Photo of Walpole Bay Tidal Pool, a sea pool near Broadstairs, Kent, south east England.

Walpole Bay Tidal Pool© Robin Webster / Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Beaches & swimming in KentKent, England

32 beaches and swimming spots in the Albion Guide across Kent — see the full beaches and swimming spots directory, or everything to explore in Kent.

Photo of Walpole Bay Tidal Pool, a sea pool near Broadstairs, Kent, south east England.

Walpole Bay Tidal Pool

Sea pool near Broadstairs

A walled sea pool of over four acres on the Cliftonville shore at Margate, built in 1937 and refilled by every tide.

Photo of Kingsgate Bay, a beach near Broadstairs, Kent, south east England.

Kingsgate Bay

Beach near Broadstairs

A small sandy Thanet cove with a natural chalk arch at its northern end, below a mock-castle folly.

Photo of Botany Bay, Broadstairs, a swimming spot in Kent, south east England.

Botany Bay, Broadstairs

Coastal | Excellent ★★★ near Broadstairs

A sandy Thanet beach north of Broadstairs, known for the white chalk stacks standing out of the sand at low tide

Photo of St Margaret's Bay, a swimming spot near Deal, Kent, south east England.

St Margaret's Bay

Coastal | Excellent ★★★ near Deal

A shingle cove at Britain's closest point to France, favoured by Channel swimmers.

Photo of Folkestone, a swimming spot near Hythe, Kent, south east England.

Folkestone

Coastal | Sufficient ★ near Hythe

A coastal swimming spot with a sufficient water-quality rating.

Photo of Broadstairs, Stone Bay, a swimming spot in Kent, south east England.

Broadstairs, Stone Bay

Coastal | Good ★★ near Broadstairs

A coastal swimming spot rated good for water quality.

Photo of Broadstairs, Viking Bay, a swimming spot in Kent, south east England.

Broadstairs, Viking Bay

Coastal | Good ★★ near Broadstairs

A coastal swimming spot rated good for water quality.

Photo of Deal Castle, a swimming spot in Kent, south east England.

Deal Castle

Coastal | Good ★★ near Deal

A coastal swimming spot rated good for water quality.

Photo of Dymchurch, a swimming spot near New Romney, Kent, south east England.

Dymchurch

Coastal | Poor near New Romney

A coastal swimming spot, currently rated poor for water quality.

Photo of Herne Bay, a swimming spot near Whitstable, Kent, south east England.

Herne Bay

Coastal | Excellent ★★★ near Whitstable

A coastal swimming spot with excellent water quality.

Photo of Herne Bay Central, a swimming spot near Whitstable, Kent, south east England.

Herne Bay Central

Coastal | Good ★★ near Whitstable

A coastal swimming spot rated good for water quality.

Photo of Hythe, a swimming spot near Elham, Kent, south east England.

Hythe

Coastal | Excellent ★★★ near Elham

A coastal swimming spot with excellent water quality.

Photo of Joss Bay, Broadstairs, a swimming spot in Kent, south east England.

Joss Bay, Broadstairs

Coastal | Excellent ★★★ near Broadstairs

A coastal swimming spot with excellent water quality.

Photo of Margate Fulsam Rock, a swimming spot near Broadstairs, Kent, south east England.

Margate Fulsam Rock

Coastal | Excellent ★★★ near Broadstairs

A coastal swimming spot with excellent water quality.

Photo of Margate The Bay, a swimming spot near Broadstairs, Kent, south east England.

Margate The Bay

Coastal | Good ★★ near Broadstairs

A coastal swimming spot rated good for water quality.

Photo of Minnis Bay, Birchington, a swimming spot near Broadstairs, Kent, south east England.

Minnis Bay, Birchington

Coastal | Excellent ★★★ near Broadstairs

A coastal swimming spot with excellent water quality.

Photo of Minster Leas, a swimming spot near Sheerness-on-Sea, Kent, south east England.

Minster Leas

Estuary | Excellent ★★★ near Sheerness-on-Sea

A tidal estuary swimming spot with excellent water quality.

Photo of Ramsgate Sands, a swimming spot near Broadstairs, Kent, south east England.

Ramsgate Sands

Coastal | Excellent ★★★ near Broadstairs

A coastal swimming spot with excellent water quality.

Photo of Ramsgate Western Undercliffe, a swimming spot near Broadstairs, Kent, south east England.

Ramsgate Western Undercliffe

Coastal | Excellent ★★★ near Broadstairs

A coastal swimming spot with excellent water quality.

Photo of Sandgate Granville Parade, a swimming spot near Hythe, Kent, south east England.

Sandgate Granville Parade

Beach near Hythe

A coastal swimming spot in Kent.

Photo of Sandwich Bay, a swimming spot in Kent, south east England.

Sandwich Bay

Coastal | Good ★★ near Sandwich

A coastal swimming spot rated good for water quality.

Photo of Seabrook, a swimming spot near Hythe, Kent, south east England.

Seabrook

Coastal | Excellent ★★★ near Hythe

A coastal swimming spot with excellent water quality.

Photo of Sheerness, a swimming spot near Southend-on-Sea, Kent, south east England.

Sheerness

Estuary | Excellent ★★★ near Southend-on-Sea

A tidal estuary swimming spot with excellent water quality.

Photo of St Mary's Bay (Kent), a swimming spot near New Romney, Kent, south east England.

St Mary's Bay (Kent)

Coastal | Sufficient ★ near New Romney

A coastal swimming spot with a sufficient water-quality rating.

Photo of St Mildred's Bay, Westgate, a swimming spot near Broadstairs, Kent, south east England.

St Mildred's Bay, Westgate

Coastal | Good ★★ near Broadstairs

A coastal swimming spot rated good for water quality.

Photo of Tankerton, a swimming spot near Whitstable, Kent, south east England.

Tankerton

Coastal | Excellent ★★★ near Whitstable

A coastal swimming spot with excellent water quality.

Photo of Walpole Bay, Margate, a swimming spot near Broadstairs, Kent, south east England.

Walpole Bay, Margate

Coastal | Good ★★ near Broadstairs

A coastal swimming spot rated good for water quality.

Photo of West Bay, Westgate, a swimming spot near Broadstairs, Kent, south east England.

West Bay, Westgate

Coastal | Sufficient ★ near Broadstairs

A coastal swimming spot with a sufficient water-quality rating.

Photo of West Beach, Whitstable, a swimming spot in Kent, south east England.

West Beach, Whitstable

Coastal | Excellent ★★★ near Whitstable

A coastal swimming spot with excellent water quality.

Photo of Westbrook Bay, Margate, a swimming spot near Broadstairs, Kent, south east England.

Westbrook Bay, Margate

Coastal | Excellent ★★★ near Broadstairs

A coastal swimming spot with excellent water quality.

Leysdown

Coastal | Good ★★ near Whitstable

A coastal swimming spot rated good for water quality.

Littlestone

Coastal | Poor near New Romney

A coastal swimming spot, currently rated poor for water quality.