The Ultimate Guide to Boulders Beach in Cape Town

January 8, 2020

Traveling to see penguins in Boulders Beach is one of the best things to do in Cape Town. With that being said, you will have to know how to visit this location so that you make the most of your travel time here. I’m going to share some tips to help you best visit Boulder’s Beach in Cape Town for the most fun and best experiences ever.

Boulders Beach is located fairly close to Cape Town. This beautiful beach features massive granite boulders throughout the area, including in the underwater. This location falls under the Western Cape province of South Africa and is sometimes referred to as Boulder’s Bay. There are many sports offered here and other activities to keep you busy during your time visiting Boulder’s Beach in Cape Town.

How to Get to Boulder’s Beach in Cape Town

You can get to Boulders Beach in Cape Town by bus, uber, or train if you don’t have a car of your own.

Train: There’s a scenic train ride offered by MetroRail that starts at Cape Town station that will bring you to Simon’s Town via Fish Hoek. From here you’ll need to grab a taxi or walk for 30 minutes to arrive at your destination. MetroRail has put a ton of effort to ensure safety on passengers and the route is considered safe during the day. Still, I recommend booking first-class tickets (they’re cheap) as there’s more security there.

If you have the day, I recommend buying their “hop on, hop off” ticket, which allows you unlimited travel between Cape Town and Simon’s Town for a whole day and you can get on and off at any station for just 30 Rand.

Uber: Uber is a popular mode of transportation in South Africa and you can easily hail one in Cape Town to drop you off at Boulders Beach. Another app I used more than Uber was Bolt – it’s basically the same concept as Uber – download both while in South Africa.

Don’t forget to get travel insurance for your trip! As always, I recommend Safety Wing to cover you. I’ve been using them for years and always had a great experience and prices start at $45 USD per month. Check them out here.

Things to do in Boulders Beach

Swim with Penguins

You’ll find many penguins hanging out at Boulders Beach in Cape Town, and you can swim with them. The colony of African penguins that make this location their home and you’re allowed to swim with them, take photos with them and so on as long as you don’t play with them or feed them. When swimming with the penguins of Boulders Beach always remember to respect their natural habitat and that they’re wild creatures, not domesticated animals.

Enjoy Watersports

Enjoy swimming, kitesurfing and other watersports during your visit to Boulders Beach in Cape Town during open hours. Check the local area to find out what hours Boulders Beach is open so that you can take part in some of the watersports activities offered at the beach during normal operation hours. If you’re not into watersports, that’s fine, simply enjoy some sunbathing on the sandy beach.

Go Scuba Diving

Here’s your chance to get up close and personal with the underwater world at Boulder’s Beach in Cape Town. There are many fabulous diving spots at Boulders Beach such as Justin’s Cave, A-Frame, Pyramid Rock and many others. The exciting part of making plans to go scuba diving when you visit Boulders Beach in Cape Town is that you’ll be able to see shipwrecks under the sea as well as many small and large wildlife that call Boulders Beach home.

Where to Stay Near Boulders Beach

Visiting Boulders Beach is an easy day trip from Cape Town, but to get the most out of your visit and to get the chance to explore a quieter side of the area, I recommend booking a hotel or Airbnb in Scarborough. My friend Bel and I stayed at Cape Point Villa and fell in love with the surroundings.

There’s plenty to do and enjoy during your travel excursion to Boulders Beach so don’t worry about not having anything to do around!, Besides, this is one of the best locations to sit back and relax so that you don’t have to keep busy and can simply enjoy a fabulous vacation in South Africa.