Spanish Every other year, more than 60,000 visitors make their way to Boulders Beach in Cape Town. It must be quite the site; huh? Indeed, it is. Located near Simon’s town the beach lives up to its well-known reputation. To shield it from the large waves and wind are the old granite boulders. They could be the reason behind the Beach name as some would agree. Since it is not so windy here, and the large waves have already been taken care of by the boulders, it makes it quite an ideal swimming area for children. It is seldom crowded which makes it quite the place if you are not into largely crowded areas. Additionally, it is always safe and clean down here, as the beach is part of Table Mountain National Park’s Marine Protected area.
Meet the Penguins
Cape Town is definitely not a place that is short of beautiful beaches. However, Boulders Beach is Cape Town’s most visited beach. It is the only place where you can get to be in close proximity to the African Penguins. How cool is that? This makes it offer more than other beaches; it has that extra factor. Get to meet these awesome ‘guys’ in their waddling glory, all dressed up as though for a special occasion. They are just magnificent.
Safe Swimming
There is more to Boulders Beach than the lovely penguins. The beach is a place where you can swim safely given the protection from the boulders. Kids get double fun as they have a chance to climb the boulders for a little bit of adventure. They can also explore rock pools while here. There is a fee (R65) that is usually charged at the entrance, which makes it a little bit less crowded than other beaches with no entrance fee charged. It is also quite ideal for picnics as it packs peace of mind allowing you to wander away into the zone with your loved ones.
Getting to the beach is not too much of a hustle both on public and private means. Just outside Simon’s town, you will find False Bay. If you are using public means, you can get a train from Cape Town right to Simon’s Town. The train ride is quite scenic as it runs along the Kalk Bay coastline. From the town, you can either catch a taxi or take a 30-minute’ walk through the naval town which is quite historic. On private means, you can go around the mountain through Bishops Court’s southern suburbs. Go past Constantia Valley to Kalk Bay; proceed with the coastline until you get to Simon’s Town.
It would be nice to note that in as much as penguins are adorable and appear harmless, they are still wild birds. Getting too close to them is not advisable and so is feeding them. The only thing of paramount importance in addition to swimming gear, raincoat, umbrella, and entrance fees, would be a nice camera or device that takes nice outdoor shots. With this, you are good to go on your memory creating the journey.
