What better way to celebrate the summer season than by building sandcastles, picnicking in the dunes, and enjoying beautiful views and rolling waves with your friends and family?! If sandy shores are what you’re dreaming of, then head to these South African Blue Flag* beaches!
KWAZULU-NATAL
Alkantstrand Beach, Richards Bay
Alkanststrand is the northern-most Blue Flag beach of South Africa and the main swimming beach in Richards Bay. The subtropical environment provides warm waters and, with lifeguards on duty during daylight hours as well as picnic and braai spots, it’s ideal for a day trip with friends and family.
Lucien Beach, Margate
Lucien Beach can be found in Margate, a popular seaside holiday suburb. Visitors can enjoy a less crowded atmosphere, though it does fill up over Easter and the festive season. The adjacent tidal pool is ideal for families with little ones, and you can spot marine life like dolphins and whales during season. Please be aware the access stairs are quite steep.
Marina/San Lameer, Southbroom
Marina Beach and San Lameer are adjacent beaches that share Blue Flag status and cover a 5km stretch. They are referred to locally as the “Honolulu of the South Coast”, due to the vibrant tropical scenery, soft sand, warm waters, and cleanliness. Lifeguards are on duty year round and the beach offers wheel-chair ramps, ablutions, shark nets, and an adjacent tidal pool.
Southport Beach, Anerley
Southport Beach is an ideal destination for families with its safe swimming opportunities, soft sand for sandcastle building, shady areas to picnic, as well as sightings of whales and dolphins in season. It caters to fishing enthusiasts with deep sea fishing opportunities and its waters are also ideal for diving and snorkeling. There are nearby restaurants for those after some ice-cream or a meal.
Trafalgar Beach, South Coast
Trafalgar Beach is a secluded coastal gem close to the Mpanjati Nature Reserve. Although there are lifeguards on duty throughout the year and warm waters to swim in, there is no other nearby facilities. Take a picnic basket, sunscreen, a book, and anything else for a day spent at the beach.
Umzumbe (Pumula) Beach, South Coast
Umzumbe Beach, also known locally as Pumula Beach, is one of the quietest beaches on the South Coast, making it ideal for holiday makers hoping to avoid the crowds – though this could be due to the steep tarred walkway to access the beach. Part of its charm is the lush vegetation, tidal pool, ample parking, and environmental education programmes.
NORTHERN CAPE
McDougalls Bay, Port Nolloth
McDougalls Bay is 7km from the picturesque seaside town of Port Nolloth and is the only Northern Cape beach to be awarded a Blue Flag Beach status. It is often described as a coastal playground due to the variety of water sports available. Enjoy some of the best body surfing, kayaking, jet skiing, and windsurfing in the country, as well as a safe swimming environment.
EASTERN CAPE
Boknes Beach, near Port Alfred
Boknes Beach has spacious dune fields, rock formations, and warm waters. The pristine environment is ideal for picnics and the warm waters are perfect for swimming and water activities. Lifeguards are only on duty during peak season.
Dolphin Beach, Jeffrey’s Bay
Dolphin Beach, named for the year-round dolphin sightings, is in the heart of the internationally renowned surfing town of Jeffrey’s Bay. It is host to the annual Billabong Pro competition and draws crowds throughout the year who enjoy kite boarding, swimming, tanning, and shell collecting.
Humewood Beach, Port Elizabeth
Humewood Beach has the distinction of being South Africa’s oldest Blue Flag beach, and offers the best facilities for disabled visitors. Located on the outskirts of PE, it boasts golden sands, grassy areas, coastal walkways, swimming pools, a promenade, rock pools to explore, as well as restaurants and shops in walking distance.
Kariega Beach, Kenton-on-Sea
Kariega Beach is the main beach in Kenton-on-Sea, set between two tidal rivers. It has warm waters, a long beach ideal for walks and games, and a nature reserve that is a birding paradise. During peak season, you can enjoy spotting whale and dolphins.
Kelly’s Beach, Port Alfred
Kelly’s Beach is in the heart of Port Alfred, one of the Sunshine Coast’s most popular coastal towns. With a 400m stretch and 5-star facilities, you’ll often see numerous body boarders, surfers, and families grace the warm waves. The beach is wheelchair-friendly.
Kings Beach, Port Elizabeth
Kings Beach neighbours Humewood Beach and has outstanding changing and ablution facilities, and a 1.6km stretch of soft sand. It is only a short walk from a mini golf course, super tubes, go karting, museums, restaurants, and shops.
Middle Beach, Kenton-on-Sea
Middle Beach is found in Kenton-on-Sea between two river mouths. The rock pools at low tide are ideal for small children to play in and the long sandy stretch is ideal for romantic strolls and beach games.
