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Major city · South Africa

Simon's Town

Give Simon's Town one full day plus a night: penguins at Boulders at opening, naval museums, harbour lunch. Base here only if you want quiet, not nightlife.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
ZAR
Best months
Oct–Apr (dry, warm, calm sea)
avoid Jun–Aug (rain, wind, rough surf)
Airport
CPT
Nights
1–2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
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Simon's Town sits on the False Bay side of the Cape Peninsula, about an hour by road from Cape Town and home to the South African Navy. It is small enough to cross on foot in under 30 minutes, and its main draw is the African penguin colony at Boulders Beach just south of town. Most visitors see it as a half-day stop on a Cape Peninsula drive; one night turns it into a calm base with penguins at dawn and the naval museums without rushing.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Simon's Town, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeR30–50
  • Sit-down mealRestaurant main courseR140–280
  • BeerDraught beer (500 ml)R40–70
  • Museum or sight ticketBoulders Beach entry, adultabout R200 (check)
  • Budget bedHostel dorm bed, a night, per personR 300
  • Mid-range bedGuesthouse double room, a night, per roomR 1,600 (≈ US$95)
  • High-end bedGuesthouse double room, a night, per roomR 3,200 (≈ US$190)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget R 600 · Mid R 1,200 (≈ US$70) · High R 2,500 (≈ US$150)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

African penguins at Boulders BeachSouth African Navy base and naval museumJust Nuisance, the enlisted Great DaneFalse Bay harbour and waterfront
Airports
CPT Cape Town International (About 1 h by car via the M3 and M4; no direct rail link from the airport.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Simon's Town: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

26°C

17°C

4 rd

Feb

26°C

17°C

4 rd

Mar

25°C

16°C

5 rd

Apr

23°C

14°C

7 rd

May

21°C

12°C

9 rd

Jun

19°C

10°C

11 rd

Jul

18°C

9°C

11 rd

Aug

18°C

9°C

10 rd

Sep

20°C

10°C

8 rd

Oct

22°C

12°C

6 rd

Nov

24°C

14°C

5 rd

Dec

25°C

16°C

4 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The centre is walkable end to end in under 30 minutes. Rikki minibuses meet trains at the station and run to Boulders Beach; Golden Arrow buses link Fish Hoek, Simon's Town and Boulders. A car makes Boulders, Cape Point and the beaches much easier. Ride-hailing works but waits can be long at the southern end.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Boulders Beach

go

Door to door: 20–40 min

Rikki minibus or Golden Arrow bus from the station, or a 25–30 min walk south

Go at opening: fewer people, penguins active. Paid SANParks entry.

Cape of Good Hope

go

Door to door: 35–45 min

Drive the M65 and M4 south through Miller's Point and Scarborough

Combine with Boulders on one loop; park gates close in the evening.

Kalk Bay

go

Door to door: 25–35 min

Drive the M4 north, or train to Kalk Bay if the line is running

Harbour, vintage shops and a good lunch stop on the way back to Cape Town.

Muizenberg

go

Door to door: 35–45 min

M4 north past Fish Hoek and Kalk Bay

Surf schools and the coloured beach huts; best on a calm morning.

Fish Hoek

go

Door to door: 15–20 min

M4 north, or train to Fish Hoek

Closest town with a supermarket and a long swimming beach.

Cape Towngo

Door to door: 1–1.5 h

M3 and M4 north, or train with a change at Fish Hoek

Do it as a day trip rather than commuting both ways daily.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

St George's Street / town centre

Guesthouses, restaurants and the naval museums on foot; 10–15 min walk from the train station.

Waterfront and Jubilee Square

Harbour views and the Quayside complex; closest to the restaurants and the Just Nuisance statue.

Boulders / Seaforth

Walk to the penguin boardwalk and Seaforth Beach; quieter, fewer places to eat.

Murdoch Valley and Rocklands

Self-catering cottages with sea views; you need a car for everything.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
R600–1,000 excl. bed
Mid
R1,000–1,800 (≈ US$60–110) excl. bed
High
R1,800 (≈ US$110)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Guesthouse double room1 × 1 night × R 1,600R 1,600
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × R 1,200R 2,400
Boulders Beach entry, adult2 × R 200 · checkR 400
Sea kayak trip to the penguin colony2 × R 500 · checkR 1,000
eSIM, about a week of data2 × R 150R 300
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeR 570
Trip total≈ R 3,135 per person per day, bed includedR 6,270≈ US$400

2026 estimate in rand; flights and car hire excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

CoffeeR30–50
Fish and chipsR90–160
Restaurant main courseR140–280
Draught beer (500 ml)R40–70
Boulders Beach entry, adultabout R200 (check)
Rikki minibus, station to BouldersR5–15 (check)
Petrol, 1 litreR22–25 (check)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Calmer than most of the Cape Town metro, but not crime-free: use bank ATMs, keep phones out of sight, avoid the western trails toward Red Hill, and drive or ride-hail after dark rather than walking the main road.
  • ATM distraction: someone may switch the machine to Afrikaans and 'help' you draw the largest note, then grab it. Use ATMs inside a bank or mall, or draw cash in Cape Town.
  • Trails west of town toward the Red Hill settlement have a history of muggings; walk in a group, in daylight, and leave valuables behind.
  • The rail line from Cape Town has been unreliable: check the current timetable and expect a change at Fish Hoek.
  • Boulders Beach entry is a paid, ticketed SANParks site with set hours; buy at the gate or online and keep the ticket.
  • Summer southeasters can shut the beaches and the kayak trips for a day or two.

Emergency numbers

Police emergency from a mobile
112
Simon's Town police station
021 786 1244

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Simon's TownSimon's Town

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Vat my asseblief na hierdie adresPlease take me to this address

Emergency

  • Emergency from a mobile112
  • Simon's Town police station021 786 1244

Embassy

No embassies in Simon's Town; consulates-general are in Cape Town. US citizens: consulate general in Cape Town (check the address).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • CPT airport → Simon's Town, taxi or ride-hail: about R600–900, 1–1.5 h (check)
  • Rikki minibus, station → Boulders Beach: R5–15 (check)
  • Boulders Beach entry, adult: about R200 (check)

Say or show

  • Hallo — Hello (hah-loh)
  • Dankie — Thank you (dahn-kee)
  • Hoeveel is dit? — How much is it? (hoo-feel is dit)
  • Waar is die strand? — Where is the beach? (vahr is dee strunt)
  • Help my asseblief — Please help me (help may us-uh-bleef)
  • Totsiens — Goodbye (tot-seens)

Tip 10–15% at restaurants if not already added; R5–10 for car guards and petrol attendants.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Simon's Town. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Oct–Apr (dry, warm, calm sea) · avoid Jun–Aug (rain, wind, rough surf) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 4 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for CPT: drive times by traffic band, rail fallback via Fish Hoek, late-arrival plan.
  2. Four walking clusters with anchors: station and town centre, waterfront and Jubilee Square, Boulders and Seaforth, Murdoch Valley.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Boulders, naval museum, submarine museum, Just Nuisance grave) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Penguin-season and southeaster fixtures so beach and kayak days can be re-planned.

Meanwhile

Back to South Africa

Sources