Boulders Beach
Boulders Beach | |
|---|---|
Beach | |
 African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) at Boulders Beach | |
  Boulders Beach Location within South Africa | |
| Coordinates: 34°11′49″S 18°27′04″E / 34.197°S 18.451°E | |
| Location | Cape Peninsula, Simon's Town, Western Cape |
| Patrolled by | Table Mountain National Park |
| Access | Kleintuin Road, Simon's Town |
Boulders Beach is a sheltered beach made up of inlets between granite boulders, from which the name originated. It is located on the eastern side of the Cape Peninsula, in Simon's Town, in the southern region of Cape Town, South Africa. It is also commonly known as Boulders Bay.[1]
The beach is a popular tourist spot because of a colony of the endemic and critically endangered African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) which settled there in 1982. Boulders Beach forms part of the Table Mountain National Park.
Penguins
Although set in a residential area, it is one of the few sites where African penguins can be observed at close range, wandering freely in a protected natural environment. From just two breeding pairs in 1982, the penguin colony[2] has grown to about 3000 birds in recent years. This is partly due to the prohibition of commercial pelagic trawling in False Bay, which has increased the supply of sardines and anchovies, which form part of the penguins' diet,[3] as well as the help from former SANDF naval officer, Van the Penguin Man.[4]
Beaches
Bordered mainly by indigenous bush above the high-water mark on the one side, and the clear water of False Bay on the other, the area comprises several small sheltered bays, partially enclosed by granite boulders that are 540 million years old. The most popular recreational spot is Boulders Beach, but the penguins are best viewed from Foxy Beach, where newly constructed boardwalks take visitors to within a few metres of the birds. It is also a famous swimming beach, although people are restricted to beaches adjacent to the penguin colony.
In 2024, Boulders was ranked as the second best beach in the world in the Golden Beach Awards, for its combination of natural beauty and African penguins.[5] In 2025, Boulders was ranked the 12th best beach in the world by The World’s Best, for its warm water, penguins, safe swimming spots, and combination of leisure and wildlife conservation.[6]
Gallery
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Welcome to Boulders.jpg)
Entrance, Kleintuin Road, Simon's Town
Boulders Beach Visitor Centre.jpg)
Pathway
African penguins at Boulders Penguin Colony
Rocks in Boulder Beach
A colony of African penguins resting and standing on the sandy shore at Boulders Beach.
Penguin colony
Nesting burrows of the African penguin
Swimmers enjoying the relatively calm waters of the sheltered beach next to the penguin colony
Dassie at Boulders Beach
Boulders at the beach
Boulders Beach with some swimmers. In the background, the penguin colony and visitors can be seen
Swimmers and a penguin at the beach
Penguin, Boulders Beach
A colony of African penguins resting and standing on granite boulders at Boulders Beach.
References
- ↑ "Boulders Penguin Colony". Cape Town Tourism. Archived from the original on 2014-03-12. Retrieved 2014-03-12.
- ↑ "Boulders Beach Penguins".
- ↑ "South African National Parks - SANParks - Official Website - Accommodation, Activities, Prices, Reservations".
- ↑ "See or Swim with African Penguins at Boulders Beach Simon Town".
- ↑ Chante Hohip (30 May 2024). "3 Cape Town beaches make the world's top-100 list". EWN. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
- ↑ Sundeeka Mungroo (6 May 2025). "Cape Town beach named one of the 'World's 50 Best Beaches'". MSN. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
External links
- Get to know the African Penguins at Boulders Beach Archived 2019-02-23 at the Wayback Machine from
