Plan your trip. 4 minute read. Updated 3 October 2026.
Yes, children can swim with the seals in Plettenberg Bay. The swim suits children from 6 years, and children from 2 can ride along on the boat and watch.
Whether your child will enjoy it depends less on age than on how comfortable they are in open water with a mask on their face. This page helps you judge that before you book.
Ages at a glance
- Under 2: too young for the boat.
- From 2: welcome on seal viewing, which stays dry.
- From 6: the age we recommend for the seal swim.
- Under 18: an adult guardian signs the indemnity form.
Wetsuits start at about a 4-year-old size. If you have a confident water child who is a little under 6, contact us before you book and we will talk it through honestly.
How to tell if your child is ready
A child who ticks these boxes usually does well:
- Happy to put their face in the water.
- Can breathe through a snorkel without fuss. Practise in a pool or even the bath beforehand.
- Will wear a snug wetsuit and a mask without a fight.
- Listens to an instruction from an adult they have only just met.
- Stays calm when an animal swims up quickly. Seals are fast and curious.
If two or three of those are a no, choose viewing this time. A frightened child in the water is no fun for anyone, least of all the child.
What the trip is like for a child
You arrive 30 minutes before departure for paperwork and gear. The crew fits each child with a wetsuit, mask, snorkel and fins.
The boat launches from Central Beach and rides along the coast to the seal colony at Robberg. The ride can be bumpy, which most children enjoy and a few do not.
In the water, nobody swims far. Most of the time is spent floating while the seals come to look. The wetsuit keeps your child buoyant, flotation aids are available on request, and a guide who is a qualified divemaster is in the water the whole time.
Swims last up to about 30 minutes and the whole trip takes about an hour and a half. The boat stays close throughout, so tell the guide if your child has had enough.
Back at base there are change rooms and warm showers.
Safety questions parents ask
The honest answers are in our guide to whether swimming with seals is safe. In brief:
- Seals: they are wild animals. The one rule children must follow is no touching and no chasing.
- Sharks: swimming stops in June and July, and spotters watch from the mountain in May, August and September.
- Rabies: there is an outbreak in Cape fur seals in South Africa. We have spotters watching for unusual seal behaviour, guides stay close and time in the water is slightly shorter than it used to be.
- Weather: the crew cancels for strong east wind or east swell and lets you know in advance.
Explain the no touching rule before the day. It helps when children hear it from a parent as well as from the guide.
If any of this leaves you uneasy, book the viewing trip. Your children will still see the colony from the boat.
When one child swims and another doesn't
Families often have one keen swimmer and one who is too young or not interested. Seal viewing guests ride on the same boat, so you can split up without splitting the outing.
One adult swims with the older child. The other stays on board with the younger one, who must be at least 2, and watches the seals from above.
Why children pay the same as adults
Each child needs their own wetsuit and gear, and their own seat on the boat under SAMSA rules. For that reason there is no reduced child rate. You will find current rates on the swim with seals and seal viewing pages.
What to pack for children
- A swimsuit, worn under their clothes to save time.
- A towel each.
- Something warm for afterwards. Children tend to feel the cold quickly once they are out of the water.
- Sunscreen, put on before you arrive.
- A snack and a drink for after the trip.
If your child gets carsick, ask a pharmacist about motion sickness before the day.
Our guide on what to wear and bring has the full list.
Tips that help
- Choose a time when your child is normally at their best. Trips leave at 10:00, 12:00 and 14:00.
- Let them try the mask on at the base before you board, and again at the colony before they get in.
- Follow the guide's lead on getting in. Many children are happier when a parent is already in the water.
- Agree on a signal for when they want to get out, and honour it.
- Don't promise that a seal will come right up to them. They are wild, and every trip is different.
People with disabilities, children included, are welcome. Please call ahead so the crew can plan.
Quick answers
What is the minimum age to swim with seals in Plettenberg Bay?
The swim suits children from 6 years, and wetsuits start at about a 4-year-old size. The minimum age for seal viewing from the boat is 2 years.
Does my child need to be able to swim?
No experience is needed, because the wetsuit keeps your child buoyant, flotation aids are available on request and the guide is in the water the whole time. Your child does need to be comfortable in the sea with a mask and snorkel on.
Do children pay less than adults?
No, children pay the same as adults, because each child needs their own gear and their own boat seat under SAMSA rules. Current rates are on the booking pages.
Can a parent stay on the boat while a child swims?
Yes. Seal viewing guests ride on the same boat as the swimmers, so one adult can stay dry and watch.
