This is the adventure post many friends and family have been waiting for. Can you think of anything better than spending a sunny day with penguins on a beautiful beach? My fiancé and I spent a perfect Saturday that way at Boulders Beach, just outside Cape Town, South Africa.
The name Boulders Beach is literal — the shoreline and the shallow water are scattered with huge, smooth granite boulders that make the landscape dramatic and fun to explore. The beach isn’t long, but the rocks create private nooks and natural walkways that are great for climbing and scrambling.
Apart from the penguins, the beach itself is one of the most beautiful I’ve seen. The sand is fine and white, the water is clear and shallow with a striking blue-green hue, and delicate turquoise shells are scattered along the shore. It felt like a postcard.
Best of all, the African penguins are totally at ease with families playing and tourists taking photos. They waddle, preen and rest among the rocks, completely unfazed by the activity around them.
We wished we’d known how nice the swimming spots were, because we arrived fully dressed. That didn’t stop us from making our way along the shore: climbing over boulders, crawling through crevices and wading in the warm water. The landscape invites exploration.
Did I mention there were penguins? And that it was about 75°F — warm enough to relax and enjoy the beach atmosphere without heavy layers.
We also spotted a few fuzzy little animals whose name we didn’t catch. A local with a strong Afrikaans accent told us what they were, and mentioned a surprising fact about their nearest relative, but we couldn’t quite understand the word. I’ll have to look it up later.
We’re already planning to return to Boulders Beach many times while we’re here. It’s a special place — a rare combination of striking scenery, calm swimming spots and the unforgettable experience of seeing African penguins in their natural habitat.