Boulders Beach is a sheltered cove tucked into the False Bay coast just outside Simon's Town, famous for its resident colony of African penguins. A boardwalk from the national park entrance lets you walk among the birds at close range — the penguins are entirely accustomed to human visitors and go about their business with total indifference to the spectators.
The beach itself is calm and swimmable, sheltered from the Atlantic swell by the granite boulders that give it its name. The water here is noticeably warmer than the Atlantic side — False Bay captures the warmer Agulhas current — making it one of the more comfortable swimming beaches in the Cape Peninsula.
The colony has grown from a couple of birds that appeared in 1982 to several thousand today. Come early in the morning if you want the place to yourself; by mid-morning tour buses from Cape Town arrive and it gets busy. Simon's Town, a short walk north, is worth an hour of your time after the penguins.