What’s better than a trip to the beach? It has to be a trip where you can enjoy a swim in the warm(ish) water, and you get to see penguins!
Boulder Beach is a beautiful beach even before we get to the penguins. It has soft white sand. There are amazing rock pools to explore. The granite boulders that are found at the ends of the beach provide a natural windbreak. The water is warm enough to swim in. Moreover, the beach is well maintained, it is clean and safe as it is sustained as part of the Table Mountain National Park Protected Area.
The locals, though, make the beach a real tourist attraction. There is a penguin colony who make the area their home. The penguins found here are African penguins. They are sometimes known as Jackass Penguins, due to the sound of their call. The penguins can be seen all year round, but summertime is when they are easiest to spot. The warmer weather means they aren’t spending as much time out in the water hunting for food. If you don’t mind the chill then visit in January, and you’ll be able to see the baby penguins as they begin to moult.
There is a visitor centre where you can learn more about the penguins. There are lots of knowledgeable guides here too. You can learn all about the efforts being made to conserve the penguins. It really is an amazing story. In the 1900s the penguins’ numbers were decimated until only two breeding pairs remained in the wild. Due to the conservation efforts of the locals, there are now over 3,000 birds as part of the colony.
There is a conservation fee to pay if you want to use the beach. It’s R76 for adults and R41 for children. This fee does mean that the beach is rarely busy making it an ideal spot for a family day out.
The beach is easy to get to. You can drive and park at the beach. Public transport is also pretty easy to use to get to the beach. If you like train rides, you should take the train into Simon’s town as the views on the ride are stunning. You can then walk or get a taxi from the train station to the be
