Simon's Town

South_Africa

View of Simon's Town Simon's Town (often incorrectly spelt as "Simonstown") is located at the east side (False Bay side) of the Cape Peninsula near Cape Town, South Africa and is home to the South African Navy.

The Boulders Beach penguin colony is close by

  • Simon's town is home to a large colony of the endangered African Penguin. The penguins can be seen at a variety beaches along the coast here, the most famous and highest concentration being at Boulders Beach. Access to Boulders Beach and the visitors centre costs R60 for adults, however a smaller number can often be seen for free on the adjacent Seaforth Beach.
  • Boulders Beach, +27 21 786 2329. Boulders Beach is a sheltered beach made up of inlets between granite boulders, from which the name originated. It is a popular tourist stop because of a colony of African penguins which settled there in 1982. R76 per adult per day R41 per child, per day.

Boulders Beach, +27 21 786 2329. Boulders Beach is a sheltered beach made up of inlets between granite boulders, from which the name originated. It is a popular tourist stop because of a colony of African penguins which settled there in 1982. R76 per adult per day R41 per child, per day.

  • Along the main road through Simon's Town there are a number of museums on the False Bay side, including the Simon's Town Museum, South African Navy Museum and a Toy Museum.
  • South African Naval Museum, +27 21 787 4686. 09:30-15:30. Museum showcasing the history of the South African Navy Free.

South African Naval Museum, +27 21 787 4686. 09:30-15:30. Museum showcasing the history of the South African Navy Free.

  • Bronze statue of Just Nuisance (a Great Dane and the only dog ever to be enlisted officially in the Royal Navy) in Jubilee Square. Just Nuisance's grave can be found at the top of the hill above the town.

Stop in Simon's Town and stroll around the harbour and the little shops along the main road. Then have something to eat, before you leave for Boulders, just outside the town (in the south).

  • Swim at Seaforth Beach
  • Sea Kayak Trips, Town Jetty, +27 82 501-8930. Take a sea kayak trip to the Penguin colony. Seaforth beach
  • SAS Assegaai submarine museum, +27 21 786-5243. SAS Assegaai, formerly the SAS Johanna van der Merwe, was one of three Daphne-class submarines acquired from France during 1970 to 1972, which became the first submarines to serve in the South African Navy. She was renamed SAS Assegaai (Assegaai is the Afrikaans word for 'spear') in 1999 and was the last of the SA Navy’s Daphne class submarines in commission and decommissioned in 2003. She is preserved as a floating museum but is closed for safety reasons. R40 per person (R20 for children under 12 years old).

Sea Kayak Trips, Town Jetty, +27 82 501-8930. Take a sea kayak trip to the Penguin colony.

SAS Assegaai submarine museum, +27 21 786-5243. SAS Assegaai, formerly the SAS Johanna van der Merwe, was one of three Daphne-class submarines acquired from France during 1970 to 1972, which became the first submarines to serve in the South African Navy. She was renamed SAS Assegaai (Assegaai is the Afrikaans word for 'spear') in 1999 and was the last of the SA Navy’s Daphne class submarines in commission and decommissioned in 2003. She is preserved as a floating museum but is closed for safety reasons. R40 per person (R20 for children under 12 years old).

  • Bertha's, Quayside Centre, Simon's Town Waterfront, +27 21 786-2138. Right on the water's edge overlooking the harbour. As the largest restaurant in town, you should always be able to get a table here without a booking. The menu is similarly large with a good selection of steaks, fish, burgers, salads etc. Has free WiFi, however this can be temperamental.
  • Cafe Pescado, 118 St George's Street, +27 21 786-2272. As with everywhere in this area you can get a great choice of steaks and seafood here, however where they really stand out from the rest of the restaurants in town are the wood fired pizzas available to eat in or take away. Has a bar at the back and free WiFi.
  • Harbour View, Quayside Centre, Simon's Town Waterfront, +27 21 786 1431. Eat inside or out on the balcony overlooking the harbour. They also have a takeaway counter next door and sell a selection of items such as springbok or crocodile pate. Has good free WiFi.
  • Just Sushi, Quayside Centre, Simon's Town Waterfront, +27 21 786 4340. Maybe the best sushi in Cape Town.
  • Quarterdeck, Jubilee Square, off St George's Street, +27 21 786-3825.
  • Salty Sea Dog, Wharf Road, +27 21 786-1918. Fish and chips fresh from the sea. The kingklip is particularly recommended.
  • The Meeting Place, 98 St George's Street, +27 21 786 1986. Excellent (but expensive) food, with great views north over False Bay. There is a restaurant and cocktail bar upstairs and a deli/coffee shop downstairs.
  • The Sweetest Thing, 82 St George's Street, +27 21 786-4200. Coffee shop with fantastic cakes and pastries.
  • Seaforth Restaurant, Seaforth Beach Seaforth Road Simon's Town 7975, +27 21 786 4810. Overlooking the beach where penguins waddle around as you eat. Go on a Tuesday for their 'all you can eat' prawn special, or Thursdays 'all you can eat' calamari.
  • Saveur, Quayside centre, Simon's Town Waterfront, +27 21 786 1919. Tu-Su. Fantastic food with great midweek specials, very popular so booking ahead is recommended. Tuesday night is 1/2 price steaks, Wednesday is 2-for-1 burgers and Thursday is seafood night.

