When Is the Best Time
Bettys Bay and its penguins are gems like Simon’s Town decades ago. The penguins and the bay are still not popular; it’s rarely busy here.
Actually, Betty’s Bay is called the Stony Point Penguin Colony, but this is not a well-known name for them.
The views in Bettys Bay are beautiful on a clear day. Cape Nature Kogelberg protects a part of the penguin colony, but these cute little guys don’t care about that. Plenty of them have their burrows and nests outside the reserve.
Usually, there are penguins around, entertaining tourists and locals alike.
The best time to watch plenty of African penguins is late afternoon, when they return from foraging up to 20 km out in the sea.
The best months are from November to August. During September and October, there are fewer penguins to spot in the bay. They are foraging at sea for the strenuous moulting season, which lasts roughly three weeks.
Opening Hours and Entrance Fee
- Usually, from 8 am - 4 pm, and in the summer until 5 pm.
- Adults R 25 and children R 28
It is worth visiting and paying the fee to support the conservation efforts for the endemic South African penguin.
Betty's Bay is less famous and crowded than Boulders Beach. It is located at the Stony Point Nature Reserve near an abandoned whaling station. The whaling station was closed in 1930, the penguins started to breed here, and it became a conservation area.
We have been to Betty's Bay multiple times and always spotted the endangered African penguin. Many visitors arrive here by accident because of a penguin sign in Kleinmond.
There is ample parking, but be careful when you leave. Penguins may sit under your car.
The entrance gate opens and closes automatically to prevent penguins from leaving the area and getting hit by a vehicle.
Even a café next to the parking lot is available, clean facilities, and the Nature Reserve entrance is to the right.
There are penguins along the entire coast and to the left. The coastal walking path crosses the penguin’s route to their burrows.
The Nature Reserve closes the gate to Stony Point pretty early, but not the parking. Only once were we in time to enter the protected zone.
It’s a 500 m long boardwalk leading above and along the African Penguin nesting area. Benches were installed for the visitors to observe the penguins and to enjoy the beautiful scenery. It is worth paying the entrance fee to support their conservation efforts.
Please respect distance; we are intruding on their home, and they are close to extinction. I hope they will still be around in 20 years, but the prognosis is gloomy.
The current African penguin population in Namibia and South Africa is at about 2% of the historic population just a hundred years ago. The penguin numbers are declining except for Boulder Beach, which is stable. Only 170.000 penguins are left, which is 10 % of their population 50 years ago. These penguins are endemic to Southern Africa.
The penguins have a harder time here than at Boulder Beach. More than 700 of the penguins were marked with microchips after their release here. They study and monitor these penguins at Stony Point. These data are valuable insights about their entire life cycle for long-term survival.
These cute guys weigh up to 3 kg and mate for life. They always return to the same nesting site for up to 15 years. Unfortunately, they have an endangered status.
Don't miss out on my first-timer's guide and learn all about the 12 Essential Insights for Your Vacation in South Africa.
Weather
The best weather conditions are with very little rainfall from October until March. Most precipitation is from May until September. The sky is frequently overcast, or it is even foggy.
Self-Catering Accommodation Bettys Bay
We loved staying at Bettys Bay and exploring the area around our superb accommodation. We spent four nights at Kalliste, and this was definitely too short. We rarely experienced such an excellent and quiet location next to the sea. Our hosts were fantastic - the house was top-notch, one of the best stays in our life.
Best Months to Visit
Location and Tips
If you are limited in time and would like to see African Penguins in the wild skip Boulder's Beach and visit Bettys Bay instead. I love both places because they are utterly different. However, you are able to spot plenty of penguins in Bettys Bay also after opening hours but a few only at Boulder's beach.
