The Kent coast is iconic. From the world-famous white cliffs, to beautiful beaches, to kiss-me-quick seaside resorts, no coastline works harder.
Tour the 350 miles of Kentish shore and you’ll discover stunning sandy beaches and smugglers coves, old fashioned villages with fluttering bunting, next door to hip new foodie hot-spots.
Whatever your beach vibe, Kent has something for you. Margate makes the perfect day-trip, with its seafront arcades, cafes and galleries. For something more sedate, Whitstable is all about great seafood and cute coastal cottages. For vast vistas of shingle and sky, visit mysterious Dungeness. And for classic, bucket-and-spade beaches, you can take your pick! Botany Bay is famous for its towering chalk stacks, Greatstone is a real hidden gem, and Viking Bay serves nostalgic seaside charm.
Here’s our guide to some of our favourite Kentish beaches - plus we’ve got some amazing coastal properties for you.
Whitstable Beach, Whitstable
Whitstable isn’t your typical bucket and spade sort of beach. With its timber groynes and corners of boatyard gubbins, it's still very much a working fishing harbour.
People don’t generally come here to swim or sunbathe - although of course you can. These days it’s more about finding a spot at one of the beachfront eateries and getting to work on some delicious, locally caught seafood. Native oysters are the main draw, but delicacies like lobster, crab and mussels are equally tasty, best washed down by a pint of the local stout.
Behind the seafront is the pretty town, often thronged with visitors. Wander between the cottages and neat seaside terraces and you’ll find some lovely cafes and inviting boutiques - it’s also home to what is surely one of the country's best looking Wetherspoons, housed in a striking art-deco cinema.
Minnis Bay, Birchington-on-Sea
This spacious blue flag winning cove is tucked into the lee of Birchington-on-Sea, a sleepy seaside spot. It’s often overlooked by day-trippers in favour of the bright lights of Margate, but Minnis Bay has fun for all the family. You can find thrill-seeking windsurfers and kitesurfers whipping around the bay, but if you prefer a quieter life, take a dip in the large Victorian tidal paddling pool built into the beach.
Once the sunbathing is finished and the sand castle construction is complete, head up to the brasserie overlooking the beach and treat yourself to a plate of fish and chips and a glass of something cold.
Margate Main Sands, Margate
The British seaside doesn’t get more classic than Margate. Famously regenerated and home to many London emigrees, hip coffee shops and brunch spots now sit almost-comfortably next to the greasy spoon caffs and neon-lit arcades.
Whatever else might have changed, the beach is still the heart of the town. Margate Main Sands is an open and spacious 200 metre sweep of golden sand, perfect for sandcastles. It’s still the place to settle down in a deckchair, bury your feet in the sand, chomp on a stick of rock and see if Martin Parr takes your photo. Alternatively, the harbour arm, with its collection of restaurants and cafes, makes a great place to watch the world go by over small plates and a glass of natural wine.
Walpole Bay, Margate
A twenty minute stroll takes you away from the hustle and bustle of Margate to this quiet stretch of coastline beneath craggy cliffs. Here you’ll find one of the best seawater swimming pools in the country.
Built in 1937, Walpole Tidal Pool is one of the biggest and the oldest in the UK, with a concrete wall encircling almost four acres of water. At high tide the walls are submerged, allowing the sea water to refresh itself and there’s also a natural spring which rises within the pool’s walls. It’s an unbeatable spot for a swim. Come along at low tide if you’re bringing little ones or you fancy a relaxing dip, as high tide can sometimes get a little brisk.
Botany Bay, nr Broadstairs
Botany is the first of a chain of gorgeous sandy beaches located on the tip of Thanet's snout, as it noses out into the North Sea. Mid-way between Margate and Broadstairs, it’s a lovely walk along the Kentish clifftops from either direction.
Once the haunt of smugglers, you’re now more likely to find film crews here - it’s been the location of many a music video and advert. The bay is famous for its towering white chalk stacks, which erosion has left standing like gappy teeth in the sand. At low tide you can wander between them, hunt for fossils and dip your toes in the rockpools.
Kingsgate Bay, nr Broadstairs
Clean, spacious and usually not too busy, Kingsgate is the perfect sandy spot to spread out your towel and settle down for a happy day of picnics and paddling.
It’s just round the corner from Botany Bay, and you can walk between the two at low tide, past a natural arch in the chalk cliffs. Low tide also reveals little coves and sea caves to explore, once used by smugglers. You can also still spot the entrance to the secret tunnel which used to run between Botany and Kingsgate, now long since been bricked up.
The bay is overseen on one side by Kingsgate Castle (now turned into flats) and on the other by a family-friendly pub, with fabulous sea views from the beer garden.
