Botany Bay

South Carolina, United States of America

About Botany Bay

Only open to the public since 2008, Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve and Wildlife Management Area covers 13.6 km2 (5.2 sq mi) of beach, tidal creeks and marshes...

Botany Bay has a Moderate difficulty level and is Partially Family Friendly.

Things to do near Botany Bay

Private Charleston Dolphin and Eco Boat Tour

$295
★ 5.025 reviews

2-Hour Charleston Stand-Up Paddleboard Rentals

$38.5
★ 5.025 reviews

Morris Island Dolphin Cruise and Shelling Trip

$295
★ 5.05 reviews

Charleston/Folly Beach Shark Tooth and fossil Island Drop off

$125
★ 5.03 reviews

Private 2 Hour Morris Island and River Cruise

$295
★ 5.03 reviews

Dolphin Kayak Tour on Folly Beach

$55
★ 5.02 reviews

2-Hour Tiki Boat Tour in Folly Beach

$75
★ 5.02 reviews

Guided Fossil Excursion with an Experienced Local

$150
★ 5.01 review

Private Morning Sail, Dolphin and History Tour on Mystique

$499
★ 5.075 reviews

Private Sailing Charter with Captain, BYOB

$500
★ 5.056 reviews

Private Morning Sail/ Dolphin Tour on 50ft Fate, BYOB or Catering

$599
★ 5.037 reviews

Private BYOB Afternoon Harbor Sail On 50ft Sailing Yacht Fate

$599
★ 5.033 reviews

Private Sunset Sail BYOB Dolphin/History Tours on 43ft Mystique

$599
★ 5.031 reviews

Private Afternoon Sailing/Dolphin & History Tour on 43ft Mystique

$525
★ 5.026 reviews

Private Folly Beach Dolphin Cruise (up to 12)

$55
★ 5.023 reviews

Private Afternoon Harbor Cruise on Kismet for parties up to 15

$1549
★ 5.017 reviews

Private Charleston Harbor Catamaran Sail

$950
★ 5.028 reviews

Afternoon Charleston Historic Harbor Sail - Lux Catamatan

$50
★ 5.02 reviews

Charleston Inshore Fishing Charter

$550
★ 5.01 review

Aloha Wednesday Sunset Sail - Drinks Included - Lux Catamaran

$76
★ 5.01 review

2 Hours Shem Creek Safari Kayak Tour

$52
★ 4.9358 reviews

Charleston Harbor & Marina E-Bike Tour

$135
★ 4.982 reviews

Outer Banks Film Location eBike Tour in Charleston

$135
★ 4.922 reviews

Charleston Shores Guided eBike Tour

$135
★ 4.9115 reviews

Isle of Palms Scavenger Hunt

$29
★ 5.01 review
Google
Map data ©2025 Google
Map data ©2025 Google
South Carolina, United States of America
Latitude: 32.544543, Longitude: -80.229985

Activities

Walking
Guided Tours
Landscape Photography
Wildlife Watching
Birdwatching

About Botany Bay

About Botany Bay

Only open to the public since 2008, Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve and Wildlife Management Area covers 13.6 km2 (5.2 sq mi) of beach, tidal creeks and marshes in the county of Charleston, South Carolina. The site is a former cotton plantation and contains many old buildings, many made of tabby (a mixture of lime, mortar, sand and oyster shells).

Flora and Fauna

The maritime forest and coastal scrub provide nesting and feeding grounds for neotropical songbirds such as painted buntings and summer tanagers. The uplands support opossums, raccoons and several varieties of venomous snake, including the Eastern Coral snake, the Copperhead, the Cottonmouth and three species of rattlesnake.

But the jewel in the area’s crown is the undeveloped coastal habitats: a 1.2 km (0.75 mi) walk across a causeway through salt marsh leads to a two mile long natural beach. This is an important nesting site for the threatened loggerhead sea turtle between May and August. In 2008, biologists counted some 235 separate nests here. Also the least tern, listed as threatened in South Carolina, nests here around mid-May.

The beach is covered with discarded shells from whelks, clams and oysters, but there are restrictions on shelling here. Swimming in the sea is also not recommended due to the quantity of natural debris invisible to the naked eye – from old oyster beds to tree stumps - as well as surprisingly strong rip currents and the possibility of jellyfish and sharks.

BESbswy