Bertha's, Quayside Centre, Simon's Town Waterfront, +27 21 786-2138. Right on the water's edge overlooking the harbour. As the largest restaurant in town, you should always be able to get a table here without a booking. The menu is similarly large with a good selection of steaks, fish, burgers, salads etc. Has free WiFi, however this can be temperamental.

Cafe Pescado, 118 St George's Street, +27 21 786-2272. As with everywhere in this area you can get a great choice of steaks and seafood here, however where they really stand out from the rest of the restaurants in town are the wood fired pizzas available to eat in or take away. Has a bar at the back and free WiFi.

Harbour View, Quayside Centre, Simon's Town Waterfront, +27 21 786 1431. Eat inside or out on the balcony overlooking the harbour. They also have a takeaway counter next door and sell a selection of items such as springbok or crocodile pate. Has good free WiFi.

Just Sushi, Quayside Centre, Simon's Town Waterfront, +27 21 786 4340. Maybe the best sushi in Cape Town.

Quarterdeck, Jubilee Square, off St George's Street, +27 21 786-3825.

Salty Sea Dog, Wharf Road, +27 21 786-1918. Fish and chips fresh from the sea. The kingklip is particularly recommended.

The Meeting Place, 98 St George's Street, +27 21 786 1986. Excellent (but expensive) food, with great views north over False Bay. There is a restaurant and cocktail bar upstairs and a deli/coffee shop downstairs.

The Sweetest Thing, 82 St George's Street, +27 21 786-4200. Coffee shop with fantastic cakes and pastries.

Seaforth Restaurant, Seaforth Beach Seaforth Road Simon's Town 7975, +27 21 786 4810. Overlooking the beach where penguins waddle around as you eat. Go on a Tuesday for their 'all you can eat' prawn special, or Thursdays 'all you can eat' calamari.

Saveur, Quayside centre, Simon's Town Waterfront, +27 21 786 1919. Tu-Su. Fantastic food with great midweek specials, very popular so booking ahead is recommended. Tuesday night is 1/2 price steaks, Wednesday is 2-for-1 burgers and Thursday is seafood night.

  • Two and Sixpence, 88 St Georges Street. M-Sa 11:00-02:00, Su 11:00-23:30. A pub popular with locals and visiting navies, as such you can find plaques and signed perry buoys from various countries ships hanging from the wall, along with flags draped from the ceiling. Screens numerous football games, occasional live entertainment and free WiFi.

Two and Sixpence, 88 St Georges Street. M-Sa 11:00-02:00, Su 11:00-23:30. A pub popular with locals and visiting navies, as such you can find plaques and signed perry buoys from various countries ships hanging from the wall, along with flags draped from the ceiling. Screens numerous football games, occasional live entertainment and free WiFi.

Simon's Town is relatively safe compared to the rest of the Cape Town area, however this is still South Africa and so keep your wits about you and keep expensive possessions hidden. Tourists have often been caught out at ATMs here, whilst not often violent, a 'helpful' local changes the ATM language to Afrikaans and then forcefully offers assistance to get your money out - that being the largest denomination offered, which is then grabbed before they run off.

If walking on any of the trails out of Simon's Town, particularly over the top of the hill to the west and towards the Kleinplass Dam, there has been a history of violent crime and muggings as you get closer to the Red Hill Settlement (township).