Joss Bay, nr Broadstairs
Completing the trinity of beautiful beaches all connected at low tide, Joss Bay sits alongside Botany and Kingsgate. It’s a popular spot for a family beach day, with honey-coloured sands shielded by an arc of tall white cliffs behind.
It’s also Kent’s best surfing beach, with sand bars and chalk reefs bringing the waves. If you’re a beginner, Joss Bay’s shallow waters and reliable waves make it an ideal place to learn. Book a session at the surf school, safe in the knowledge you’re watched over by lifeguards in the summer months at least.
Viking Bay, Broadstairs
Genteel Broadstairs with its bandstand and beach huts feels like the opposite of cheeky Margate. Neat little streets slope downward to the Victorian seafront Parade, with its vast views over the beach and beyond to where the North Sea meets the sky.
It may not be the biggest, but Viking Bay is picture-perfect - a cove of soft golden sand, with brightly-coloured beach huts behind and white cliffs above. These are blue flag waters, clean and well-kept.
On hot days it can get pretty busy, so we’d recommend cooling off on a bench with an ice cream from the fabulous 1950s-style ice cream parlour which overlooks the little green clifftop park.
St Margaret’s Bay, nr Dover
A little bit further from London and quieter than the Whitstable to Ramsgate main drag, St Margaret’s near Dover is a peaceful stretch of shingle, backed by the iconic Kentish white cliffs. It feels a little wilder here, the perfect place for secluded picnics with epic clifftop views.
The beach is the spot from which intrepid channel swimmers set off, as it’s the nearest location to France on mainland Britain. On clear days you can see the French coast. Stop for lunch at the historic pub down on the beach, the closest you can get to France while ordering a pint.
Sunny Sands, Folkestone
The only sandy beach in the local area, Sunny Sands is a fun and family-friendly little beach. It’s perfect for kids, with calm waters ideal for a spot of splashing about, safely watched over by lifeguards. It’s also home to the annual Folkestone sandcastle building competition. Prepare yourself for the crowds on a sunny weekend though. And also make sure you check the tide times, as at high tide Sunny Sands all but disappears.
Keep your eyes peeled for the Folkestone Mermaid, perched on a rock and looking rather thoughtfully out to sea. This life-size bronze sculpture is based on the famous Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, but modelled on a local woman (and has legs not a tail).
Dymchurch Beach, Dymchurch
A glorious three mile stretch of sand about halfway between Folkestone and Dungeness. Always popular but never too crowded, Dymchurch is ideal for a family day at the beach. Think towels spread out and a cooler full of picky bits beside you. Make sure to check the tide times though, because at high tide there’s not a lot of sand to write home about.
When the sea starts getting a bit too close, pack up and take a stroll around Dymchurch, a classic little seaside town. Buy an ice cream and explore the amusement park with its vintage-y dodgems and carousel rides. If you’re feeling adventurous, board Dymchurch’s famous miniature steam railway and ride the rails down to Hythe, New Romney, and Dungeness.
Greatstone, New Romney
Greatstone is a real hidden gem. A proper sandy beach, one of the best in Kent, but somehow it never gets that busy. Maybe it’s the location: a little out of the way, with the flatlands of Romney Marsh behind and the wilds of Dungeness down the coast.
The path from the carpark leads down to a two-mile sweep of soft golden sand, backed by dunes spangled with pink and yellow flowers. Greatstone is a good old fashioned sort of beach - there’s loos, a fish and chip shop but not a whole lot else, so make sure you bring sandwiches and your bucket and spade. It’s not bad for swimming, but best to wait for high tide, as it’s an extra half-mile walk to the water when the tide’s out. Dogs are allowed off-season and it’s a nice stroll down the coast to the Pilot Inn and Dungeness Nature Reserve.
Dungeness
Dungeness is a windswept corner of shingle under the shadow of two defunct power stations. It may not sound that enticing, but, if you like that sort of thing, the area has a pleasing bleakness. The shingle stretches away, dotted with weatherboarded cottages and strange mid-century bunkers, while pylons stride behind and seabirds call overhead. It’s certainly got atmosphere.
Dungeness is a site of special scientific interest. It contains rare plants and insects and flocks of coastal birds. It’s a place for birdwatching, long walks and contemplation. The RAF once built an early radar system here, a collection of odd concrete tubes known as ‘Listening Ears’. They chose Dungeness as it was one of the quietest places in Britain.
Where to stay on the Kent coast
At Coolstays we have some beautiful seaside hideaway on offer. From lovely beachfront cottages, to swish contemporary pads with sea views, check out these amazing places to stay on the Kentish coast.
