Boulders, a sheltered cove in the naval town of Simon’s Town, comprises a few small bays and beaches protected by enormous granite rocks, 540-million years old, from the pounding surf of the Atlantic Ocean in False Bay. It is one of the most popular attractions in the Table Mountain National Park.
In 1982, two pairs of African Penguins took the unusual step of settling and breeding on the mainland here at Boulders. Today, the colony has grown to number over 2,000 birds and offers probably the most accessible views of penguins to be had anywhere in the world. Visitors are urged not to get too close to the penguins and not to try and touch them, as they’ll not hesitate to nip a finger or nose with their razor sharp beaks if they feel threatened.
While pride of place obviously goes the the penguins, there’s a multitude of other wildlife – birds and mammals especially – that find a safe refuge at Boulders.
Wheelchair-friendly boardwalks erected at Foxy Beach allows visitors to get up close to the penguins, while swimming and sunbathing is popular at Boulders Beach. The two beaches are connected by a lovely walkway through indigenous bush known as Willis’ Walk. There is a curio shop at the visitor centre, and several restaurants, cafes and coffee shops nearby in Simon’s Town.
Boulders Beach and Penguin Colony is located in Simon’s Town, base of the South African navy south of Cape Town. Parking is available in Seaforth Road and Bellevue Road, both of which turn off the main Milner’s Point Road (M4) leading through town.
DeWetsWild 
Pingback: Snaps on Tour: Penguins galore, and much more, at Boulders | DeWetsWild
Great post. I have not seen penguins live, but only in zoos. 🙂 Thank You sharing this post with us.
It is our absolute pleasure!
I love the penguins, but I really enjoyed seeing the shot of the mongoose.
janet
Thanks Janet – we’ll be publishing a special post about the Cape Grey Mongoose soon!
there is nothing like Cape town..
Certainly deserves to be one of our top attractions, that’s for sure!
I would love to visit here. I’ve never seen penguins in the wild before.
You wouldn’t be disappointed P.J.B. – Boulders’s penguins are waiting for you!
Great shots of the penguins and birds, de Wets!
Thanks a lot, Jane!
Baie dankie vir die interessante artikel en mooi foto’s,Dries.Beslis ‘n plek wat ek nog wil besoek.
Dis beslis die moeite werd om vroeg daar te wees wanneer jul gaan, Dina.
Great pictures.😊 I did´t knew that any penguin had nests, I thought they lay the egg on the ground and then held them warm with their body, standing. Much we learn in your blog!😊
That may well be true for some other kinds of penguins, John, but our African Penguins prefer to nest in burrows when possible and will only nest on open ground when they have no other option. The eggs and chicks are exposed to all kinds of dangers then. We’ll be sharing more about the African Penguin in two days, and hopefully you will like that post as much!
Those cute little penguins would nip my nose?!
Indeed they would, Lois! They must’ve seen a Batman movie…