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Guide · In the water
Swim with penguins at Boulders Beach, the right way
Boulders is one of the rare places where you can swim with penguins at Boulders Beach itself, in a sheltered cove. Here is where SANParks lets you swim, what it forbids, and how to plan the day.
Check availabilityfrom $39 · free to cancel
Editorial team, capetownpenguins.comUpdated October 26, 20266-minute read26 sources
Quick answer
- 01Is swimming allowed?
- Yes: SANParks lists swimming at Boulders.1
- 02Where
- On Boulders Beach, the recreation beach; the birds are viewed at Foxy Beach.2
- 03Safety
- No lifeguards are on duty at this beach.3
- 04The rule
- Do not touch or feed the penguins.4
- 05A tour with a swim
- A 6-hour half day with about 2 hours at the beach, from $39.
Yes, you can swim, and here is where
The question comes up on every visit, and the answer is a happy one. SANParks lists swimming among the activities at Boulders, next to picnics on the beach, and Cape Town Tourism describes swimming there in safe, sheltered water that is warm by Cape Town's standards.15 So yes, you can swim with penguins at Boulders Beach, in the sense that you share the cove with them.
The place to do it is Boulders Beach itself. The SANParks brochure calls it the most popular recreational spot in the area, while the penguins are best viewed from Foxy Beach next door, where the boardwalks take visitors to the birds.2 Foxy Beach is the viewing area, not a swimming beach, and SANParks asks you to stay on the boardwalks there at all times.6
Penguins do not respect the line, of course. Birds can wander onto the swimming beach, rest on its boulders and paddle in its shallows, which is what makes swimming with penguins in Cape Town such a memorable thing to do. When they come close, enjoy the moment and let them pass.
Why the cove is calm
The shape of the shore does the work. SANParks says huge boulders shelter the cove from currents, wind and large waves, which is why it calls the beach ideal for children, while still asking everyone to take care.7 The granite blocks around the sand, which the brochure dates at 540 million years old, act like a natural harbour wall.8
That shelter is rare on this coast. SANParks warns that strong rip tides characterise some of its beaches and that no lifeguards are on duty on any Table Mountain National Park beach.9 At Diaz Beach, below Cape Point, swimming is not allowed at all because of strong rip currents.10 Boulders is the gentle exception, not the rule. On a windy afternoon you can feel the difference within a few steps of the sand.
Gentle does not mean guarded. The SANParks brochure says plainly that there are no lifeguards on duty at Boulders, although rangers patrol the beach every day.311 Swim within your depth, keep children within arm's reach and get out if the water turns choppy.
Season
Cape Town temperatures and rain by month
Hours without sunDays with precipitationSeason
Three ways to get there
Your own visit, a swim half day or a coach day
Time to swim
Flexible
With Cape PointDecision helper
Will you get your swim?
Pick the plan that matches your day.
Spend the day watching penguins or swim in the safe, sheltered, warm waters (by Cape Town’s standards).
The rules near the birds
The single most important rule is simple: do not touch or feed the penguins. SANParks warns that their beaks are as sharp as razors and that a bird that feels threatened will nip a finger or a nose.4 In the water, that means no reaching out, no blocking a bird's way to the beach and no following one as it swims away.
The brochure adds a few more. Do not harass the penguins, do not push selfie sticks through fences or near them, and avoid their nesting areas.14 Alcohol and smoking are prohibited, and nothing may be taken from the beach or the water, because Boulders lies in a no-take zone of the marine protected area.1516
Leave the inflatable boat at home too. SANParks says Boulders is closed to all vessels, canoes and kayaks included, and the brochure adds that Boulders Bay is a penguin sanctuary under Navy regulations where vessels may not approach the beach.123 Swimming is the only way into this water.
Checklist
Your swimming bag
01
Pack
- Swimsuit and towel
- Sun cream and a hat
- A dry layer for afterwards
- A card for the gate
02
In the water
- Never touch or feed a penguin
- Keep children within reach
- Stay out of the nesting areas
Price check
A swimming trip for your group
Choose a tour and the number of guests; the gate fee comes on top.
People
Total from$78
from, per person $39
Check availabilityfree cancellationTotals take the cheapest adult fare a Viator or GetYourGuide listing shows and multiply it by the guests you pick, converted with the ECB reference rate; SANParks fees are paid separately at the gates, and the final sum appears at the seller's checkout.
Video
In the water next to the penguins at Boulders
YouTube is contacted only once you press play on the video.
Kayaks, boats and other ways onto the water
People who search for kayaking with penguins in Cape Town usually picture paddling up to the colony. That is exactly what the rules prevent: kayaks and boats may not approach the beach at Boulders.3 Any paddling trip has to keep its distance from the sanctuary.
