South Africa's Blue Flag beaches, boats & marinas 2023/24!

A total of 48 beaches in South Africa, along with four marinas and six tourism boats have been awarded full Blue Flag status by the 2023/24 International Blue Flag Jury. 23 Blue Flag pilot sites were recognised this year for their efforts in meeting the minimum requirements for Blue Flag status.
The Western Cape has achieved the highest number of Blue Flag sites, with 35 beaches, all six tourism boats and three of the four Blue Flag marinas. The Eastern Cape has been awarded one Blue Flag marina site, as well as eight Blue Flag beaches. KwaZulu-Natal has been awarded five Blue Flag beaches.

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. Pearly Beach (Overstrand Municipality) - Castle Beach
13. Struisbaai (Cape Agulhas Municipality) - Struisbaai
14. Still Bay (Hessequa Municipality) - Lappiesbaai   
15. Still Bay (Hessequa Municipality) - Preekstoel
16. Still Bay (Hessequa Municipality) - Stilbaai Wes
17. Still Bay (Hessequa Municipality) - Jongensfontein
18. Witsand (Hessequa Municipality) - Witsand  
19. Gouritzmond (Hessequa Municipality) - Gouritzmond
20. Mossel Bay - Santos  
21. Mossel Bay - De Bakke
22. Mossel Bay - Hartenbos   
23. Mossel Bay - Klein Brak
24. Mossel Bay - Glentana
25. Wilderness (Garden Route District & George Municipality) - Wilderness
26. Herold's Bay (Garden Route District Municipality) - Herold's Bay
27. Victoria Bay (Garden Route District Municipality) - Victoria Bay
28. Brenton-on-Sea (Garden Route District Municipality) - Brenton-on-Sea
29. Bufallo Bay (Garden Route District Municipality) - Bufallo Bay
30. Keurboomstrand (Bitou Municipality) - The Waves
31. Keurboomstrand (Bitou Municipality) - The Dunes  
32. Natures Valley (Bitou Municipality) - Nature's Valley
33. Plettenberg Bay (Bitou Municipality) - Lookout  
34. Plettenberg Bay (Bitou Municipality) - Singing Kettle
35. Plettenberg Bay (Bitou Municipality) - Robberg 5 

Photo by Louis Smit on Unsplash

 
Western Cape Blue Flag marinas:

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

Western Cape Blue Flag boats:

1. Plettenberg Bay (Offshore Adventures) - Robberg Express
2. Plettenberg Bay (Offshore Adventures) - Oceanic Express
3. Gansbaai (Marine Dynamics) - Slashfin
4. Gansbaai (Dyer Island Cruises) - Whale Whisperer
5. Gansbaai (Dyer Island Cruises) - Dream Catcher
6. Gansbaai (White Shark Diving Company) - White Shark

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 (Nelson Mandela Municipality) - Humewood
5. Gqeberha (Nelson Mandela Municipality) - King's
6. Gqeberha (Nelson Mandela Municipality) - Hobie
7. Kenton-on-Sea (Ndlambe Municipality) - Kariega
8. Kenton-on-Sea (Ndlambe Municipality) - Middle Kenton-on-Sea
9. Port Alfred (Ndlambe Municipality) - Kelly's

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

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.