Kleinemonde Beach, Sunshine Coast
Found 20km from Port Alfred, Kleinemonde Beach is known for its pristine sandy shoreline lined with ancient cycads. It is perfect for long strolls and the nearby lagoon offers activities such as boating, canoeing, fishing, sailing, and swimming.
WESTERN CAPE
Bikini Beach, Gordon’s Bay
Bikini Beach is one of the most popular beaches in the Gordon’s Bay area, with a sheltered spot between the Hottentots Holland Mountains and the harbour, ensuring glass-smooth waters year-round. Security and lifeguards are on duty during peak season. Picnic on the grassy promenade and make use of the facilities which include clean changing rooms and showers.
Brenton-on-Sea, Knysna
Brenton-on-Sea is set along the Garden Route, near the Western head of Knysna. Offering beautiful views of the area and the ocean, it is rated as one of the prettiest beaches in South Africa. Lifeguards are present in summer.
Buffalo Bay Beach, Knysna
Buffalo Bay, or Buffelsbaai, is found at the Goukamma Nature Reserve. It is known for the highest vegetated dunes in the world, coastal fynbos, and coastal forest. Various water sports such as snorkelling, surfing, fishing, canoeing, and swimming are available, and dolphin sightings are common year-round.
Camps Bay Beach, Cape Town
Camps Bay Beach is one of the top places to spot celebrities, musicians, and the local ‘it’ crowd; lending to its nickname as the “Playground of the Rich and Famous”. Though parking is scarce, the long beach stretch lined by palm trees is a stunning spot to see Table Mountain and play volleyball, while the grassy verges are ideal for picnicking. Ablution facilities are available and loungers and sun umbrellas are available for rental.
Clifton Fourth Beach, Cape Town
Clifton Fourth Beach is considered the best of the four beach coves in Clifton; separated by large boulders. Ideal for families, this beach offers sandy stretches adorned with volleyball nets, tag football games, Frisbee players, and sunbathers in summer, when the lifeguards are on duty and ice-lollipops are available for sale. It is also the ideal beach to visit when the South Easter is blowing.
De Bakke Beach, Mossel Bay
De Bakke Beach is one of the top beaches in Mossel Bay. With a caravan park, swimming, fishing, and braai spots, it’s a popular place to unwind during summer.
Gouritzmond, near Mossel Bay
Gouritzmond is a little gem for picnicking and enjoying outstanding ocean and river mouth vistas. Fishing is popular and, due to its secluded location, it’s never too busy, so you’ll always find a spot for your towel.
Grotto Beach, Hermanus
Grotto Beach is the largest beach in Hermanus, with several kilometres of soft white sand. You can see into Walker Bay and its protected whale sanctuary. During summer, you can enjoy an educational experience at the nearby information centre, which has wheelchair facilities, braai areas, and ablutions.
Hartenbos Beach, Hartenbos
Hartenbos Beach is in the holiday hub of Hartenbos and has an adjacent campsite. The beach is set next to a promenade and has demarcated swimming areas, wheelchair facilities, and entertainment facilities like super tubes, tennis courts, and amusement centre. It is located near the lagoon, which offers fishing opportunities and water sports.
Hawston Beach, near Hermanus
Hawston Beach is located in the little town of Hawston and has a swimming pool, picnic area, and braai facilities, as well as a seaside restaurant. It offers some of the safest swimming opportunities in South Africa as well as dolphin sightings in season. Lifeguards are on duty during summer. The coastal dunes are a protected area, so please make use of the boardwalks which offer insightful information on the unique vegetation.
Keurboomstrand, Keurboomstrand
Keurboomstrand is an unspoilt paradise at the foot of a mountain covered with Keurboom trees. You can see the Keurbooms River and Robberg Peninsula from the beach, which offers a variety of water sports such as boat cruises, canoeing, fishing, and skiing.
Klein Brak Beach, Klein Brakrivier
Klein Brak Beach is only 6km from Mossel Bay, and provides golden sands, whale watching opportunities in winter, and water sports such as boating, canoeing, and water skiing.
Kleinmond Beach, near Hermanus
Kleinmond Beach is set alongside the Kleinmond lagoon near Hermanus. It offers a stunning stretch which joggers love. During winter, you can spot whales from the beach, while activities such as paddling, swimming, and sandcastle building are best enjoyed during summer.
Lappiesbaai Beach, Stillbaai
Lappiesbaai Beach is found in the picture-perfect town of Stillbaai. Translated, its name means “bay of rags”, a memory of a time when locals washed and dried their clothes in the nearby bushes. Enjoy the informative signboards, wheelchair-friendly facilities, and rural beach.
