Boulders Beach – Simon’s Town, South Africa

What is It - One of the most interesting places to see in South Africa is the Cape Peninsula, a mountainous land mass located near Cape Town which extends for about 30 miles and ends at the Cape of Good Hope. Although technically not the southernmost point of the African continent, this South Western tip is an impressive and historic landmark. It is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and False Bay to the east. The ships and sailors of the British East India Company and later the British Navy often clustered in the sheltered harbors of the east coast side of the peninsula including Simon's Town. The Victorian architecture of the town’s waterfront reflects that history. By the end of the 20th century the area emerged as a popular place to visit by people seeking a break from Cape Town. Neither local merchants nor area residents expected, however, that the lifestyle of some uninvited tuxedoed guests would become the town’s premier attraction.

In 1982, two pairs of African penguins decided to nest just south of town in a beach area with numerous boulders known as Boulders Beach. Although African penguins have long inhabited many of the offshore islands and some spots here and there on the South African coast, these initial settlers like the Europeans before them aimed to stay. Consequently, today there is a colony with more than 2400 penguins living at Boulders Beach and the adjacent Foxy Beach, and the penguin colony attracts more than 60,000 people each annually. 

When the African penguin became an endangered species in the country in 2010, the government moved to protect them by taking over Boulders Beach and the surrounding dunes and incorporating them into the Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area. Boating and construction near the beach were outlawed, but visitors were accommodated through the construction of a visitor’s center and a half mile boardwalk which leads to several large viewing platforms. This allows the penguins to go about their business of lounging in the sun, nesting in their burrows, swimming around in nearby waters, and searching out food far and wide for themselves and their young, without disruption or significant human interference.

Photo by Clive DeBruyne - Cape Town Tour Guide Co.

There is something about penguins that people enjoy watching. Maybe it is the way they look since their long black wings and white bodies give the appearance of a tuxedoed gentleman, or their strange gait, or the antics they engage in when they lounge around in large groups. Whatever the reason, people enjoy stopping by Boulders Beach to take in the sight of these interesting creatures.

The African penguin is a bird which does not fly. However, it is very adept in the water where it uses its webbed feet and flipper-like wings for fast swimming and deep diving. They generally eat small fish that swim on the top layer of the ocean but also will eat small crabs and squid from time to time. Most penguins weigh from 5 to 8 pounds and are usually around 20 inches tall. These penguins make an unusual braying call like a mule which led them to be referred to in the past as the jackass penguin. There are always plenty of penguins on the beach. But during the moulting season in December, the entire colony comes on land and “moult” their feathers to allow new ones to grow in. Each bird takes three weeks to complete the moulting process and cannot eat until they have developed their new feathers and return to the ocean to feed.

Penguins generally live about 10 to 13 years. When they are about 3 years old, they mate and thereafter become creatures of habit for the rest of their life. Pairs remain together and return to the same nesting area to breed, care for the incubating eggs, and then raise the young fledglings. This is not an easy process since one of the adults will usually leave to catch food for the whole family and return it to the nest usually in the form of regurgitated fish. 

The main beach area for seeing the penguins is located a mile outside of Simons Town which is a 40 minute drive from Cape Town. Most tourists start at the visitor’s center located at the Foxy Beach entrance. There is general information and some exhibits about the African penguin presented there. This is also where the Willis Walk accessible boardwalk begins which leads to the various beach spots, nesting areas, and viewing platforms where the penguins frequently gather. There are no guides on site, so most people take a group tour or bring their own guide from Cape Town.

Interesting Facts - The beaches adjacent to Boulders Beach are open to the public and have some quite nice swimming and picnic areas. In addition to getting cooled off, some tourists like to swim there because many times the penguins come by during their daily routine. They can be observed up close and photographed but not handled.

How to Get Here – Simon’s Town and Boulders Beach are regular stops on most group tours of the Cape Peninsula. Visiting the penguins with a group will help you find your way from the town center to the beach without having to walk for 25 minutes. If you are visiting with a private guide or driving from Cape Town, the best route is travel down the M3 highway to the coast and then take the scenic M4 route along the water. While there is a train that runs from Cape Town Station to Simon’s Town, this is not regarded as a safe option for visitors.

Where to Stay – The Simon’s Town Quayside Hotel is conveniently located right on the bay in the town and provides a moderately priced room with standard amenities for around $100 per night. There are also numerous guest houses around the town and near Boulders Beach such as Oceans Drift which offer rooms priced between $75 to $125 per night. For a luxury stay, Tintswalo Boulders is an excellent villa to consider.

Cost - An Admission fee or conservation fee is charged to enter the National Park area where the penguins are visible. The current charge is approximately $12-$15 depending on current exchange rates.

This Article was written with the assistance of Clive De Bruyne of The Cape Town Tour Guide Co., a certified, independent tour guide and travel consultant.