Are you looking for the family friendly Blue Flag beaches?

But do you understand what a beaches Blue Flag actually means?

Environmental Education and Information

• Information about the Blue Flag must be displayed.
• Environmental education activities must be offered and promoted to beach users.
• Information about bathing water quality must be displayed.
• Information relating to local eco-systems and environmental phenomena must be displayed.
• A map of the beach indicating different facilities must be displayed.
• A code of conduct that reflects appropriate laws governing the use of the beach and surrounding areas must be displayed.

Water Quality

• The beach must fully comply with the water quality sampling and frequency requirements.
• The beach must fully comply with the standards and requirements for water quality analysis.
• No industrial, waste-water or sewage-related discharges should affect the beach area.
• The beach must comply with the Blue Flag requirements for the microbiological parameter faecal coli bacteria (E.coli) and intestinal enterococci/streptococci.
• The beach must comply with the Blue Flag requirements for physical and chemical parameters.

Environmental Management

• The local authority/beach operator should establish a beach management committee.
• The local authority/beach operator must comply with all regulations affecting the location and operation of the beach.
• The beach must be clean.
• Algae vegetation or natural debris should be left on the beach.
• Waste disposal bins/containers must be available at the beach in adequate numbers and they must be regularly maintained.
• Facilities for the separation of recyclable waste materials should be available at the beach.
• An adequate number of toilet or restroom facilities must be provided.
• The toilet or restroom facilities must be kept clean.
• The toilet or restroom facilities must have controlled sewage disposal.
• There should be no unauthorised camping, driving or dumping of waste on the beach.
• Access to the beach by dogs and other domestic animals must be strictly controlled.
• All buildings and beach equipment must be properly maintained.
• Coral reefs in the vicinity of the beach must be monitored.
• A sustainable means of transportation should be promoted in the beach area.

Safety and Services

• An adequate number of lifeguards and/or lifesaving equipment must be available at the beach.
• First aid equipment must be available on the beach.
• Emergency plans to cope with pollution risks must be in place.
• There must be management of beach users and events to prevent conflicts and accidents.
• There must be safety measures in place to protect beach users.
• A supply of drinking water should be available at the beach.
• At least one Blue Flag beach in each municipality must have wheelchair and accessibility features.
• Wheelchair access and accessibility features must be in place for at least one Blue Flag beach in each municipality.