Plan the perfect December escape at the official Blue Flag beaches in KwaZulu-Natal
Hibberdene Beach received recognition for maintaining Blue Flag standards for 10 consecutive years.
Image: Supplied by SCTIE
Three KwaZulu-Natal municipalities have beaches with full Blue Flag status for the 2025/2026 season, placing them among the country’s top coastal tourism destinations.
Beaches in KwaDukuza on the north coast and Ray Nkonyeni and Umdoni on the south coast have Blue Flag beaches.
In KwaDukuza, the beaches are Blythedale, Willard, Salt Rock Main, and Thompson Bay, along with the Pennington beach in Umdoni and in Ray Nkonyeni the following beaches have Blue Flag status: Hibberdene Beach, Marina Beach, Ramsgate Beach, Southport Beach, Trafalgar Beach, Umzumbe Beach, New St Michaels Beach.
The announcement was made on Friday at the WESSA National Blue Flag and Green Coast Awards in Port Alfred, Eastern Cape, where the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) recognised 97 sites and operators for excellence in coastal management, safety, and sustainability.
Ahead of the December holidays in South Africa, the annual awards celebrated 50 full-status Blue Flag beaches, 20 pilot sites, five marinas, seven tourism boats, and 15 Green Coast sites across South Africa.
WESSA CEO Cindy-Lee Cloete said that the programme represents a long-standing commitment to environmental integrity and safe tourism. “Our Blue Flag and Green Coast programmes are more than symbols, they’re a promise, a promise of care, of commitment, of collaboration, of clean water, safe swimming, well-managed beaches, and a world-class coastal experience that celebrates South Africa’s natural and cultural heritage,” she said.
Blue Flag is one of the world’s most recognised international eco-labels, with more than 4,500 certified sites in over 45 countries. It rewards beaches and marinas that meet strict global standards on water quality, environmental education, public safety, and management practices.
KwaDukuza mayor S’duduzo Gumede welcomed the recognition, describing it as a milestone that reinforces the municipality’s growing role in coastal tourism. “This coveted status does not only underline that we are passionate about sustainable tourism but also highlights the fact that we are a leading coastal destination that cares about public safety and the protection of coastal and marine ecosystems,” Gumede said.
He added that the municipality plans to hoist the Blue Flags before the festive season. “Indeed, KwaDukuza is steadily becoming the face of the province as it isn’t just a destination but the tourism heartbeat of KwaZulu-Natal’s coastline. We will be hoisting the four flags along our shores as part of the festive season activation and as an expression of confidence knowing that our beaches will now be competing in the global market.”
The WESSA event also highlighted the 25th anniversary of the Blue Flag programme in South Africa and its 99th year of environmental advocacy. WESSA’s Senior Coastal Programme Manager, Mike Denison, said the milestone reflected “true service delivery, care for our environment, care for our people, and care for the visitors who come to enjoy our coastline.”
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE), which supports the Blue Flag programme, said such initiatives contribute to the national coastal management agenda. Ryan Peter, Director of Coastal Development and Coordination at DFFE, noted that coastal management “connects municipalities, communities, and national government” in building sustainable systems and partnerships.