Simon's Town guide

Simon's Town (also widely but incorrectly referred to as Simonstown), is a village and a naval base in South Africa, near Cape Town. It is located on the shores of False Bay, on the eastern side of the Cape Peninsula. For more than two centuries it has been an important naval base and harbour (first for the Royal Navy and now the South African Navy). The town is named after Simon van der Stel, an early governor of the Cape Colony. The land rises steeply from near the water's edge and the picturesque village is boxed in along the shoreline by the heights above. The small harbour itself is not a particularly good natural harbour and is protected from swells by a breakwater that was built with thousands of huge blocks of sandstone quarried out of the face of the mountain above. Simon's Town is now in effect a suburb of greater Cape Town. It is the terminus of a railway line that runs south from the central business district of Cape Town. In places the railway line hugs the steep eastern shore of False Bay quite spectacularly and in bad weather foam from some heavy swells will fly up and wet the trains.

Boulders Beach is located a few kilometres to the south of Simon's Town. Here small coves with white sandy beaches and calm shallow water are interspersed between boulders of Cape granite. There has been a colony of African penguins at Boulders Beach since 1985. There is no record of the birds having lived here prior to that date, so their decision to settle in an area already well-utilized by humans is remarkable. There are only three penguin populations on the mainland in southern Africa; the others are close to Hermanus at Stoney Point and Betty's Bay.

Simon's Town is the home of the False Bay Yacht Club which has keel boat regattas most Wednesday evenings and weekends.

 


Latest Tweets featuring Simon's Town

  • T_naaa

    Simon's town is so peaceful♡

    Yesterday, 23:40

  • RansomPouros

    Penguins at Boulder Beach in Simon's Town, Near Cape Town, South Africa, Africa Photographic Poster Print by Yad... http://t.co/M6ruecX3

    Yesterday, 23:26

  • enchantingtrvls

    RT @theplanetd: Simon’s Town South Africa via @ThePlanetD http://t.co/smaEDL8i #travel #penguins #photos

    Yesterday, 22:43

  • brono_bell

    Some of the women at Simon's Town Library are so fucking petty!!! I just returned books how can you not allow me to take out more?!

    Yesterday, 13:05

  • NSRI

    Two call outs for NSRI Simon's Town on Sunday. See http://t.co/q14xpdxu

    Yesterday, 11:49

  • myVideoMedia

    Ich habe ein @YouTube-Video hochgeladen. http://t.co/nVqQLGG6 Foxy Beach, Simon's Town - South Africa

    Yesterday, 10:24

  • inkterina

    Watch: Baby penguin meets human - and look at the beautiful photos of Orca's in Simon's Town http://t.co/OhrpwGSX #news24 #CapeTown #SA

    Yesterday, 09:06

  • WolfgangSchaef1

    Hotels Simon’s Town mit Tiefpreisgarantie TueV geprueft buchen | Reisegeier http://t.co/atvKiwcD

    Yesterday, 04:42

  • MoisesOrtiz15

    African Penguins at Boulder Beach in Simon's Town, Near Cape Town, South Africa, Africa Photographic Poster Prin... http://t.co/CeXCbUxT

    Yesterday, 01:54

  • marosane

    Exhausted after an amazing weekend in Simon's Town with friends - now that's life!! :)

    May 27th, 16:45

  • andrevr

    @cameronolivier Love to help mate, but I’m coming from Melkbos, and going to Simon’s Town. Sorry.

    May 27th, 16:30

  • meta_guide_za

    #theplanetd: Simon’s Town South Africa via #ThePlanetD http://t.co/mHVrsbik travel penguins photos

    May 27th, 16:05

  • TWWtweet

    A steam train ride on Sunday. Cape town to Simon's Town, on Jenny http://t.co/5aZwyYJc

    May 27th, 15:00

  • theplanetd

    Simon’s Town South Africa via @ThePlanetD http://t.co/H7wm6vo8 #travel #penguins #photos

    May 27th, 15:00

  • HTFCMac

    RT @_lukes93: The emotion on Simon's face here is incredible http://t.co/IICHUulk Favourite Leeds fan EVER!

    May 27th, 12:35

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