Blue Flag Status
Blue Flag status is an international accreditation awarded to beaches that meet 33 criteria in four main categories: environmental education and information, water quality, environmental management, and safety and services. Cape Town is blessed with 8 beaches that meet these criteria. Blue Flag season covers the summer months, daily from 10h00 to 18h00.
MNANDI BEACH
About 45 minutes away from the City Bowl of Cape Town is the scenic Mnandi Beach, located in Mitchell’s Plain. This is more of a day resort than your average beach and was awarded the status of a Blue Flag Beach 2004. It combines safe swimming conditions with plenty of convenient amenities and more than 220 parking bays to offer visitors and locals a spot that is just awesome for families and watersports enthusiasts.
Mnandi is caressed by the chilly Atlantic Ocean waters, which are not only great for a swim or a frolic in the waves, but also for surfing, kite-surfing, stand-up paddling, and even fishing. There is also a big swimming pool that has fun waterslides, where children will spend hours squealing in delight. This pool has playground equipment on landscaped lawns, picnic spots, barbecue spots, and kiosks, where snacks and refreshments can be bought.
Lifeguards are on duty all summer and there are toilets on-site for the convenience of swimmers and beach-goers. Animals are also allowed, to ensure that the whole family is in on the fun. The views of the limestone cliffs at the Wolfgat Nature Reserve’s make for an even more idyllic backdrop to your beach day.
MONWABISI BEACH & RESORT
Pack your picnic basket and braai utensils and head to Monwabisi beach located near Khayelitsha on the Cape Flats along an exposed stretch of the False Bay coast.
‘Monwabisi’ is an isiXhosa word meaning ‘bringing joy’, to which many regular beach visitors will attest. The beach is particularly popular with residents from surrounding areas such as Mitchell’s Plain, Strandfontein and Khayelitsha. On New Year’s Day and Boxing Day every year tens of thousands of beachgoers flock to Monwabisi to enjoy the sun, sea and sand. Swimming conditions can be very dangerous due to the strong currents, however the beach features the largest man-made tidal pool in the Southern Hemisphere. There is also paddling pools and a pavilion, with kiosks and ablution facilities.
Monwabisi has many picnic and braai sites set out on the terraced lawns of the resort for the day visitor and if you had so much fun in the sun that you would prefer to stay for the night you will find camping facilities and chalets available to hire.
STRANDFONTEIN BEACH
Strandfontein Beach is a wonderful Blue Flag beach set along the False Bay coast in Mitchell’s Plain, Cape Town. It is well known for having the biggest tidal swimming pool in the southern hemisphere, where one of the Free Willy movies was filmed. The beach is typical of most West Coast beaches with the addition of an impressive border of ochre cliffs.
The beach is very safe with lifeguards on duty during the Blue Flag season (December to March). Its great for taking long walks on the beach, beachcombing for pretty pebbles, watching the sunset, and whale watching during winter. Other activities include crayfishing, mussel collecting, swimming, and plenty of water sports. Anglers can often be seen on this beach, aiming to catch tasty line fish such as white Steenbras and Galjoen.
The water is warm, but be warned that in the early summer months, the beach can get rather windy. Facilities include a slipway for launching boats, plenty of parking, a tidal pool for the kids to paddle in, 3 kiosks, a seating area, braai area, and beach vendors selling ice cream, snacks, and cool drinks. Events are often held in summer to entertain and amuse beachgoers, and a public pavilion is available for this purpose.
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RONDEVLEI NATURE RESERVE
The Rondevlei Nature Reserve, forming part of the greater False Bay Ecology Park, is a 290 hectare protected area centred on a lake and wetland set in sand-dunes near the coast of False Bay, Cape Town. It is home to more than 230 species of birds, as well as reptiles, mammals, and even a few hippos. The reserve sports two towers with telescopes and 6 hides.
The reserve has many types of threatened fynbos found only in the Western Cape of South Africa. Other activities include fishing and visiting the Leonard Gill Museum and an environmental education centre with a lecture theatre and resource centre. Chartered boat trips are available, as well as hiking trails.