In Keurboomsriver you will find a village of magical people, breathtaking surroundings and spectacular outdoors, where the climbing of indigenous Keurboom trees was once a pastime.
The seasonal saying of ‘good old Keurbooms again’ takes on new meaning once you’ve discovered this haven for yourself. Which might have been as a young family member during studentlife, when the simple joys of riverside camping and fishing sufficed for leisure getaways. It may also have translated into the inevitable love affair consummated by purchasing a holiday home, and possibly a family heirloom in generations to come. For those wise enough to have invested in property here, after repeated searches for property to rent every year, small pockets of land at this central Garden Route location between Natures Valley and Plettenberg Bay now carry handsome price tags.
Property owners in this vicinity, be it of a postage stamp size apartment in nearby Plett, or a luxury holiday home at Robberg, or a typical beach bungalow at the Keurboomsriver mouth and lagoon, not only have a vested interest in a superior coastal location, but are able to generate healthy returns. This may translate into lucrative rental incomes, some of the regular kind where families swear by the magic of returning to the same place every year. Or it may come from those stumbling upon Keurboomstrand in their Google searches, unable to resist the breathtaking setting nor the excellent ratings by ‘onse mense’ expressing their gratitude for discovering the beauty of this village. All considered, property investments here have fared reasonably well during the stormy times of the global economic upheaval.
While the declining number of property sales show similar behavior patterns to other nearby coastal towns from 37 in 2006 now down to 5 in 2011, freehold prices at R756 000 in 2004 that reached its peak of R2,2-million in 2006, have remained stable at around R1.8-million in both 2010 and 2011. National freehold rankings places Keurboomstrand, a member of the Bitou municipality, at R2.4-million next to Earls Court Private Estate in George, and Claremont in Cape Town’s southern suburbs.
For prime property viewing, visitors can travel to the surrounding areas of Kranshoek, Kurland, Louterwater, Natures Valley, Wittedrift and a number of Plettenberg Bay private estates and suburbs. The nearby vicinity of spectacular natural sites include the Keurbooms Nature Reserve, Natures Valley at the end of the famous Otter Trail, and the Crags where a variety of outdoor pleasures await. Visitors are spoilt for choice for mountain bike and hiking trails, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, as well as the indoor pleasures at wellness centers and spas.
Holidaymakers here are seldom at a loss for active enjoyment of the outdoors, and even in poor weather conditions there are a number of venues open to the public. For animal lovers, places to visit include a number of sanctuaries for elephants, snakes, birds, and wolves. The magnificent Knysna Forest and Elephant Park are located close enough for short visits, and adventure sport activities such as abseiling and bungee jumping are all within easy reach from the Keurboomsriver mouth.
To those not familiar with the laid back atmosphere at this spectacular stretch of river and lagoon frontage, be prepared to be seduced by the beauty of Keurbooms and its people.