A few minutes from the center of Simons Town, on the way to Cape Point, is the turnoff to pretty Boulders, named after a cluster of large granite boulders that form a number of small sheltered bays, providing sanctuary for a breeding colony of African penguins (formerly known as "jackass penguins" because of their braying). You can swim at the main beach, which the penguins visit, but the best place to view them is from the raised boardwalk overlooking Foxy Beach; they are a treat to watch and almost human in their interactions. A monogamous species, the penguins mate in January and nest from February to August.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's South Africa, 5th Edition, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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