Dog beaches in Belgium & the Netherlands: where are dogs allowed?

Few dogs are as happy as one let loose on a beach: sprinting through the surf, digging in the sand, a refreshing dip afterwards. But whether your dog is actually welcome there and then depends on the town, the season, and sometimes even the hour. Every coastal town handles it slightly differently, one village splits its beach into numbered zones with their own time windows, another works with a single dog strip that’s open all year round. Head out on a whim and you’ll regularly run into a sign that tells a different story than the one in the next town over.

Hence this guide: town by town, with the zones and time windows as we could find them via official municipal information. One warning up front, and we mean it: towns sometimes adjust these rules yearly, bathing seasons occasionally shift by a few days, and temporary exceptions (nesting birds, roadworks, an extended high season) do happen. So always check the signs on site and the current town website before you set off, what follows is a solid starting point, not a legal text.

The pattern behind the rules

Almost everywhere along the Belgian and Dutch coast, some version of the same logic applies:

• Outside the high season (roughly mid-September to mid- or late May), your dog can join you on a leash on most beaches, and off-leash in many places too.
• In the high season (usually 15 June to 15 September, sometimes a bit wider) dogs are often not welcome during the day on the supervised bathing beaches, or are only allowed before a morning cut-off (around 10:00 - 10:30) and after an evening one (around 18:30 - 20:00). Outside those hours, or in a separately designated dog zone, it’s usually fine.

Within that pattern there’s a lot of local variation: exactly where a zone starts and ends, whether a leash is required even within the dog zone, and precisely what time the cut-off falls. Hence the town-by-town approach below.

The Belgian coast, town by town

De Panne

De Panne’s beach is split into four zones, each with its own rules.

• Zone 1 (Canadezenplein towards Koksijde): allowed on a leash all year round.
• Zone 2 (Canadezenplein to De Rampe): in summer (15 June – 15 September) dogs aren’t allowed here at all, not even on a leash; outside that period they are, on a leash.
• Zone 3 (De Rampe to the sand-yachting centre): allowed on a leash all year round.
• Zone 4 (sand-yachting centre towards the French border): in summer your dog can be off-leash here between 18:30 and 10:30, and must be leashed between 10:30 and 18:30; outside the season he can be off-leash all day.

On the concrete dune defence between the sand-yachting centre and the Slufter, a leash is always required, regardless of the zone. (Source: depanne.be)

Koksijde, Oostduinkerke and Sint-Idesbald

From 16 September to 31 May, your dog can join you anywhere on Koksijde’s beach, on a leash, Koksijde has a general leash requirement across its entire public domain, so that includes the beach.

From 15 June to 15 September, your dog can only access the beach between 10:30 and 18:30, within three marked dog zones (recognisable by white-and-blue signs):

• Sint-Idesbald: from the border with De Panne to the Pieterlaan (roughly 350 metres);
• Koksijde: between the Elisabethplein and the G. Scottlaan/Sint-André (roughly 1,170 metres);
• Oostduinkerke: between the Cottagelaan and the Paardevissersweg/Groenendijk (roughly 1,100 metres).

Before 10:30 and after 18:30, your dog can go anywhere on the beach in summer, on a leash. If you’d really like to let your dog run free, that’s possible in the fenced dog play areas at Sportpark Oostduinkerke (Hazebeekstraat) and near the Abdijmuseum Ten Duinen (accessible via the Gladiolenlaan or the Jaak Van Buggenhoutlaan). (Source: koksijde.be)

Nieuwpoort

Unlike most of its neighbours, Nieuwpoort doesn’t have a separate dog zone on the beach itself. From 15 June to 15 September, your dog can be on the beach before 10:30 and after 18:30, on a leash (maximum 5 metres). From 16 September to 14 June, the beach is accessible all day, also on a leash. Off-leash running is only allowed in the two fenced dog meadows: along the Havengeul near Prins Mauritspark (2,500 m²) and in Leopold II Park (577 m²). Bring a poop bag regardless, a spot check will cost you 60 to 250 euros if you’re caught without one. (Source: dekust.be)

Middelkerke and Westende

Outside the high season (16 September – 14 June), your dog can join you anywhere on the Middelkerke-Westende beach on a leash of maximum 2 metres.

During the high season (15 June – 15 September), the beach is in principle entirely off-limits to dogs, with the exception of three strips:

• Louis Logierlaan zone (west of the sports beach): on a leash, maximum 10 metres;
• Carlton zone (to the east, towards the border with Ostend, starting from the extension of the Sluisvaartstraat): here your dog can actually be off-leash;
• Cristal Palace zone (to the west, towards the border with Nieuwpoort, at the level of the Idyllelaan): on a leash, maximum 10 metres.

For off-leash running away from the beach, there are dog meadows in Middelkerke (Koninginnelaan, near WZC Haerlebout) and in Westende (Hofstraat, near the Voetbalstraat). (Source: middelkerke.be)

Ostend

From 1 October to 31 March, your dog can be off-leash all day on the designated strips of Ostend’s beach. Outside that period, fixed morning and evening hours apply: in April, May, June and September, the beach is closed to dogs between 10:00 and 18:30; in July and August that window runs until 20:00.

All year round, day and night, your dog can be off-leash on the Oosteroever, from marker post 5 to the border with Bredene, that’s the city’s permanent dog beach. In three other spots a leash is always required, regardless of season: the Klein Strand (between the Westerstaketsel and the western breakwater), the Sportstrand (from west of marker post 7 to the artwork “Vertigo”), and the strip between the Westlaan in Raversijde (marker post 15bis) and the border with Middelkerke, a nature reserve. Ignoring the rules risks a municipal fine (GAS) of up to 250 euros. (Source: oostende.be)

Bredene

In Bredene, your dog can be off-leash on the beach from 15 October to 15 March, except in the surf near the Twins. Between 15 March and 15 October he must stay on a leash. On top of that leash period, a stricter ban applies from 1 July to 31 August: between 10:30 and 18:30 dogs aren’t welcome on the beach or in the dunes at all during that window. Exceptions to that summer ban apply beyond the Twins concession towards the border with Ostend, and in the zone between marker post 6 and the naturist beach (the naturist beach itself not included). If in doubt, check the signs: the line between “allowed” and “not allowed” sits close together here. (Source: municipal information via dekust.be)

De Haan, Wenduine and Vosseslag

From 15 June to 15 September, your dog isn’t welcome in the supervised areas of beach, dunes and sea, between 10:00 and 19:00. You can pass through on a short leash in the bathing zones of Vosseslag and Harendijke (which only have one access point) to reach the other side of the supervised area. Outside that window, and year-round on the unsupervised stretches, your dog is welcome everywhere and doesn’t need a leash. Elsewhere in the public domain (including the dune woods) a leash is required, with a maximum length of 1.5 metres. There’s a dog meadow on the car park at the Kennedyplein in Vosseslag. (Source: municipal information via dekust.be)

Blankenberge

Blankenberge splits its beach into three strips:

• Between the Westerstaketsel and Wenduine: off-leash year-round, no leash needed.
• Between the J. Gadeynehelling and the border with Zeebrugge: on a leash from 15 March to 15 October (off-leash is only allowed from the border with Zeebrugge eastwards); from 16 October to 14 March your dog can be off-leash here throughout. Read: for that entire winter period.
• Between the Oosterstaketsel and the foot of the dunes near the J. Gadeynehelling: from Easter to 15 September, this strip is off-limits (except for recognised assistance dogs); after 15 September your dog is welcome here on a leash.

There’s a dog play meadow between the Oude Steenweg and the J. Van de Puttelaan. Bring a poop bag everywhere. (Source: visit-blankenberge.be)

Zeebrugge (Bruges)

Zeebrugge falls under the city of Bruges and works with a colour code. From 15 March to 15 October, between 10:00 and 19:00, the colour zones apply; outside that window and outside that season, your dog can be off-leash everywhere, no leash needed.

• Green zone (from the Surfclub to the border with Blankenberge): dogs can be off-leash, but owners must keep watch.
• Orange zone (from the beach cabins near the Surfclub to the end of the Zeedijk): on a leash on the sand, and on a leash in the water too.
• Red zone (from the beach cabins to the Sint-Joris walking path): dogs are completely banned here, even on a leash, even in the water.

One special note: as soon as seals are lying on the beach, a leash is required everywhere, regardless of zone or time. On the Zeedijk and the adjoining streets, your dog must always be on a leash anyway. (Source: brugge.be)

Knokke-Heist

From 15 March to 15 October, the beach is off-limits to dogs between 10:00 and 20:00. One exception: the stretch of beach in Het Zoute, east of Surfers Paradise up to the Dutch border (with the Appelzakstraat as a well-known access point), there your dog can join you all year round, all day, and even run off-leash. Outside the stated window (before 10:00/after 20:00) and outside the season (16 October – 14 March), the rest of the beach is also accessible. In woods and nature reserves your dog must always be on a leash; in areas with grazing animals he can’t be off-leash at all, not even on one. Since May 2026, dogs are also officially welcome on the terraces of beach bars in Knokke-Heist, following an update to the local police regulations. (Source: knokke-heist.be)

Zeeland: calmer and often more relaxed

The Zeeland coast is wider and less densely built-up than the Belgian coast, which usually translates into somewhat more relaxed dog rules, though here too, every municipality runs its own rulebook.

