Just south of Cape Town in South Africa, you will find a colony of Penguins in the picturesque village of Simon's Town.
Simon's Town Penguins
If you are anything like us, we are suckers for Penguins. They are simply the cutest little things and we can watch them for hours waddle and swim.
The Simon's Town Penguins are known as the African Penguin or the Jackass Penguin on account of the braying sound that they make. Numbers are slowly coming back thanks to conservation efforts.
It is hard to believe, but for decades these little guys were hunted for their meat and were considered a delicacy. Add to oil spills and a decline in their food supply they have fallen from several million to less than 200,000.
Boulders Beach
Venture down to Boulders Beach where you can walk the boardwalk to get a great view of the colony that settled here in 1985 and has been continuously growing ever since.
Nobody knows why the penguins decided to colonize this portion of the beach. The large human population should have been a deterrent, however the abundance of fish in the waters due to a ban on commercial fiction probably played a role.
My opinion is that they saw a beautiful beach with great rocks and boulders for sunbathing and relaxing. Hey, penguins like a great view too!
Winter in South Africa
It was South Africa's winter while we were there, but in the warmer months, you can actually swim with the penguins as they play and frolic on the public beaches around town.
Give yourself more than a day to visit Simon's Town. It is a beautiful seaside village filled with restaurants, cafés and beautiful scenery.
You can go sea kayaking, take boat trips, Cape Point is a short jaunt from the town and if you happen to find yourself there between June and November, you can view the majestic southern right whale.
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All the Pretty Penguins
Cape Town Accommodation says
Sweet Penguins
Cape Town Accommodation says
I remember the penguins from when I was young and at school. These pictures bring back fond memories.
outdoor adventure says
I am currently planning on going on an adventure holiday in south africa. A few adventure activities on the list include, shark cage diving and abseiling. However I’m definitely gonna check out the penguins in Simonstown. I love animals and like you said, penguins are so cute! Great post!
Kim says
My endering memory of boulders beach is walking out of the sea at around 11am in full scuba gear. There were penguins everywhere and one of the tourists asked us if it was our job each morning to go out and shoo all the penguins onto the beach. To which my friend gave the only answer possible – “YES!”
.-= Kim´s last blog ..North Korea, Vietnam and China – The Communist Tour =-.
davendeb says
Hi Kim, That is hilarious! The things that tourists ask sometimes just blows me away. Great answer.
Geogypsy says
Thanks for the tip, I’ve added it to my must see list in SA during March.
Nomadic Matt says
I would love to swim with penguins- sounds like fun. I’ll have to go to S.A. during the summer then!
Gourmantic says
I adore penguins! These are great photographs. Did you take them? I love the close up of the 3 on the beach. Looks like they’re cruisin’…
davendeb says
Yep. Dave takes all of our photo’s. I love them too! If we happen to use anyone else’s photos on the site, we give them a “courtesy of” title. Thanks for the reply!
Amy @ The Q Family says
I always associate penguins with cold weather. Still couldn’t believe to see penguins by the beach. 🙂 They do have a great taste in choosing their view.