Simon's Town: penguin capital and the cleanest part of the Cape Peninsula

Why Simon’s Town is worth stopping for on the Cape Peninsula loop

Most visitors encounter Simon’s Town as a checkpoint on the way to Boulders Beach — you park, you see penguins, you leave. That is a shame, because the town itself is genuinely interesting: a working naval base with a 300-year history, a Victorian main street that has survived largely intact, a harbour full of fishing boats and grey frigates, and a quieter rhythm than anything else on the Cape Peninsula. It is also, frankly, the cleanest and most orderly town on the whole peninsula loop.

Simon’s Town sits at the southern end of False Bay, sheltered from the south-easter that hammers Cape Town’s Atlantic Seaboard from November through February. That shelter is the reason it became a naval base in the first place: the Dutch East India Company (VOC) used it as a winter anchorage as early as 1741 when Table Bay became untenable in winter storms. The Royal Navy took it over in 1814 and ran it until South Africa assumed control in 1957. The naval presence never left — you will notice this in the uniformed personnel on Jubilee Square and the grey warships moored in the harbour.

For a family visiting Cape Town, a day structured around Simon’s Town and Boulders Beach is close to ideal: manageable distances, genuine wildlife, proper food, and a town that children do not find boring while adults explore it.

Boulders Beach penguins: what to actually expect

African penguins — the species found here — are neither the largest nor the most dramatic penguins on earth, but they have an undeniable quality: they go about their lives with complete indifference to the humans peering at them from the boardwalks. Boulders Beach hosts a breeding colony of roughly 2 000 birds. They nest in the sandy dunes behind the beach, waddle to the water, fish in False Bay, return, and repeat. In January and February, when adults go through the annual moult (becoming flightless and grumpy for about three weeks), the atmosphere is particularly chaotic.

Entry and ticketing: Boulders Beach is managed by SANParks. Entry costs ZAR 200 for international adults (ZAR 50 for children under 12 and South African residents with ID). Purchase tickets at the gate — there is no need to book ahead unless you are visiting as part of a large group. The gates open at 07:00 and close at 19:30 in summer, shorter hours in winter.

Foxy Beach vs the swimming beach: the colony is split. The Foxy Beach boardwalk on the south side gives you eye-level access to penguins nesting in the dunes — this is the better wildlife viewing spot and the more photographed. The swimming beach on the north side of the boulders allows penguins and humans to share the water — an experience that sounds idyllic but in practice involves dodging very determined small birds that swim faster than you. Both areas are accessed from the same car park; the Foxy Beach boardwalk is the priority if you have limited time.

Best time of day: arrive between 09:00 and 11:00. The colony is most active in the morning — birds returning from overnight fishing, others setting out, chicks being fed. By early afternoon, many penguins retreat into the shade under the bushes and the human crowds build significantly. Peak season for visitors is December through February (South African summer holidays), when the site can feel genuinely crowded by midday. Off-season visits (May through August) mean fewer people and penguins that are more visible because they spend more time on shore.

What penguins do not like: you cannot touch them (beyond the accidental collision that occasionally happens on the swimming beach). You cannot feed them. You cannot block the paths between the dunes and the water — penguins have right of way, and they will assert it. The boardwalks are designed to keep humans from trampling nests, which are effectively just depressions in the sand.

A guided half-day penguin tour from Cape Town is worth considering if you do not have a hire car — it includes transport and the entry fee. If you are already driving the Cape Peninsula loop, the site is easy to access independently.

Jubilee Square and Simon’s Town main street

The main street (St George’s Street) runs parallel to the harbour for about 1.5 km. The Victorian commercial strip is remarkably intact — many of the shopfronts date from the late 19th century, when Simon’s Town was a significant British naval garrison town. It is not a museum piece but an active commercial street with restaurants, galleries, and the inevitable curio shops, which are mostly decent rather than the aggressive tourist-trap variety found in Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront.

Jubilee Square is the focal point: a palm-shaded public square at the harbour’s edge with a bronze statue of Able Seaman Just Nuisance, the Great Dane dog who was officially enlisted in the Royal Navy in 1939 and whose story (he travelled free on trains to and from Cape Town, only in the company of naval ratings, and was court-martialled once for being late for duty) is genuinely entertaining and worth reading at the interpretive panels.

The harbourfront here is quiet and pleasant in the morning — a mix of fishing boats, Navy vessels visible in the background, and the kind of low-key seaside atmosphere that Cape Town’s busier spots lack.

Simon’s Town Museum and the naval history

The Simon’s Town Museum on Court Road is a compact but well-curated local history museum covering the Dutch VOC period, the British naval era, and the town’s more troubling history under apartheid. Simon’s Town had a substantial Cape Malay and coloured community that was forcibly removed under the Group Areas Act in the 1960s and 70s — the museum handles this with more honesty than many South African heritage sites. Entry is around ZAR 40. Allow 45 to 60 minutes.

The Simon’s Town Boat Company runs seal snorkelling trips in False Bay and seasonal whale-watching in False Bay during winter (southern right whales pass through on their way to Walker Bay). These are not in the same league as Hermanus whale watching, but are an option if whales are your focus.

Where to eat

Salty Sea Dog: the most consistently recommended fish-and-chips operation in Simon’s Town. Informal, harbourside, with plastic chairs and proper portions. Do not expect white tablecloths — do expect fresh kabeljou (cob) and calamari at prices that feel almost unreasonable by Cape Town standards. The queue at lunchtime can be twenty minutes but moves fast.

