Location: South Africa

Blue Flag Beaches in South Africa

The Blue Flag flies on South Africa Beaches

Twenty local South Africa beaches won international recognition at the 2005 Blue Flag Awards, a European-based campaign which measures beaches against strict environmental, tourist and safety standards.

Blue Flag gives local and foreign visitors the knowledge that their beaches are clean, environmentally sound and adhere to international safety and other tourist standards.

When South Africa joined the campaign in 2001 as the first country outside Europe to participate, Blue Flag began to grow into a truly international campaign. Started in France in 1985, the Blue Flag campaign now runs in over 30 countries across Europe, the Caribbean, Canada, Iceland and New Zealand. South Africa and Morocco are the only African countries to have joined so far.

Blue Flag beaches in the Eastern Cape

  • Dolphin Beach, Jeffreys Bay
  • Gonubie Beach, East London
  • Humewood Beach, Port Elizabeth
  • Kellys Beach, Port Alfred
  • Wells Estate, north of Port Elizabeth

Blue Flag beaches in KwaZulu Natal

  • Addington Beach, Durban/eThekwini
  • Ansteys Beach, Durban/eThekwini
  • Bay of Plenty, Durban/eThekwini
  • Hibberdene Beach, south coast
  • Lucien Beach, south coast
  • Marina/San Lameer Beach, south coast
  • Ramsgate Beach, south coast
  • South Beach, Durban/eThekwini
  • Umhlanga Rocks Main Beach
  • Uvongo Beach, south coast

Blue Flag beaches in the Western Cape

  • Bikini Beach, Gordons Bay
  • Clifton 4th Beach, Cape Town
  • Grotto Beach, Hermanus
  • Lappiesbaai Beach, Stilbaai
  • Mnandi Beach, Strandfontein

The Blue Flag is given to beaches that meet 14 criteria spanning three aspects of coastal management: water quality, environmental education and information, and safety and services, which include excellent life-saving standards, top-rate parking and sparkling ablution facilities.

The Blue Flag is awarded for one year only. Fourteen South African beaches were awarded Blue Flag status in 2004, eight in 2003, eight in 2002, and four in 2001. In total, 24 South African beaches have been Blue Flag winners, 14 of these multiple winners.

Blue Flag is managed in South Africa by the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa, in partnership with the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism and participating coastal authorities under the departments Coast Care programme.