Boulders Beach is a prominent South African tourist destination that is famous for its unique peculiarities, attracting thousands of fun lovers from different parts of the world.
Boulders Beach is part of the popular Table Mountain National Park, and it is different from several other beaches in the country due to the natural granite boulders that sheltered it from strong winds and waves.
This is a nice place for kids to experience what it means to swim freely without worries. Additionally, it is a citadel of African penguins – there are thousands of them on the Beach since 1982.
A Short History Of Boulders Beach
The natural edifices in the territory have been in existence for many years before now.
Then, as far back as 1982, a pair of African Penguins arrived in the area and started living there.
As soon as they arrived, they were reproducing and replicating themselves, until they emerged into their thousands.
As expected, the Penguins started constituting a nuisance to the residents of the surrounding territories.
And since the place is under the administration of Table Mountain National Park, the officials took the right step to erect a lot of boardwalks to ease the burdens.
The birds were moving beyond their original space and were nesting in unsafe areas. Hence, the Boulders Coastal Park management embarked on another initiative to introduce artificial nesting boxes, which is proving helpful.
The African penguins, which remain one of the major attractions of Boulders Beach, keep flourishing even today.
Why Boulders Beach Is Famous
Boulders Beach is famous for its calm waters due to the natural granite boulders that protected it from strong winds and waves and its abundance of colony of African penguins.
With its clear sandy coves, the Beach is a beautiful delight, and these things keep contributing to its uniqueness.
One of the core things that makes Boulders Beach outstanding is its reputation for being where a person can get up close to African penguins.
Who manages Boulders Beach?
Being part of the Table Mountain National Park, the Beach is managed by South African National Parks popularly known as SANParks.
Where is the beach located?
Boulders Beach is located in the Western Cape province, precisely on the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.
Which Animals Can Be Found In Boulders Beach
Just like Sani Pass, Boulders Beach is not a wildlife location, however, the famous creatures almost synonymous with the beach are African penguins.
African penguins are native to South Africa and Namibia, known for their charismatic features.
They are endangered birds that are loved by people who interact with them. At Boulders Beach, you are allowed to swim alongside these birds in their natural habitats.
What is the entry fee to Boulders Beach?
To gain access to the Beach area, you are expected to pay a fee based on the category you fall into as follows:
- South African citizens: R39 (adults)
- South African children: R20
- Foreign tourists (adults): R152
- Non SA citizens: R75
However, the fees are reasonable when compared with the experience it offers.
How Far Is Boulders Beach To A Nearby Airport?
The closest standard airport to Boulders Beach is the Cape Town Airport. The distance between the duo is around 45km on road.
It doesn’t matter where you are traveling from, once you figure out how to land at Cape Town Airport, you can easily find your way to Boulders Beach.
You can hire a car to drive yourself, or take a cab if you so desired.
Requirements To Access Boulders Beach
To gain access, everyone must pay a conservation fee at the visitors’ center. When you enter the major areas, you will come across several penguins.
Due to their natural curiosity, they will make attempts to come close to you. However, visitors are prohibited to touch them, for the good of everyone.
You should know that whenever the average penguin feels threatened, they make attempts to defend themselves with their sharp beaks.
Also, you can’t come into the arena with fishing equipment. This is because, despite being a citadel of large waters, fishing is prohibited around here, since it is part of a Marine Protected Area. So, it is illegal to make attempts to remove any sea life.
Additionally, you are not allowed to smoke and alcohol. You can be ejected if you failed to comply with already laid down regulations
Nearby Accommodation
Here are prominent places to lodge around Boulders Beach:
- Tintswalo Atlantic (10.3 miles away from the Beach)
- Last Word Long Beach (8.1 miles away from the Beach)
- Steenberg Hotel & Spa (8.9 miles away from the Beach)
- Nova Constantia Boutique Residence (11.0 miles away from the Beach)
- The Andros Boutique Hotel (14.3 miles away from the Beach).
Travel Advisory To Boulders Beach
While you have the liberty to visit the beach at different times of the year, you should know that it is usually very busy during festive periods, since a lot of fun lovers are usually visiting too for different purposes.
Hence, keep your belonging at the room in your hotel. In case you go to the beach with some of them, keep an eye on them.
If you are coming in summer, make sure you bring lots of drinkable water as well as sunscreen. In winter, it is helpful to put on a wetsuit when visiting the beach with the intent to swim.
Conclusion
Boulders Beach is one of the major aspects of Table Mountain National Park, attracting thousands of tourists from different parts of the world each year.