Walker Bay Nature Reserve has been recognised with a Green Coast Award for the 2025/26 season, confirming its spot as one of the Western Cape’s best-managed natural coastal sites.
Western Cape, South Africa (24 November 2025) – The announcement was made in Port Alfred at the national Blue Flag and Green Coast Awards ceremony last week, hosted by WESSA and Ndlambe Municipality.
The programme highlights efforts in coastal management, environmental education and nature-based tourism along SA’s coastline.
This recognition comes after ongoing conservation work in an area known for being both ecologically and archaeologically significant. Last year, Die Plaat Beach, part of the reserve was named one of the Best Beaches in the World by Condé Nast Traveller.
Walker Bay sits between Hermanus and Gansbaai and houses one of the best-preserved archaeological records in the region. Klipgat Cave provides evidence of Middle Stone Age people who lived there between 65,000 and 85,000 years ago, along with signs of Khoi and San life dating back roughly 2000 years.
The reserve is also stands out for its natural coastline, healthy marine life, and annual gatherings of southern right whales which use the bay as a breeding ground. This makes it a great spot for whale watching from land, as well as coastal research and environmental monitoring.
Green Coast status recognises locations that maintain environmental integrity while supporting controlled visitor access, education initiatives and practical conservation.
Sites are assessed on biodiversity protection, eco-tourism practices and community involvement.
This season, WESSA confirmed that the Green Coast network has more than doubled in size, adding several new natural coastal sites to the national list. The expansion comes along with the organisation’s 99th year of operation under its long-running People Caring for the Earth mandate.
“Walker Bay continues to be one of the flagship provincial reserves and the Green Coast Award builds on the recognition Die Plaat Beach received last year after being named on Condé Nast Traveler’s prestigious list of Best Beaches in the World,” said Dr Ashley Naidoo, CEO of CapeNature.
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“This Green Coast Award reflects the hard work of our staff and partners who conserve one of the Western Cape’s most ecologically diverse stretches of coastline. Recognition like this reinforces CapeNature’s ongoing commitment to conserving our coastal ecosystems while ensuring that local communities benefit from nature-based tourism,” added Dr Naidoo.
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