African Ocean Kelp Snorkeling in Simon's Town: Guided Beach-Entry Snorkel, No Boat

African Ocean Adventures

Simon’s Town: Guided Snorkeling Adventure with Equipment

from $71

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Prices and timetables checked 2026-10-17. This page contains an affiliate link, explained in the booking section.

African Ocean kelp snorkeling is a guided shore snorkel in False Bay at Simon's Town, about 32 km south of the V&A Waterfront in a straight line, and it never leaves the beach by boat.

That is the fact that changes the decision. The listing says the entry is a beach, so there is no pier, no sailing time and no seasickness risk. If you want a vessel under your feet, compare the boat tours in Cape Town. If you are still choosing, start at the home page.

What is African Ocean kelp snorkeling in Simon's Town?

It is a small-group snorkel through a kelp forest, led by a local guide, with all equipment supplied and no previous experience needed. African Ocean kelp snorkeling is aimed at beginners.

The listing describes tall kelp, fish, shysharks, sea stars, anemones, crabs and octopus, depending on the conditions and the season. The route is picked on the day from the weather, the sea state and the visibility, so no two sessions follow the same line. Boulders penguin colony, which this trip does not include, sits in SANParks' Table Mountain National Park.

• Safety briefing: breathing, moving and how to treat marine life, before you enter the water.
• Guide stays close: the listing says the guide points out animals and keeps near the group.
• Rule: touching marine life is not allowed.

Is a boat used on this snorkel trip?

No: the listing says you enter from a sheltered beach in Simon's Town, and it names the lack of a boat trip as a benefit.

That matters for three groups. Seasick-prone swimmers avoid the problem, people who dislike crowded decks get a quieter format, and nobody depends on a boat that cannot sail. It does not make the trip weatherproof: the guide still chooses a spot by conditions. A boat-based alternative exists in the mola mola snorkeling trip from Langebaan.

Where does it start and how do you get there?

You meet at Jubilee Square in Simon's Town, beside the statue of the Great Dane Able Seaman Just Nuisance.

Transportation from Cape Town is not included, and the listing gives no transit instructions. Simon's Town is about 32 km from the V&A Waterfront in a straight line (my calculation from map coordinates), and the road distance is longer. I could not retrieve a transit fare, so I do not state one. Plan your own transport and a margin for the meeting time, which the listing shows only after you pick a date.

Open the start in Just Nuisance statue on Google Maps and the town in Simon's Town Waterfront on Google Maps. For the nearby penguins, see the walking route to Boulders on Google Maps or Boulders Beach on Google Maps.

What happens during the 2 hours?

The session runs from kit fitting to a debrief at the dive centre, with the snorkel in the middle.

1. Kit fitting at the dive centre: wetsuit, mask, snorkel and fins, checked by the guide.
2. Briefing: breathing through the snorkel, moving in the water and safe contact with marine life.
3. Beach entry: a sheltered spot chosen for the day's weather and visibility.
4. African Ocean kelp snorkeling: slow swimming between the kelp, with the guide pointing out animals.
5. Warm-up: back at the dive centre for changing and a hot shower.

The listing does not split the 2 hours between the stages, so I cannot tell you how long you spend in the water. Ask African Ocean Adventures if you need the in-water time, for example for a child or a nervous swimmer.

How cold is the water, and when should you go?

Expect cold water all year: the modelled False Bay surface is about 16 °C today, and the 2025 monthly means for Simon's Town sit between 13.8 and 16.7 °C.

These are model values on a coarse grid, not a thermometer in the bay, so the wetsuit matters more than the decimal. The listing says wetsuits are provided but does not give the thickness. The listing also states no season for the kelp, so I read it as a year-round trip that depends on sea conditions.

The weather table is for Cape Town. Air temperatures are mild in winter but June has 11.1 rain days, so plan the post-swim warm-up. The shower and changing room help most in June to August. For the sun on the walk to the beach, the table shows highs near 28 °C in January and February.

What is included and what costs extra?

The price covers the guide, the full snorkel kit, a safety briefing and hot showers, while food, drinks, transport and camera rental are extra.

The listing's includes list shows "Food and drinks" next to the gear, but the same list contains the other exclusions, so I read it as not included. Bring swimwear, a towel and sunscreen, which the listing recommends.

How does it compare with other Cape Town snorkel trips?

African Ocean kelp snorkeling is the cheapest snorkel on my list by a small margin, and the only one with a shore entry.

The Cape RADD trip costs $2 more and has 141 reviews at 4.9/5, which is evidence this one lacks. I would pick it if proof matters to you. For the full set, see snorkeling tours in Cape Town.

Is guided kelp snorkeling in Simon's Town worth it?

I'd book African Ocean kelp snorkeling as a low-cost, low-risk first snorkel when you want gear, a guide and a warm shower, but I would not call it proven yet.

The price per hour of African Ocean kelp snorkeling is $35.5, almost the city median of $37. The case for it is the format: shore entry, a group of at most 10 and a guide who stays close. The case against is simple: no reviews, no stated in-water time, and a route that depends on the day. Tourism is a big business here, as the province reports:

R26 billion was spent by international tourists in the Western Cape in 2025, about a quarter of South Africa's international tourism revenue.

New operators enter that market often, which is why I flag when a listing has no review history. Check the City of Cape Town's beach alerts link on its homepage before swimming on your own days.

What do travellers say about this snorkel?

African Ocean kelp snorkeling has no reviews yet: the listing is marked as a new activity, and the page shows no rating and no reviews.

• Reviews - 0 on the listing at the time of checking.
• Rating - none shown by GetYourGuide.
• What I can verify is the structured data: group size, gear, meeting point and the no-boat entry.

I will not infer sentiment from silence. When reviews appear, I would look for comments about water temperature, wetsuit fit and visibility.

Who should skip this snorkel?

Skip African Ocean kelp snorkeling if you have respiratory problems, if you want to see big animals, or if you refuse cold water.

• Respiratory issues: the listing lists them as not suitable.
• Big-animal hunters: the species named are small, such as fish, shysharks and octopus.
• Warm-water snorkelers: the sea is cool all year in the model.
• Families with young children: the listing states no minimum age, so ask before you book.

For a bigger day on the water, go back to the Cape Town boat tour hub.

How do you book African Ocean kelp snorkeling?

1. Select a date and look at the start time shown.
2. Arrange your own transport to Simon's Town.
3. Arrive at Jubilee Square with swimwear, a towel and sunscreen.

Frequently asked questions

Sources: GetYourGuide listing (checked 2026-10-17); SANParks Table Mountain National Park; Western Cape Government; City of Cape Town; Open-Meteo Marine and Archive, Frankfurter and Nager.Date APIs (fetched 2026-10-17).