Every summer Cape Town welcomes hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world. Beaches, mountains and trendy cafes make Cape Town a hub for holiday fun. The more adventurous tourist usually adds shark-cage diving to the itinerary, but for something truly unique, opt for a dive with seals or a kayak alongside penguins. Here’s what you can expect.
Diving with Seals
Animal Ocean specialises in seal snorkelling excursions offered in Hout Bay and brings you nose-to-nose with Cape Fur Seals. Duiker Island (just off the coast) is home to over 8000 playful, inquisitive and wild seals and thanks to cold water around the island, sharks are not found here.
Photo credit: Animal Ocean.
Animal Ocean provides all snorkelling equipment, drinking water, snacks, dive guides and a boat ride from the Hout Bay Harbour to Duiker Island and back. Contact: Animal Ocean on info@animalocean.co.za, +27 (0) 722969132, www.animalocean.co.za
Photo credit: Animal Ocean.
Photo credit: Animal Ocean.
Kayaking with Penguins:
The best way to see the penguin colony at Boulder’s Beach is from the comfort of a kayak. Kayak Cape Town offers two to three trips a day leaving from the waterfront in Simon’s Town. As you paddle along in your two-seater kayak, your guide will lead the way past the Naval Harbour and out towards Boulder’s Beach where you will stop for a swim, tide permitting.
Photo credit: Kayak Cape Town.
Another popular paddling option is the monthly full-moon trip hosted between March and October when moonrise coincides with sunset. During this two-hour trip you will see the full moon rise over the bay from behind the Hottentots Holland Mountains. Contact: info@kayakcapetown.co.za; +27 (0) 82 501 8930, www.kayakcapetown.co.za
Photo credit: Kayak Cape Town.
