Dutch Coast

Holland is well known for its splendid beaches. The Dutch coastline offers unlimited opportunities for water sport fanatics, nature lovers and beach fans. The beaches of the Netherlands can be divided in three groups: the Wadden Islands, the coastline of the provinces North-Holland and South-Holland, and Zeeland.

Water sports in Holland – Traveling through the low lying landscape of Holland, you cannot escape it. There are lakes and beaches everywhere, which make for excellent recreational activities. Water sports supplies are widely available and can be rented. Come and enjoy the water, for a day or your entire holiday.

Kitesurfing – Looking for action and adventure? Kitesurfing might be just the thing for you! This sport is a mix of several sports, such as windsurfing, paragliding and snowboarding. A kite and a board allow you to fly across the water and jump to great heights.

– Only go kitesurfing at the officially designated spots.
– Take lessons if you have little to no experience.
– Enjoy the sun, wind and water.

Where to go kitesurfing in Holland?
The best place for kitesurfing is the Noorderstrand on Terschelling. The wind blows harder here than on the mainland. When the tide is up, you can also go kitesurfing on the south side of the island. Other great spots are Callantsoog and Groote Keeten. The beach of Groote Keeten is most suitable during high season since it is wider and there are fewer people.

Kitesurfing in Zeeland
The beaches of Zeeland are perfect for water sports. Because there are so many beaches nearby, there is always one where the wind is just right. Zeeland has ample space for everyone who loves a shot of adrenalin!

Kite surfing in Friesland
In addition to Terschelling, excellent kite surfing is also to be had in Workum. This kite surfing spot is among the best in Europe. The stable wind blowing from the IJsselmeer and shallow water mean it’s the perfect spot to learn kite surfing. There are kite surfing schools by the water.

Flying a kite – Can you feel a great breeze blowing? Ten to one says it’s perfect weather to fly a kite. You just need to get the hang of it and then you’ll easily get your kite into the air. With the sea in the background, you can play a fascinating game with the wind.

– Empty your head and enjoy playing with the wind.
– You can fly a kite always and anywhere as long as there’s a breeze.
– You can also visit the annual kite festival in Scheveningen.

Where can you fly a kite?
You can fly a kite on any beach. As long as there’s a breeze, your kite will take to the wind. Experienced kite-flyers want more, however: a kite that is several meters long. For more sportive forms of kiting, such as letting yourself be dragged along on skis or a skateboard, you can go to the quiet wide beaches. For instance in IJmuiden, Renesse, and Oostvoorne. Kitesurfing is the most popular combination of kiting and sports, however. Noordwijk, Scheveningen, Zandvoort, Brouwersdam and Horst beach at the Veluwemeer lake are a few popular locations for this sport.

Kitefestivals – Kiting is a world-famous sport, with many (international) large-scale kite festivals being held. Hundreds of thousands of visitors come to admire the unique kites. Scheveningen hosts the annual Vliegerfeest (Kite Festival). A real classic where you can see the world’s biggest kite take to the air: the 640 square meter Mega-byte.

Kite surfing – Kite surfing combines the power of kiting with speed and excitement. It is one of the fastest growing sports these days. In Holland, there are perfect kite surfing sites on Terschelling, the beaches of Zeeland, or in Workum. You can find a kite surfing school to learn the ropes in many seaside resorts. You’ll be flying across the water in no time.

Nude beaches in Holland – There are plenty of nude beaches in Holland. You will find many beaches for nude recreation along the coast, on the Wadden Islands and along the many inland lakes. Most of these nude beaches have been allocated by the government and are clearly marked with a sign. There are also many informal nude beaches that spontaneously emerged because they were being used for nude recreation.

Every day is different
Whether or not these informal nude recreation spaces are formally allowed depends on local and national legislation. However, it is certainly legal if there are no other recreationists using the beach. There are even beaches where the first people to arrive decide whether there will be nude or dressed recreation there on that particular day.

Etiquette
Formally, it is not compulsory to be nude on a nude beach—but it is expected. Young people (teenagers) who come along with their parents but feel uncomfortable naked are of course allowed to wear a bathing suit. Explicitly watching others and overly intimate behaviour is not appreciated, but overall the Dutch are far from prudish and very tolerant.