Beach Ameland - Tourist Information

Beach

On the beaches of Ameland you will always find something to see or do. Whether the day is sunny and warm or stormy and wet, it will always be enjoyable!

The Ameland beaches - yearround entertainment!
Long strolls along the beach, looking for shells, swimming in the surf, sunbathing, flying kites, and horseback riding, just a selection of the many possibilities the beaches of Ameland have to offer. On the wide beaches of Ameland you will find four beach pavilions. Both during summer and winter you will be able to enjoy not only a bite to eat and a drink, but also the beautiful view of the Ameland beach and the North Sea.

Cleanest beaches
In May 2023, the beaches near Buren, Nes, Hollum, and the yacht harbour were awarded with the Blue Flag for the 36nd time in a row. The Blue Flag is an annual international accolade which is awarded to safe and clean beaches and yacht harbours. Ameland also received the golden Quality Coast Award and last but not least, the Ameland beaches were voted the cleanest beaches in the whole of the Netherlands!

Life guards
Safety is of the utmost importance on the beaches of Ameland, which is evident from the presence of the KNRM (Royal Dutch Rescue Society) lifeguards on the beaches during the summer months. Flags indicate whether or not it is safe to go swimming. The lifeguards of the KNRM supervise the beaches near the four beach pavilions on the following days:

  • 23, 24, 25, 30 June and 1, 2 July 2023 from 10:00 - 18:00
  • from 8 July through 2 September 2023 daily from 10:00 - 18:00 
  • 8, 9, 10, 15, 16 and 17 September 2023 from 10:00 - 18:00

At each supervised beach you will find a blue sign at the dune crossing. On this sign the town of Ameland explains which activities are allowed on the beach and which are not. Outside of the lifeguard areas, please observe the bathing times

Facilities
The beach pavilions have a variety of facilities, such as showers and bathrooms and it is possible to borrow a beach wheelchair. At the beach pavilion in Nes you can rent beach chairs and windscreens.

Changes
The tidal changes of the North Sea are noticeable on the beach. During low tide the seawater retreats to its lowest level. Afterwards it will be high tide, which sees the seawater rise again to its highest level. 

Every 6 hours high and low tides alternate. The beach between high and low tide levels is also called the wet beach. The beach higher up from the high tide level is referred to as the dry beach.

Especially on the wet beach you can find plenty of interesting things, such as shells, wood, starfish, and even real fossils. You will also see many animals such as birds, crabs, shrimp, and the less popular but certainly beautiful jellyfish.

The beach and dune landscape on Ameland changes constantly. Low and high tide, but also the wind (great for flying kites or kitesurfing on Ameland!) contributes by turning small piles of sand into entire dunes, to then pose a threat again during storms.

Coastal maintenance and sand replenishment
Ameland has a beautiful and special North Sea coast, with sandy beaches and dunes. This coast is our main protection against the sea. However, the coast is constantly wearing away. Rijkswaterstaat therefore reinforces the coast with sand. They do this by means of 'sand suppletion'. Dredging ships bring sand from the North Sea to the beach or to the seabed just in front of the coast. This is how they keep the coastline in place. Currently there are no sand replenishments taking place on Ameland.

Strand inspiration

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