We weren´t sure about writing this article about the not so famous Seaforth beach in Simonstown, Cape Town. In one side, we don´t want to be part of making this place touristic, but in the other side, if it does start getting tourists, we hope at least this will warn everyone about being respectful. You may be thinking… what are these guys talking about? Well we are talking about respecting the habitat of the penguins living here! Boulders beach, probably one of the most famous beaches in South Africa is already way too crowded and we understand Seaforth is a scape for the penguins, so they don´t have to deal with the huge crowds. We aren´t saying you shouldn´t go, we are just saying to be respectful when going, as it´s one more beach where penguins can breed and be free!
Seaforth Beach:
Best sunrise in Cape Town
Even though we don´t want it to get packed with tourists, we aren´t going to lie, Seaforth was our highlight of the trip! And we believe, arriving there for sunrise really helped a lot! We literally made it when some of the penguins were still sleepy. It was great to see, how they were starting to get more and more active as the sun was rising.
But the penguin’s side wasn´t the only impressive thing about the sunrise at Seaforth beach. Right in front of the beach, there is a tiny island called ark rock. The sun was rising right behind that rock, so we were able to get some beautiful rays mixed with a stunning orange-reddish sky! As you can imagine we couldn’t stop taking photos!!
Just becuase the sunrise itself, this place is worth adding it to your Cape Town weekend itinerary !!
Differences with Boulders Beach Penguin Colony
Although they are very close to each other, literally minutes walking, Boulders Beach isn´t the same as Seaforth. You will see many penguins in Seaforth, but don´t expect to find as much as you would at Boulders. Another important difference is the entrance fee, while you can enter Seaforth for free, Boulders do have a symbolic price (but not too expensive). Of course, there is one more difference which are the crowds. Although Seaforth isn´t completely empty (in summer you will see a lot of people), it is nothing compared to what you will find at Boulders Beach.
At the end, it is up to you to decide, do you want to see more penguins? Is it worth paying the fee? Would you like to be surrounded by the crowds? Those are the main questions you should ask yourself. Whatever ever you decide, there is one similarity, this is the penguin’s home, so don´t disturb them and don´t feed them.
Where is Seaforth Beach? How far is it from Simonstown?
As we said before, it is right next to Boulders Beach, you can even go walking. What many people do, is going first to Boulders beach and then before heading to Simons Town another touristic place near Cape Town, stopping by at Sea Forth.
For those that are coming straight from the city, like we did, if , if you don´t have a car, we advise you to just take an uber, you will be there in less than 30 minutes from downtown, you get to meet locals and you will certainly not get lost!
Seaforth Beach, Simonstown, Cape Town on the map
For those who don´t have it clear yet, here´s a map so you can see where exactly it is: