Make a splash at the seaside

Whether you're after traditional family entertainment, adrenaline watersports or somewhere to chill out, Kent's varied coastline has just the beach or resort for you.

The Isle of Thanet encompasses the popular resorts of Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate: 15 sandy beaches and bays with ten coveted Blue Flags and one Quality Coast Award. Lively or quiet, take your pick. Join a Seashore Safari, hire a chalet and hang out with friends, catch blasts of sea air kite surfing - Minnis Bay is just one super place to learn.

New 'Beach Within Reach' scheme:
If you are a wheelchair user or have limited mobility, the following beaches and bays in the Thanet area have beach wheelchairs you can use. West Bay, Westgate, Margate Main Sands, Viking Bay, Broadstairs and Ramsgate Main Sands. Contact the bay inspector on the beach or ring 01843 296111 for further information.

Kent's southeast coast unfurls another ribbon of resorts. Revel in the Edwardian elegance of Folkestone, then at Hythe hop aboard a steam train to sandy beaches. Or create your own adventure on the marshes, broad sands and shingle stretches around New Romney.

There's also plenty to do in seaside towns as varied as historic Sandwich and quirky-chic Whitstable with its art galleries, craft shops and fine seafood restaurants.

Use our search facility to find your perfect beach. You can also use the Good Beach Guide for ideas and information.
 

Blue Flag Awards 2008

A total of 82 English beaches have been given the international Blue Flag award for 2008, 12 of which are in Kent. A Blue Flag is awarded to coastal destinations which have achieved the highest quality in water, facilities, safety, environmental education and management.

We are proud to boast that Thanet, which covers Margate, Ramsgate and Broadstairs, has achieved 10 Blue Flags on its beaches, the best performance anywhere in England for a decade. It now has almost an eighth of all the Blue Flags in the country. To find out more about Thanet's beautiful sandy beaches, click here.

Kent's Blue Flag beaches:

• Botany Bay, Broadstairs
• Herne Bay
• Joss Bay, Broadstairs
• Margate Main Sands
• Minnis Bay, Birchington
• Ramsgate Main Sands
• St Mildred's Bay, Westgate
• Stone Bay, Broadstairs,
• Tankerton, near Whitstable
• Walpole Bay, Margate
• West Bay, Westgate
• Westbrook Bay, near Margate

 

To find out more about the Blue Flag awards and criteria, click here.