Cape Town Tourism does describe 2-hour kayak trips around Simon's Town that take in the coastline and marine life and visit the penguins at Boulders, seen from the sea.17 Ask any operator how close they go and how they follow the sanctuary rules before you book; the respectful answer is from a distance.
From the water, penguins look very different. Here they are fast and agile: the SANParks brochure says they swim at an average of seven kilometers per hour and can stay under water for up to two minutes.18 Watching them shoot past in the clear shallows is a sight you will not forget.
When the water is pleasant
Summer is the natural time for a swim. NOAA's record for Cape Town International Airport, 29 km from Boulders, averages a daytime high of 27.7 °C in January and 28.2 °C in February, with very few rain days in those months.1913 Winter brings 18.5 °C highs in July and the most rain days of the year in June and July.13
Air temperature is only part of the story. Cape Town Tourism says the water at Boulders is warm by Cape Town's standards, which still means bracing if you are used to warmer seas.5 A towel and a dry layer for afterwards are worth packing.
Time your swim around the tide and the crowds. SANParks says beach space depends on the tide and advises coming at low tide, and parking is limited in the peak summer months, so arrive early.2021 The gate opens at 07:00 in December and January, though SANParks says times can change without notice.2223
A half day built around a swim
If you want the swim to be the point of the trip, choose a tour that leaves time for it. One Viator half day, whose title names penguins and swimming, plans about 2 hours at Boulders Beach in a 6-hour outing from Cape Town, from $39. The listing suggests bringing a swimsuit and a towel.
It includes hotel pickup in Cape Town, bottled water and the Chapman's Peak toll, with stops at Maiden's Cove and Chapman's Peak Drive and a view from Boyes Drive on the way back. The Boulders entrance fee is not included, so pay it at the gate. It has 306 ratings averaging 4.86, and you can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before.
A full coach day with Cape Point gives only about an hour at Boulders, which is enough for the boardwalks but tight for a swim as well. Another half day also gives the colony 2 hours, and its listing mentions free time on the beach for a swim. Whichever you choose, pack the swimsuit anyway: the cove is at its most inviting on a still, sunny day, and those are hard to predict a week ahead.
Can you swim at Boulders Beach with children?
SANParks itself recommends the beach for families: it calls Boulders ideal for children because the boulders shelter the cove from currents, wind and large waves.7 Small children can splash in the shallows while older ones explore the rocks, and penguins may add to the entertainment.
Keep the family rules simple. Nobody touches or feeds a penguin, everyone stays out of the nesting areas, and children swim only where an adult can reach them, because no lifeguards are on duty.4143 Explain the beaks before you arrive: a nip from a penguin is painful.
Children aged 2 to 11 pay the child rate at the gate, which SANParks sets at R138 for international visitors for 1 November 2026 to 31 October 2027.2425 Bring snacks, water and sun cream, as the beach offers little shade.
Book your day
The Cape first, the penguins after.
Boulders, Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope in 8 hours, with a full refund up to a day before.
You ask,we answer.
Can you swim at Boulders Beach?
Yes. SANParks lists swimming among the activities at Boulders.1
Which beach is for swimming?
Boulders Beach itself. Foxy Beach is for viewing the penguins from the boardwalks.26
Are there lifeguards?
No. The SANParks brochure says no lifeguards are on duty at this beach.3
Can I touch a penguin in the water?
No. SANParks asks visitors not to touch or feed the penguins; their beaks are razor sharp.4
Can I kayak to the colony?
No. Boulders is closed to all vessels, canoes and kayaks included.12
Is the water warm?
Warm by local standards. Cape Town Tourism calls it warm by Cape Town's standards.5
Do swimmers pay the entry fee?
Yes. Boulders is a SANParks pay point with a daily conservation fee.26
Sources
What this guide is based on
- 1↩
- 2SANParksBoulders Penguin Colony brochure↩
- 3SANParksBoulders Penguin Colony brochure↩
- 4↩
- 5Cape Town TourismFun Things to do in Simon's Town↩
- 6↩
- 7↩
- 8SANParksBoulders Penguin Colony brochure↩
- 9↩
- 10↩
- 11↩
- 12↩
- 13↩
- 14SANParksBoulders Penguin Colony brochure↩
- 15↩
- 16↩
- 17Cape Town TourismFun Things to do in Simon's Town↩
- 18SANParksBoulders Penguin Colony brochure↩
- 19↩
- 20↩
- 21↩
- 22↩
- 23↩
- 24↩
- 25SANParksDaily conservation fees 2026/27↩
- 26↩
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