Boulders Penguin Colony

Boulders Penguin Colony lies on the False Bay coast near Simon's Town, about 40 km south of central Cape Town in South Africa's Western Cape, and forms part of the Table Mountain National Park. The colony of African penguins began in 1982 with two breeding pairs and has grown to a few thousand birds that live among granite boulders and sheltered, white-sand coves. Visitors enter through the Boulders Visitors Centre on Kleintuin Road and walk along raised boardwalks that pass close to the nesting areas, so that penguins can be seen waddling, preening and tending chicks within a few metres. Foxy Beach, the main viewing beach, has a fenced viewing platform where birds come ashore, and the neighbouring Boulders Beach is open for swimming in sheltered, shallow water where penguins sometimes swim alongside bathers. The African penguin is endangered, and the colony is carefully protected; visitors must not touch or feed the birds, which can bite. A typical visit lasts one to two hours, though those who swim or picnic can spend half a day. The best photo angles are from the boardwalk near the nesting boxes and from the beach at low tide, when penguins gather on the sand. Early morning and late afternoon are quieter, and the birds are most active in the cooler hours. The busiest period is mid-morning to early afternoon in summer and during school holidays, when tour buses arrive from the city. Breeding season runs roughly from February to August, with moulting in November and December, when penguins stay ashore and look dishevelled. The colony has a small shop and tea garden at the centre, and Simon's Town offers restaurants and a naval museum nearby. Visitors should bring sun protection and wind layers, as the cove can be breezy.