Boulders Beach - Cape Town

Boulders Beach, Cape Town

Just around the corner from Simon’s Town lies Boulders Beach, a sheltered cove of soft white sand, massive granite boulders and – being on the Indian Ocean side of the peninsula – water that’s a little warmer than the icy temperatures of Cape Town's Atlantic Ocean beaches.

Yet it’s not the squeaky-clean sand or crystal clear water that makes visitors to flock to Boulders but its local residents – penguins. Boulders Beach and neighbouring Foxy Beach are home to a colony of thousands of African penguins and it's great fun to watch them go about their daily business: preening and sunning themselves, guarding a nest, waddling along the sand like an old married couple and then transforming into sleek black-and-white torpedoes as soon as they enter  

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the water.

To get really close to the penguins stroll along the wooden boardwalks that thread through the dense vegetation, over the dunes and round Foxy Beach - with such a beautiful setting and ever-obliging birds you’re sure to get some great photos. In fact the penguins almost seem to pose for pictures, though a word of warning: don’t hassle the penguins or try to touch them - they may look cute but they can be grouchy and those beaks are razor sharp.

Afterward wandering the boardwalks, head down to Boulders Beach itself and find a spot to soak up some sunshine and enjoy the unique experience of sharing a stretch of sand with these birds in their butler-style tailcoats. If you’re travelling with kids, be prepared to stay a while: the water’s safe for swimming, there are rock pools to explore and boulders to clamber about on – it really is the perfect spot for a family beach picnic.

A final word of advice for those who have driven to Boulders Beach: before you leave, check to see whether any stray birds have chosen to rest in the shade of, or underneath, your car.