Bikini Beach in Gordon’s Bay is once again one of 10 of the City of Cape Town’s beaches flying the Blue Flag this season – and the City boasts having one of the highest number of Blue Flag beaches in the country. As part of the programme, co-ordinated by the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA), Blue Flag status was awarded last week. The Blue Flag is an international accreditation awarded to beaches that display excellence through meeting 33 criteria covering four categories including: environmental education and information, water quality, environmental management and safety and services. Participation in this international programme is voluntary and the status indicates that the beaches all have their own environmental education programmes, have bathing water of the highest standard, are clean, have adequate ablution facilities and parking, are environmentally sound, are safe and secure to visit, and adhere to international safety and tourism standards.