Knysna lies around a tidal lagoon on the Garden Route, with a pair of sandstone cliffs known as the Heads guarding the narrow channel to the sea. Forest runs down to the water, and the whole town has a green, relaxed look, with a population around sixty-nine thousand and a waterfront full of small shops and restaurants. The lagoon is an estuary, home to rare seahorses and a rich oyster industry, and every year there is an oyster festival in the winter that fills the town.
The forest behind the town is the largest area of indigenous forest in South Africa, and it is full of yellowwood trees, ferns and birds. Knysna loeries, bright green birds with red wing flashes, live in the canopy, and a small, very elusive population of forest elephants survives deep in the trees, though you will not see them on a casual visit. Timber from the forest was once the main business here, and furniture-making is still a local craft. In June 2017, a terrible fire swept the area and destroyed many homes, and recovery has been steady.
For riders, Knysna is the end of a good day on the Garden Route. The N2 highway runs through, with the ocean on one side and mountains on the other, and the older roads inland, like the passes over the Outeniqua Mountains toward Oudtshoorn, offer more twists. Traffic in the holiday season, around December and January, can be heavy, and rain comes off the sea without much warning. Take care at night, as animals and pedestrians can appear on the road.
Fuel is plentiful. The town has several stations, along with supermarkets, repair shops and plenty of places to stay. Seafood is a good choice for dinner, and you can walk along the waterfront in the evening. The Heads, on the eastern side, have a viewpoint with a good look at the channel and the surf, and are worth the short detour at sunset.