With summer around the corner, South Africa’s beaches are more than just a favourite getaway—they’re award-winning showcases of environmental excellence. This year’s WESSA Blue Flag and Green Coast Awards highlight the country’s top coastal gems, where sustainability and beauty meet to create world-class destinations for locals and visitors alike.
South Africa (29 October 2024) – South Africans have a deep love affair with the coast. From morning swims to sundowners by the waves, we know there’s nothing quite like our beautiful beaches. So, when our beaches, marinas, and eco-tourism spots receive accolades for environmental excellence, it’s a moment of pure pride for every one of us!
This week, as summer’s warmth welcomes us back to the shorelines, the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA), together with the V&A Waterfront, celebrated the 2024/2025 Blue Flag and Green Coast Awards, recognising the crème de la crème of South Africa’s coast.
The Blue Flag certification isn’t just a pretty flag flying over the beach – it’s a mark of honour. To earn this status, beaches, marinas, and tourism boats must pass 33 strict standards for environmental management, safety, accessibility, and education. It’s no small achievement, and every beach flying a Blue Flag has gone above and beyond to protect our shores and provide a pristine space for locals and visitors alike.
This year’s winners included 48 beaches, four marinas, and seven tourism boats, each recognised for their dedication to excellence in eco-management.
Top Beaches and Exciting Newcomers
South Africa’s iconic beaches continue to raise the bar, each one a blend of natural beauty and environmental excellence. In the Western Cape, favourites like Silwerstroomstrand, Clifton 4th, Camps Bay, and Muizenberg proudly fly the Blue Flag. The Eastern Cape also shines with stunning locations like Cape St Francis, Kings Beach, and Hobie Beach in Port Elizabeth maintaining their prestigious status, while KwaZulu-Natal’s gems, including Umzumbe, Ramsgate, and Southport, ensure that locals and visitors alike enjoy safe, pristine seaside experiences.
A special highlight this year is Pennington Beach in KwaZulu-Natal’s Umdoni Municipality, which joins the Blue Flag family for the first time. This achievement is a tribute to dedicated local conservation efforts, underscoring the community’s commitment to keeping this serene beach in top shape.
Adding to the excitement, three new pilot beaches—Paternoster Beach on the West Coast, and Kidd’s Beach and Gonubie Beach in the Eastern Cape—are making waves with their strides in environmental stewardship. These emerging sites are on a journey toward Blue Flag certification, promising a bright future for sustainable tourism.
The full list of certified beaches is below:
Western Cape
- City of Cape Town: Bikini, Camps Bay, Clifton 4th, Fish Hoek, Llandudno, Melkbosstrand, Muizenberg, Silwerstroomstrand
- Overstrand: Grotto, Kleinmond
- Cape Agulhas: Struisbaai
- Hessequa: Gouritzmond, Jongensfontein, Lappiesbaai, Preekstoel, Stilbaai Wes, Witsand
- Mossel Bay: De Bakke, Glentana, Hartenbos, Klein Brak, Santos
- George: Herold’s Bay, Victoria Bay, Wilderness
- Bitou: Lookout, Nature’s Valley, Robberg 5, Singing Kettle, The Dunes, The Waves
Eastern Cape
- Kouga: Cape St Francis, Dolphin
- Nelson Mandela Bay Metro: Hobie, Humewood, Kings
- Ndlambe: Kariega, Kelly’s, Middle Kenton on Sea
KwaZulu-Natal
- Ray Nkonyeni: Hibberdene, Marina, Ramsgate, Southport, Trafalgar, Umzumbe
- Umdoni: Pennington
- KwaDukuza: Blythedale, Thompson Bay
Alongside these beaches, marinas like the V&A Waterfront and Thesen Islands Marina are also recognised for their exceptional standards, highlighting South Africa’s vibrant and sustainable marine offerings.
Blue Flag tourism boats add another dimension to South Africa’s marine offerings. For thrill-seekers, Shark Bait, a research vessel operated by the White Shark Diving Company, joins the elite ranks, combining adventure with marine conservation education. Other boats like Slashfin, Whale Whisperer, and Robberg Express also received Blue Flag status, offering ocean enthusiasts eco-friendly ways to explore our waters.
Green Coast Awards: Celebrating Natural Gems
The Green Coast Awards were also in the spotlight, recognising community-driven conservation areas that attract adventure-seekers and nature lovers. From Kei Mouth and Morgan Bay in the Great Kei Municipality to Gwaing Beach in George Municipality, these areas balance biodiversity protection with eco-tourism.
Beyond the stunning scenery, these awards represent more than just a badge – they mark the power of collective action, local authorities, communities, and environmental advocates working together to preserve our coastal gems.
As Cindy-Lee Cloete, WESSA’s CEO, shared, “Today, we celebrate beaches, marinas, and tourism boat operators that have met the stringent requirements for Blue Flag and Green Coast status, as well as the passionate people behind these efforts.”
She highlights how WESSA collaborates with communities to tackle critical environmental issues, inspiring responsible tourism and a shared commitment to conserving South Africa’s coasts.
V&A Waterfront CEO David Green echoed this, saying, “We’re strategically positioned to merge positive socio-economic and environmental impacts. Our goal is to expand ocean education and awareness through this awards platform.”
Their dedication to initiatives like stormwater litter traps reminds us of the ongoing commitment to a cleaner, healthier coastline.
What makes this celebration even more special is the impact these initiatives have on South African communities. Through projects like citizen science monitoring, biodiversity surveys, and environmental education, WESSA’s programmes not only protect our coastlines but also encourage us to cherish and nurture them. The efforts to engage citizens in conservation – from beach clean-ups to water quality testing – help us all understand the importance of safeguarding our natural resources.
The WESSA Blue Flag and Green Coast Awards remind us that preserving South Africa’s coastal heritage takes a village. Thanks to passionate teams and communities across the country, our coastlines are in safe hands for future generations.
As you plan your next beach visit, why not choose a Blue Flag or Green Coast site and join in the celebration of what makes our shores so special?
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