A comprehensive experimental investigation was carried out to understand the effect of vegetation in attenuating run-up over a plane slope of 1: 30 due to the propagation of cnoidal waves. Two different types of vegetation configurations, namely tandem and staggered, are considered. Dynamic pressures exerted along a vertical wall fronted by these two vegetation types were measured, and the typical variation of dimensionless peak pressures for different relative depths of submergence of the pressure ports is reported as a function of dimensionless parameters involving the vegetation and wave characteristics. Further, typical results on the variation of the dimensionless peak run-up versus the surf similarity parameter only for the staggered configuration are also herein reported. Finally, the percentage reduction in wave run-up and pressures on the wall due to the presence of wall fronted by vegetation are reported. © 2011 Copyright International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research.