Bertha’s Restaurant: the other end of the formality spectrum — a sit-down restaurant on the waterfront with views over the harbour to the Navy base. Seafood is the default choice. Service is attentive and the wine list covers Western Cape producers adequately. Expect ZAR 200-400 a head for a proper lunch. Booking is advisable on summer weekends.

Black Marlin: a local institution 4 km north of Simon’s Town at Miller’s Point, built into the rocks above a tidal pool. The terrace views over False Bay and the Hottentots Holland mountains are excellent. Seafood focus, slightly fancier than Salty Sea Dog. Worth it if you have time for a full sit-down lunch on the return leg from Boulders Beach.

Walking tour of the old town

The 1.5 km main street is the walking tour. Start at the south end near the museum and walk north toward Jubilee Square. Most of the interesting buildings are clearly dated on plaques. The Old Residency (1777) on St George’s Street is the oldest building in the town and one of the oldest in the Western Cape still in its original function (it became a hotel).

From Jubilee Square, walk down to the harbour wall and look east across False Bay — on a clear day the Hottentots Holland mountains are plainly visible. Whales pass through False Bay between June and October, and while they are not reliably visible from the harbour wall, it happens.

The walk out to Seaforth Beach (a ten-minute stroll south from Jubilee Square) takes you through a stretch of residential Simon’s Town that tourists rarely reach. Seaforth Beach itself is free to enter, has minimal facilities, and sometimes has penguins wandering on the sand — it is part of the same colony range but not managed or boardwalked. This is the place to swim if you want to share the water with penguins without paying for the privilege.

Overnight options

Staying overnight in Simon’s Town is an underrated Cape Peninsula choice. You wake up in a quiet harbour town, can walk to Boulders Beach before the tour buses arrive, and have a base for an early-morning drive to Cape Point.

Quayside Hotel: the most prominent mid-range option, sitting directly on the harbour. Rooms facing the bay have views of the water and the Navy ships. En suite rooms, reliable breakfast, ZAR 1 500-2 800 per room depending on season.

British Hotel Apartments: self-catering suites in the converted British Hotel building on the main street. Spacious, characterful, better for stays of two or more nights. Slightly more expensive than Quayside but significantly more space.

Simon’s Town Backpackers: for budget travellers — clean, social, well-run, within walking distance of Jubilee Square.

A Cape Peninsula itinerary with a Simon’s Town overnight makes sense if you are travelling from Cape Town down through Chapman’s Peak, Hout Bay, and Cape Point on day one, sleeping in Simon’s Town, then doing Boulders Beach early before continuing your loop back to Cape Town.

Day trip from Cape Town vs overnight

The honest case for a day trip: Simon’s Town is 45-60 minutes from Cape Town, it is on the standard Cape Peninsula loop, and you can do Boulders Beach, Jubilee Square, a fish lunch, and be back in Cape Town by late afternoon without feeling rushed.

The case for an overnight: if Boulders Beach at 07:30 without a tourist in sight sounds appealing; if you want a Cape Point sunrise; if you are driving rather than on a guided tour and can use the flexibility.

A full-day Cape Peninsula guided tour from Cape Town covers Simon’s Town and Boulders Beach along with Chapman’s Peak, Cape Point, and Hout Bay — the most efficient option for visitors without a hire car.

Frequently asked questions about Simon’s Town

Do you need to book Boulders Beach in advance?

No. SANParks does not require advance booking for individual visitors at Boulders Beach. You pay at the gate. The only situation where advance booking matters is large group visits or school trips. Arrive early to beat the crowds and catch the penguins at their most active.

Can you swim at Boulders Beach with the penguins?

Yes, at the designated swimming beach on the north side of the colony. The water in False Bay is noticeably warmer than Cape Town’s Atlantic beaches (17-21°C in summer vs 12-15°C on the Atlantic side). Penguins will swim around and sometimes past you. They do occasionally peck if they feel threatened — do not approach nesting birds.

Is Simon’s Town safe for tourists?

Simon’s Town is one of the safest towns on the Cape Peninsula for visitors. It is a small, compact, well-policed naval town with minimal crime affecting tourists. The main street, Jubilee Square, and the area around Boulders Beach are all low-risk. Standard precautions (secure your car, do not leave bags visible) apply but the threat level is much lower than anywhere in central Cape Town or Johannesburg.

How long should you spend at Boulders Beach?

Allow 60-90 minutes. The boardwalk circuit takes 20-30 minutes at a leisurely pace; longer if you settle on a bench and watch the colony interact. The swimming beach extends that if you want to get in the water. Two hours is a comfortable maximum before you have seen everything the site offers.

Is there parking at Boulders Beach?

Yes — a paid car park at the entrance. Cost is modest (around ZAR 20-30). It fills up by late morning in peak season. Overflow parking exists on the road approaching the site. Arriving by 09:00 avoids the worst congestion.

What else is near Simon’s Town?

Cape Point is 20 km south and about 25 minutes’ drive — the absolute tip of the Cape Peninsula, with dramatic cliffs and the (debatable) meeting point of two oceans. Smitswinkel Bay is a small fishing village between Simon’s Town and Cape Point with no facilities but a beautiful secluded beach accessible via a steep path. Miller’s Point (4 km north) has a tidal pool popular with local swimmers and the Black Marlin restaurant. Seaforth Beach (10 minutes’ walk from Jubilee Square) is a quieter alternative to Boulders for swimming.