• Cadzand (municipality of Sluis): from 1 May to 1 September your dog can’t be off-leash between 10:00 and 18:00 (a leashed walk is fine); outside that window and outside the season he can be off-leash all day.
• Breskens: your dog is welcome on the beach here year-round, but always on a leash.
• Domburg and Zoutelande (municipality of Veere): during the bathing season (1 May – 15 September) your dog must be on a leash during the day, between 10:00 and 19:00; outside those hours he can be off-leash.
• Vlissingen: dogs aren’t allowed at all on the Nollestrand (or on the Badstrand, Bankert and De Ruyter) from 1 May through 16 September, except for a recognised assistance or guide dog. Want to bring your dog to the beach in Vlissingen during that period anyway? Head to the Zwanenburgstrand or Westduin, where a leash is required daily between 10:00 and 19:00, and your dog can run free before and after that window. From 17 September through 30 April, your dog is welcome and can be off-leash on all Vlissingen beaches.
• Schouwen-Duiveland (Renesse, Westerschouwen, Burgh-Haamstede): from 1 October to 30 April your dog can be off-leash everywhere. From 1 May to 1 October that’s only allowed between 19:00 and 10:00; during the day a leash is required. On the Verklikkerstrand, in the north, an additional leash requirement applies from 1 April to 15 September because of nesting birds. Strand De Punt, near the Oosterscheldekering, is an off-leash beach all year round.

As with the Belgian coast: these are the broad strokes per municipality, not an exhaustive list of every little beach. Zeeland also has quieter, less documented stretches where it’s best to check with the local tourist office (VVV) or the municipal website yourself. (Sources: municipal information summarised via minimaps.nl and schouwen-duiveland.nl)

The South and North Holland coast

Between Hoek van Holland and Bergen, too, the rules differ from town to town, with the same ingredients as in Belgium: a fixed dog strip, seasonal windows, or both.

Katwijk aan Zee

Year-round, dogs and anglers are allowed on the stretch of beach north of the outfall, section C next to the Airtime kite club, that’s Katwijk’s dog beach. On the rest of the beach, dogs are banned from 1 April to 1 October between 9:00 and 19:00, unless it’s below 18 degrees or raining. No leash required, but you must clean up. (Source: katwijk.nl)

Noordwijk aan Zee

From beach access 1 southwards to the border with Katwijk lies Noordwijk’s dog beach, open all year with no leash requirement. In high season (1 June – 31 August), the rest of the beach in front of both boulevards is off-limits; in low season (1 September – 31 May), your dog can run free everywhere except at Noordvoort (north of the Langevelderslag), where a leash is required year-round. (Source: noordwijk.nl)

Wassenaarse Slag

In summer (15 May – 15 September), dogs are always banned between beach markers 92.50 and 92.25; from marker 92.25 towards Katwijk and from marker 92.50 towards Scheveningen, they’re always welcome on the beach. Near a beach pavilion, keep your dog on a leash, walk straight to the restaurant, then behind it. Outside summer, your dog can go anywhere on the beach, no restrictions. (Source: wassenaar.nl)

Scheveningen and Kijkduin (The Hague)

From 1 October to 15 May, your dog can run free anywhere on The Hague’s beach. In summer (15 May – 1 October), fixed off-leash strips apply: on the Noorderstrand, all day from the end of the Zwarte Pad car park to the border with Wassenaar, and on the Zuiderstrand near Kijkduin, from access 2 to the border with Westland and between accesses 9 and 10. In the evening and at night (21:00 – 7:00), your dog can go on the whole Zuiderstrand. Cleaning up is mandatory everywhere, and you must carry something to do it with. (Source: denhaag.nl)

Hoek van Holland

From 1 October to 1 May, your dog can go anywhere on the beach; from 1 May to 1 October, only between 19:00 and 9:00. On the stretch between the Rivierkant traffic control centre (with the yellow radar mast) and the pier at the Nieuwe Waterweg, he can run free year-round. Cleaning up is mandatory everywhere. (Source: rotterdam.nl)

Zandvoort

From 15 April to 1 October, your dog is only allowed on the beach between 19:00 and 9:00; from 1 October to 15 April, day and night. The municipality says nothing explicit about leashing or cleaning up on the beach itself. Check the signs on site. (Source: zandvoort.nl)

Bloemendaal aan Zee

The beach is designated an off-leash area from 1 January to 15 May and from 16 September to 31 December; the stretch between the Parnassia beach access and beach marker 59.500 applies year-round. Outside those areas, a dog must be on a leash in Bloemendaal. (Source: bloemendaal.nl) Nearby, in the Brouwerskolkpark in Overveen, there’s also an off-leash area. See the location page.

