Boulders Beach Penguins in Cape Town: 6 Things to Know Before You Go 

Believe it or not, the Boulders Beach penguin colony started with just one pair of penguins in 1982. Now, there are thousands, but timing your visit can make a big difference.

✅ March – May: Best time (peak breeding season — lots of penguin action)
✅ January: Great for spotting juvenile penguins molting on the beach
✅ September to October: Fewer penguins as they’re out at sea hunting fish

We visited in late September. Not ideal timing, yet still saw plenty of penguins to make the visit worthwhile. 

No matter when you go, the penguins are worth it. Waddles and all!

The late afternoon is your best bet for spotting the most penguins. That’s when they return to their nests after a day of fishing at sea.

If you prefer fewer crowds, an early morning visit is another option. Just keep in mind there will be fewer penguins since many are still out hunting for fish.

If you’re hoping to see South African penguins, you’ve got two options:

1. Betty’s Bay at the Stony Point Nature Reserve
2. Boulders Beach in Simon’s Town

So, which one should you visit?

I can’t speak from firsthand experience about Betty’s Bay since we only visited Boulders Beach, but I did plenty of research before making our decision.

After comparing both, Boulders Beach seemed like the better fit for us, and we had an incredible time.

If you’re weighing your options, I’ll break down what I learned to help you decide which penguin hangout is right for you!

Stony Point Penguin Colony at Betty’s Bay in South Africa

→     Fewer crowds

→     Cheaper entrance fee (R40)

→     90 minutes from Cape Town

→     Surrounding attractions: beautiful quaint seaside town of Hermanus (which we visited during our amazing wine tour!), Harold Porter National Botanical Gardens

→     Photos: penguins with a rugged coastline as the backdrop 

→     No swimming with the penguins

→     More crowds (this stop is typically part of a Cape Peninsula full-day trip with large amounts of tourists)

→     More expensive entrance fee (R190)

→     60 minutes from Cape Town

→     Surrounding attractions: Muizenberg Beach with the brightly colored beach huts, epic drive along Chapman’s Peak, Cape of Good Hope, Hout Bay (where we had the best fish & chips)

→     Photos: penguins on the white sand beach or in the beautiful clear turquoise waters of False Bay

→     Option of swimming with the penguins depending on the time of year

There are two options for parking: 

On Google Maps, Seaforth Square will come up as Seaforth Beach Parking Lot, Simon’s Town.

It is a 5-minute walk to the Visitor Center, which appears as Table Mountain National Park- Boulders Visitor Centre on Google Maps.

This parking spot is conveniently located right next to the entrance where you’ll find the hidden access point to swim with the penguins. More on that in a bit.

If you want to snag a spot, aim to arrive early in the morning or late in the afternoon. We didn’t, and ended up circling the area for 30 minutes before finally parking at Seaforth Square.

For the warmest water, aim to swim with the penguins during the summer months (December through March). But fair warning. Even then, the sea temperature only reaches about 69/70°F, which is still pretty brisk.

Brrr. For comparison, when we snorkel in the Caribbean (like St. John, USVI), the water is a much toastier 79-84°F. A big difference!

There are three boardwalks at Boulders Beach:

1. Two boardwalks flanking Foxy Beach which is accessed through the Visitor Center after paying the entrance fee.
2. Willis Walk, the third boardwalk that leads to the hidden entrance where you can swim with the penguins.

For the easiest access to Willis Walk, park at the end of Bellevue Road. Unfortunately, when we visited, parking there was full, so we ended up at Seaforth Square near the main Visitor Center.

If you also park at Seaforth Square, skip the Visitor Center and head to Willis Walk, located to the right of the Visitor Center.

This path runs parallel to Middle Beach, 1st Beach, and Boulders Beach and takes about 7 minutes to reach the Boulders Beach pay station on the other side.

Check the parking map for easy orientation.

If you park near the Boulders Beach Visitor Center at Seaforth Square, bear right on Willis Walk to start your journey to the hidden penguin entrance.

This stroll is a 7-minute walk along the boardwalk to the entrance to Boulders Beach.

As you stroll along Willis Walk, you’ll spot plenty of penguins waddling near the boardwalk or lounging on the granite boulders.

When we visited, one curious penguin had even managed to wedge itself between the fence and the boardwalk.  Close enough to touch (but please don’t!).

Boulders Beach penguin wedged between the boardwalk and fence.

Such a cute little face!

Near the end of Willis Walk, you’ll notice people relaxing on the beach below. That’s your spot if you’re looking to swim with the penguins.

Boulders Beach penguins

To reach the beach, head to the pay station near the end of Willis Walk, just before the Bellevue Road parking lot.

If you haven’t paid at the Visitor Center, you’ll need to pay here. Once through, follow the path down to the beach.

This cove, sheltered by granite boulders, offers calm waters for swimming in the warmer months. But when we arrived, the penguins were still nowhere in sight.

At the far end of the beach, we hit what seemed like a dead-end. Massive granite boulders rising from the sand.

But as we crouched down, we spotted a small tunnel between the rocks. Just big enough for a person to squeeze through.

Excited that we might have found the hidden entrance, we wriggled our way through.

Seeing a few others scrambling across boulders on the other side confirmed we were on the right track.

For the next 20 minutes, we clambered over and under granite boulders, sometimes getting splashed by the sea, until we finally emerged into a quiet oasis.

Penguins on the left, turquoise water on the right.

Ok, we weren’t totally alone. There were about 10 other people but compared to the crowded viewing platforms at Foxy Beach, this felt peaceful and secluded.

Later, we realized this hidden gem was likely Middle Beach, tucked between Boulders Beach and Foxy Beach.

Check out the map below for reference!

Finding the hidden entrance to swim with the penguins

The penguins were right there. Lounging on the granite boulders, soaking up the sun!

I’m so glad my husband brought our DSLR camera because we captured some incredible close-up shots.

But fair warning. Lugging a bulky camera across those boulders wasn’t easy. We nearly lost a lens in the process!

The DSLR camera came in handy!

We visited at the end of September, and it was far too cold to swim. As you can see from the photo below, I’m bundled up in a light puffer jacket. No chance I was trading that for a swimsuit.

That said, a few brave souls were waist-deep in the water.

Actually… I take that back. If I’d spotted a penguin swimming nearby, I probably would’ve gritted my teeth and jumped in just to say I swam with a penguin!

If you’re comfortable driving, visiting the Boulders Beach penguins on your own is easy and well worth it.

On the recommendation of our boutique hotel, Derwent House, we rented a car through Cabs Car Hire, and they were fantastic!

We took a memorable road trip that included stops at the colorful Muizenberg Beach huts, the adorable Boulders Beach penguins, scenic Hout Bay, and the beautiful Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens.

Not keen on driving? No worries. Booking a tour is a solid option.

Viator (owned by Tripadvisor) offers a highly-rated full-day tour that includes Boulders Beach.

But honestly, if you’re up for driving, I’d recommend doing it on your own. It’s straightforward and gives you the freedom to explore at your own pace.

Where else can you swim and get this close to penguins in their natural habitat?

Nowhere that I know of! Visiting the Boulders Beach Penguins is an experience you won’t want to miss.

Looking for more things to do in Cape Town? Be sure to read my favorite 17 experiences!

Still mapping out your trip? Don’t miss my epic 2-week South Africa itinerary to help you plan the perfect adventure.

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Questions about our Boulders Beach penguin experience?

Let me know in the comments below!