Boulders Beach in Simon’s Town, South Africa is a magical place! Driving down to Simon’s Town for the day was so worth the trip. Seriously though, these penguins couldn’t be any cuter and seeing them in the wild is the proper way to encounter a penguin. Don’t skip this trip in South Africa, as this is one of the places we think of when people say… “go to your happy place.” We’re hoping these photos will inspire you to see this beach for yourself. In the event that is not realistic for you, we hope these Boulders Beach photos can in some way, transport you there.
The Boulders Beach entrance fee is only R70.00 for adults (about $6) and R35.00 for children (about $3). Worth every penny!
Viewing points are easily accessible thanks to a long, winding boardwalk.
You will most likely see Dassies. These rodents are only found in Namibia, parts of Angola, and northwest South Africa. While they reminded us of a large guinea pig, we have definitely never seen anything like this before. We also saw these mischevious little guys on Table Mountain and while hiking Lion’s Head in Cape Town.
Looking out at the watery horizon while listening to the waves crash into the boulders creates a peaceful backdrop for this experience. These penguins (which are wild) seem so happy in their natural habitat. Before this, the only time we had ever seen penguins was in a zoo. There is a huge difference in their demeanor in the wild versus in a cage!
The penguins at Boulders Beach are African Penguins. This species of penguin is found only in southern African waters. At Boulders Beach there are around 2,500 penguins.
African Penguins are monogamous and the male and female return to the same site each year to breed.
We didn’t realize you could swim here so we didn’t pack any swimsuits. You definitely should though! The penguins sometimes come over into the swimming area!
Boulders Beach is a hot spot. The boulders are magnificent in their own right, but what makes this place a South African must-see: the penguins.
Since the penguins are wild and this isn’t a petting zoo, you may or may not get up close and personal with a penguin. The South African Tourism Board has designed Boulder’s Beach to be first and foremost for the penguins themselves. The sociable penguins in the colony who enjoy contact with humans can come over at their leisure to have a swim with visitors.
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