Although, precisely speaking, the name refers to the narrow strip of forested coastal plain that runs east from Mossel Bay to the mouth of Storms River, for most people the Garden Route means the entire drive through the Western Cape from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth, or vice versa. Each of the three major inlets along the coast - Mossel Bay, Knysna Lagoon and Plettenberg Bay - has its own town. The oldest, Mossel Bay, is an industrial centre of some charm; although younger, Knysna is the most pleasant, despite having no beach of its own - unlike Plettenberg Bay, its neighbour to the east. Make sure you get off the main highway and spend time exploring the secluded coves and quiet forest trails, or try one of the many adventure sports on offer. The swathe of coastal forest is cut by rivers that tumble from the mountains down to the rocky shore and sandy beaches - the most dramatic is Storms River, which surges out of a gorge into the thundering ocean.