Just in time for the upcoming December high holiday season, Bloubergstrand’s very own Big Bay beach has received a lovely and deserved honour when it was awarded Blue Flag status.

A Blue Flag is an annually presented, prestigious international award (also described as an ‘eco-label’) given to beaches and marinas that have met stringent standards set by the Foundation for Environmental Education in terms of its water quality, safety standards, facilities, environmental education and information, the provision of services, and general environmental management. An exclusive Blue Flag on a beach acts as a guarantee to tourists and vacationers that the beach they are visiting is one of the best and safest in the world.

Big Bay is one of just twenty-nine South African beaches to have received the honour this year – up from last year’s nineteen. South Africa’s Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk said that this was extremely good news for local tourism.

“South Africa’s Blue Flag beaches increase our desirability and reputation as a world class destination. With the exception of Morocco, South Africa is the only African country implementing Blue Flag, and we have done so with increasing success since 2001,” Minister van Schalkwyk said.

Other South African beaches that have received Blue Flag status include:

— Yzerfontein Main beach, Yzerfontein (new);
— MacDougall’s Bay, Port Nolloth (new);
— Clifton Fifth beach, Cape Town;
— Camps Bay, Cape Town;
— Muizenberg, Cape Town;
— Strandfontein beach, Cape Town;
— Mnandi beach, Cape Town;
— Bikini beach, Gordon’s Bay;
— Kleinmond beach, near Hermanus (back in programme);
— Hawston beach, near Hermanus;
— Grotto beach, Hermanus;
— Lappiesbaai, Stilbaai, Southern Cape;
— Santosbeach, Mossel Bay (new);
— Hartenbos beach, Mossel Bay (new);
— Robberg 5 beach, Plettenberg Bay (new);
— Dolphin beach, Jeffrey’s Bay;
— Humewood beach, Port Elizabeth;
— Hobie beach, Port Elizabeth;
— Wells Estate, north of Port Elizabeth;
— Kelly’s beach, Port Alfred;
— Kariega Main beach, Kenton-on-Sea (new);
— Boknes beach, Kenton-On-Sea (new);
— Gonubie beach, East London(back in programme);
— Trafalgar beach, South Coast, KwaZulu-Natal (new);
— Marina beach, South Coast, KwaZulu-Natal;
— Ramsgate beach, near Margate;
— Margate beach; and
— Alkantstrand, Richard’s Bay (new).