Durban beaches have always had major holiday appeal. Image: Pixabay
Flying the Blue Flag high: 12 Durban beaches rated among SA’s best
Durban, one of South Africa’s premier tourist destinations, now boasts more Blue Flag-accredited beaches.
Durban beaches have always had major holiday appeal. Image: Pixabay
Holidaymakers can look forward to sunny days on some of the world’s best beaches when visiting Durban this December.
Durban is one of South Africa’s most favourite beach destinations. Its subtropical climate offers year-round sunshine, which is ideal for spending time on the city’s prized beaches which extend over 100km along its coastline.
“It is no secret that South Africa is home to some of the best beaches in the world, with KwaZulu-Natal arguably enjoying many of the very best,” MEC of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs Ravi Pillay said.
12 BLUE FLAG BEACHES ANNOUNCED
A total of 12 of the beaches along Durban’s expansive coastline were awarded national Blue Flag status for the 2020/2021 season at an event at Ushaka Marine World on 27 November.
Five of the city’s beaches were awarded full Blue Flag status, while the other seven received Blue Flag pilot status. This comes as good news to beachgoers that flock to the city’s coastline for the December holidays.
“The Blue Flag attribute goes hand-in-glove with our idyllic sub-tropical climate and year-round sunny weather, making KwaZulu-Natal the ideal beach holiday destination, nationally and, of course, globally,” Pillay said.
DURBAN’S BLUE FLAG BEACHES
Five of the city’s beaches received full status while seven received blue flag pilot status
FULL BLUE FLAG STATUS
- uShaka
- Durban North
- Point
- Amanzimtoti
- uMhlanga Main
BLUE FLAG PILOT STATUS
These beaches are:
- South Beach Central
- Umgababa
- Umdloti Tidal
- Westbrook
- Ansteys
- Bronze
- Brighton
DURBAN COMMITTED TO PRESERVING NATURAL ASSETS
The Municipality of Ethekwini is aware that the city’s beaches are a natural asset which must be looked after. The city said it would continue to conduct water quality tests at all of its beaches as part of its duty to preserve this important resource by keeping it clean.
Ethekwini Mayor Thomas Kaunda said Durban was committed to ensuring its beaches were looked after in order to preserve the coastline, maintain the status of its Blue Flag beaches and attract much-needed tourists.
“This is particularly important as the world is facing challenges of climate change,” Kaunda said.
SOUTH AFRICA AIMS FOR 100 BLUE FLAG BEACHES
Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (Wessa), the organisation that awards Blue Flag status in South Africa, said the organisation would like the country to have 100 Blue Flag status beaches within the next 10 years.
“The goal is to achieve 100 Blue Flag status beaches by 2030. Currently the country has 58 full status Blue Flag beaches out of 77 sites in total,” Wessa Blue Flag programme manager Cindy-Lee Cloete said.