Llandudno Beach, Cape Town
Llandudno Beach is set between Hout Bay and Camps Bay and is considered to be one of the most picturesque beaches in the Western Cape. With a pathway winding between natural vegetation and offering outstanding ocean views, it is a popular spot throughout the year for sundowners, beach games, dog walking, picnics, tanning, surfing, and more. Though local vendors usually sell ice-cream and bottled water, it is advised to bring what you may require with you as there are no shops within walking distance.
Mnandi Beach, Cape Town
Mnandi Beach is set along the False Bay coastline and is the main beach used by the Khayelitsha and Strandfontein residents; with ample parking that also offers beautiful ocean views. It is an outstanding fishing spot and offers views of the limestone cliffs in the Wolfgat Nature Reserve.
Muizenberg Beach, Cape Town
Muizenberg Beach is the most popular beach for surfers in the Southern Suburbs and is well known for its multi-coloured changing facilities that stretch from its sandy shores across to St James. It is packed with locals during summer and the water is full of body boarders, surfers, and swimmers. The adjacent super tubes, mini-golf, and ice-cream shops ensure visitors are entertained for hours.
Nature’s Valley Beach, near Plettenberg Bay
Nature’s Valley Beach lies near Plettenberg Bay, at the end of the Otter Trail which is considered to be one of the most beautiful coastal hikes in the world! Its winding beach trail is set amid a coastal forest and lush vegetation. Water sports such as paddling, canoeing, swimming, fishing, and surfing can enjoyed in the ocean and river nearby. Hiking, bird watching, biking, and star gazing are also popular pastimes at this Blue Flag beauty.
Preekstoel Beach, near Still Bay
Preekstoel Beach lies in the sheltered cove and marine protected area of Stillbaai, with numerous rocks forming part of the shoreline. The beach is known for the “Preaching Pulpit” rock formation, for which it is named.
Robberg 5th Beach, Plettenberg Bay
The Robberg 5th beach cove is considered to be the most beautiful of the Robberg beaches. Robberg Beach has winding wooden walkways, golden sands and warm waters. It is a paradise for dog walkers and families with small children, who you’ll often see out and about on the weekends. Chair and umbrella rentals are offered and it is wheelchair-friendly.
Santos Beach, Mossel Bay
Santos Beach, found outside of Mossel bay, is a fantastic swimming spot with warm waters, dolphin and whale sightings, and offers visitors opportunities to enjoy fishing, boating, diving, and angling further out to sea. There are numerous restaurants and shops within walking distance of this blue flag beauty, and, with plenty of parking available, it is a popular spot to unwind in summer.
Silwerstroomstrand Beach, West Coast
Silwerstroomstrand Beach is a 1km stretch of silvery sands and rolling waves, which is ideal for a West Coast holiday. The beach is 10km away from Atlantis and 13km from Melkbosstrand. With picnic and braai spots available, as well as the adjacent Silwerstroomstrand Resort, it is a fantastic spot for families.
Strandfontein Beach, near Strand
Boarded by impressive ochre cliffs, Strandfontein Beach has plenty of space to sunbathe and a large tidal swimming pool. Golden sands and small pebbles form its beachfront and you’ll often see locals collecting mussels, crayfish, and angling along the shoreline.
Strandfontein Beach, Vredendal
Strandfontein Beach, near the town of Vredendal, offers soft sands and the opportunity to enjoy angling, tanning, water sports, and swimming in a safe environment. We’ve been advised that if you plan to swim, you should take along a wet suit.
Wilderness Beach, Wilderness
Wilderness Beach, another Garden Route favourite, can be found near the quiet Touwsrivier in the town of Wilderness. With a road that spans the beach coastline, you can opt to take a romantic drive or stroll on the beach hand in hand to enjoy the views.
Witsand Beach, Breede River
Witsand Beach has one of the most striking coastlines in the world, with a 4km stretch of bone-white sand and rock pools inhabited by stranded marine life at low tide. The dunes of Witsand create a curious rumble when the wind blows just right, leading to the nickname of the area “Brulsand” which translates to “Roaring Sands”. It is a fantastic place to view Southern Right Whales in season as the coast serves as their nursery. Activities include water sports like paddling, boating, and swimming.
*Blue Flag Criteria
To qualify for internationally recognised Blue Flag status, the beaches must adhere to a list of strict criteria. Blue Flag beaches must be kept clean and neat, have ablution facilities available, lifeguards on duty, and a minimum of 5 environmental educational activities on offer. Each South African Blue Flag beach is managed by WESSA – the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa – in conjunction with the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.
Which of the above Blue Flag beaches is your favourite?
Main image credited to Desiree Haakonsen
