or Brenton Blue butterfly, basking in the sun on the beach, shopping and festivals, art exhibitions, township tours and many more. With in excess of 550 000 tourists per annum with an associated income in the region of R 620 million per annum, the major economic activity for the town is tourism. Having said that, Knysna sports a healthy permanent population and offers shopping malls where most of the South African national retailers are represented, places of entertainment, schools, sporting facilities, a commercial and industrial area, central business district, and a healthy residential housing market. Knysna boasts a number of famous suburbs such as The Heads, Leisure Isle, Thesen Islands, Belvidere and the world renowned golf courses of Pezula and Simola.

Knysna is only a 45 minutes drive to the George airport, where one can get connecting flights to virtually anywhere in South Africa. George is the business capital of the Garden Route and offers a well-managed infrastructure and thriving commercial and industrial sector.
It is not surprising then that Knysna as the tourist hub of the Garden Route, has earned it's place as one of South Africa's best known and most popular travel destinations and an appealing area in which to live or invest.