IJmuiden and Velsen-Noord

IJmuiden’s beach is split into four zones: from 1 October to 1 April dogs may run free on zones 1 and 2, from 1 April to 1 October rather on zones 3 and 4 (1 and 2 are then off-limits). On the Kleine strand between the north and south piers, dogs are on a leash in winter and not allowed at all in summer. Across the water, near the north pier at Velsen-Noord, three other zones apply: off-leash everywhere in winter, only on zone 2 in summer (on a leash on zones 1 and 3). The zones are shown on a small map on the signs at every beach access. (Source: velsen.nl)

Wijk aan Zee, Bergen aan Zee and Egmond aan Zee

At Wijk aan Zee, dogs and horses aren’t allowed on the beach from 1 May to 1 October between 9:00 and 19:00, outside those hours and that season, they are, on a leash and with a clean-up duty. (Source: beverwijk.nl) At Bergen aan Zee and Egmond aan Zee (both in the municipality of Bergen), your dog can run free everywhere in winter; in summer (1 May – 1 October), off-leash before 10:00 and after 19:00, and on a leash on the activity beaches, on a sunbathing or naturist beach he isn’t even allowed on a leash between 10:00 and 19:00. The municipality has announced new beach rules for 2027. (Source: bergen-nh.nl)

The Wadden Islands: leashing is the norm

On Texel, Vlieland, Terschelling, Ameland and Schiermonnikoog, everything revolves around the nesting season of beach-breeding birds, vulnerable species that nest on the ground roughly between March and August/September. That gives the rules on the islands a slightly different rationale than on the Belgian coast: it’s less about spreading out crowds and more about leaving nesting birds and young animals undisturbed.

Texel, the best-documented island, illustrates the principle well. Outside the nesting season (1 September – 1 March) your dog can be off-leash on the entire beach. During the nesting season (1 March – 1 September) a leash is required on the supervised beach sections around the staffed beach posts, but the unsupervised stretches remain off-leash areas year-round. De Hors (south of marker post 9) and the northern stretch near marker post 33 are always off-leash, regardless of season; south of marker post 8 and between marker posts 12 and 21, a leash is required from 1 March to 1 September instead. In the dune areas your dog must be on a leash all year, with the exception of a few zones outside the nesting season; in the two large forests (Dennenbos and Krimbos) he can be off-leash all year, except in play areas and livestock zones. (Source: Staatsbosbeheer / Nationaal Park Duinen van Texel)

Ameland works on similar principles: on the bathing beach, in the dunes, the forests, the grazing areas and the villages, a leash is required in principle, with extra care needed around marked nests during the nesting season (recognisable by yellow “Ik broed!” signs, Dutch for “I’m nesting!”). For genuine off-leash running there are three fenced off-leash areas: Roosdunen (Ballum), Koudenburg (Hollum) and the Kwekerijbos (Nes). (Source: VVV Ameland)

For Vlieland, Terschelling and Schiermonnikoog the same basic rule applies, a leash requirement as the default outside the bathing beaches, nesting-sensitive nature reserves, and local off-leash strips, but we couldn’t document the exact boundaries and time windows per island with the same certainty as for Texel and Ameland. If you’re heading there with your dog, check with that island’s VVV tourist office or Staatsbosbeheer on site for the current map of off-leash and leash-required zones.

How to make it a good day for everyone

• Bring water and shade. Seawater is not for drinking, too much salt makes dogs sick. Bring fresh water and a bowl, and find a spot out of direct sun.
• Watch out for the heat. Dry sand can get scorching hot; test it with your hand. It’s best to walk early or late in the day (see also our piece on dogs and heat).
• Rinse off afterwards. Sand and salt irritate the skin and paws; a quick rinse works wonders.
• Clean up and respect nature. Nesting coastal birds and dune vegetation are fragile, stay out of cordoned-off areas and keep your dog close where you’re asked to.

Is the beach even right for your dog?

A beach with no shade, lots of stimulation, and sometimes strong currents isn’t ideal for every dog. Keep an eye on your companion: a dog that lies down panting in a corner needs rest and cooling down, not another round of fetch. Would you rather swim somewhere quiet than deal with a crowded beach? That works too.

Know a dog-friendly beach or a great dog beach that isn’t on GoPuppy yet, or has one of the rules above changed? Add the place or let us know, and we’ll keep this guide current for other owners. Would you rather go camping nearby? Check out our guide to dog-friendly campsites. And looking for the full overview of all dog beaches on GoPuppy? You’ll find it here.