The official citation pays tribute to the island's «
exceptional natural beauty» and refers to «over 250 km of sandy beaches with long, uninterrupted sweeps of ocean beach, with more than 40 km of strikingly coloured sand cliffs, as well as spectacular dune blowouts and ocean surf beaches; tall rainforests growing on low nutrient sands; perched dune lakes including both clear «white
water» lakes and
dark «black
water» lakes; banksia woodlands, heath, patterned swampy fens and sheltered mangrove areas in a spectacular «mosaic landscape.»
Tsitsikamma Forest National Park offers
exceptional views of ocean, craggy cliffs and
dark green undergrowth, while along the coast, among the miles of unspoilt beaches, is the world - renowned
waters of Jeffrey's Bay - second to none for South African surf.