South Africa's Blue Flag beaches, boats & marinas 2022/23!

A total of 51 beaches in South Africa, along with four marinas and two tourism boats and four marinas have been awarded full Blue Flag status by the 2022/23 International Blue Flag Jury. The Western Cape has achieved the highest number of Blue Flag sites, with 33 beaches, both tourism boats and three of the four Blue Flag marinas. The Eastern Cape has been awarded one Blue Flag marina site, as well as nine Blue Flag beaches. KwaZulu-Natal has been awarded nine Blue Flag beaches.
The Blue Flag programme also allows for potential Blue Flag sites to participate in the Pilot Programme. Twenty pilot sites in South Africa were recognised this year for working towards meeting the minimum requirements for Blue Flag status. There were also three beaches who received certificates for being awarded Blue Flag for 10 consecutive years: Preekstoel Beach in Still Bay (Hessequa Municipality), De Bakke in Mossel Bay and Kings Beach in Nelson Mandela Bay. The Hessequa Municipality in the Western Cape received a special certificate for being the only municipality in South Africa in which all designated swimming beaches have Blue Flag status!

Photo by Quaid Lagan on Unsplash

Western Cape Blue Flag beaches:

1. Cape Town - Silwerstroomstrand  
2. Cape Town - Clifton 4th  
3. Cape Town - Camps Bay  
4. Cape Town - Llandudno  
5. Cape Town - Muizenberg  
6. Cape Town - Bikini
7. Cape Town - Melkbosstrand
8. Cape Town - Fishhoek  
9. Kleinmond (Overstrand Municipality) - Kleinmond  
10. Hermanus (Overstrand Municipality) - Hawston  
11. Hermanus (Overstrand Municipality) - Grotto
12. Hermanus (Overstand Municipality) - Onrus
13. Pearly Beach (Overstrand Municipality) - Castle Beach
14. Struisbaai (Cape Agulhas Municipality) - Struisbaai
15. Still Bay (Hessequa Municipality) - Lappiesbaai   
16. Still Bay (Hessequa Municipality) - Preekstoel
17. Still Bay (Hessequa Municipality) - Stilbaai Wes
18. Still Bay (Hessequa Municipality) - Jongensfontein
19. Witsand (Hessequa Municipality) - Witsand  
20. Gouritsmond (Hessequa Municipality) - Gouritsmond
21. Mossel Bay - Santos  
22. Mossel Bay - De Bakke
23. Mossel Bay - Hartenbos   
24. Mossel Bay - Klein Brak
25. Mossel Bay - Glentana
26. Wilderness (Garden Route District & George Municipality) - Wilderness
27. Herold's Bay (Garden Route District Municipality) - Herold's Bay
    
28. Keurboomstrand (Bitou Municipality) - The Waves
29. Keurboomstrand (Bitou Municipality) - The Dunes  
30. Natures Valley (Bitou Municipality) - Nature's Valley
31. Plettenberg Bay (Bitou Municipality) - Lookout  
32. Plettenberg Bay (Bitou Municipality) - Singing Kettle
33. Plettenberg Bay (Bitou Municipality) - Robberg 5 

Western Cape Blue Flag marinas:

1. Knysna - Thesen Islands (Home Owners)   
2. Knysna - Thesen Islands (Thesen Harbour Town)   
3. Cape Town - V&A Waterfront

Western Cape Blue Flag boats:

1. Plettenberg Bay (Offshore Adventures) - Robberg Express
2. Plettenberg Bay (Offshore Adventures) - Oceanic Express

Eastern Cape Blue Flag beaches:

1. Jeffreys Bay (Kouga Municipality) - Dolphin
2. Cape St Francis (Kouga Municipality) - Cape St Francis 
3. Marina Martinique (Kouga Municipality) - Marina Martinique
   
4. Gqeberha/Port Elizabeth (Nelson Mandela Municipality) - Humewood
5. Gqeberha/Port Elizabeth (Nelson Mandela Municipality) - King's
6. Gqeberha/Port Elizabeth (Nelson Mandela Municipality) - Hobie
7. Kenton-on-Sea (Ndlambe Municipality) - Kariega
8. Port Alfred (Ndlambe Municipality) - Kelly's
9. Kenton-on-Sea (Ndlambe Municipality) - Middle Kenton-on-Sea 

Eastern Cape Blue Flag Marina:

1. Port Alfred (Ndlambe Municipality) - Royal Alfred  

KwaZulu Natal Blue Flag beaches:

1. Hibiscus Coast (Ray Nkonyeni Municipality) - Marina  
2. Hibiscus Coast (Ray Nkonyeni Municipality) - Trafalgar
3. Hibiscus Coast (Ray Nkonyeni Municipality) - Southport
4. Hibiscus Coast (Ray Nkonyeni Municipality) - Umzumbe
5. Hibiscus Coast (Ray Nkonyeni Municipality) - Hiberdene
6. Hibiscus Coast (Ray Nkonyeni Municipality) - Ramsgate
7. Ballito (KwaDukuza Municipality) - Thompson's Bay
8. Ballito (KwaDukuza Municipality) - Willard
9. Blythedale Beach (KwaDukuza Municipality) - Blythedale Beach

Blue Flag is a certification issued by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) that a beach or marina meets its stringent standards. The main criterias include standards for water quality, safety, environmental education and information, the provision of services and general environmental management criteria. Blue Flag is sought for beaches and marinas as an indication of their high environmental and quality standards. In South Africa, the first country outside Europe to be granted Blue Flag accreditation for its beaches, the Blue Flag programme is managed by WESSA (Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa) in partnership with participating coastal municipalities.