Knysna Visitor Information

"Local is lekker" is a famous South African saying promoting the use of local products first and foremost. In Knysna this is quite easy to strive towards with two strong contenders; Mitchell's Brewery and the Knysna Oyster Company.

Mitchell's Brewery opened 28 years ago and is arguably the leading micro brewery in South Africa. Whether its Bosun's Bitter, Forester's Draught, Raven Stout or Ninety Shilling Ale, the "beer that made Knysna famous" is unmistakable. Whatever your choice, you can be assured that Mitchell's Beers are unpasteurised, live ales, produced with the finest available ingredients of British mashing and German lagering techniques.



Oysters, best known for their reputed aphrodisiac powers, have been a favourite of food lovers throughout the centuries, beginning with the Roman Emperors who paid for them by their weight in gold...

The cultivated Knysna Oyster is famous for its fresh, nutty taste - unique to oysters in this area. Of course the wild coastal oyster, more salty in taste - is ever popular and also readily available at local eateries. A dozen of so Knysna oysters with either a Mitchell's beer of a glass of Cap Classique are certainly one of the reasons to initiate a listing as a top destination!

To celebrate these fine delicacies Knysna devotes 10 days, annually, to the Knysna Oyster Festival. The Pick 'n Pay Knysna Oyster Festival, one of South Africa's most popular and enduring festivals, is a 10-day feast for oyster lovers and a sport and leisure adventure for the whole family. The program is packed with sporting events including cycling, running, canoeing, adventure racing, sailing and more. There is also plenty of entertainment for the not-so-active and many occasions to toast Knysna's famous local mollusc! Highlights include the Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay Rotary Knysna Cycle Tour - a two day festival of cycling, the arrival of the South African Navy minesweepers through the Heads, the Knysna Forest Marathon and Half Marathon and of course, the events celebrating the oyster - the Oyster & Wine Mardi Gras, the Oyster Eating and Oyster Shucking (opening) competitions.