The beach has been named the UK’s best (Image: Getty)
A beautiful beach with glistening waters that wouldn’t look out of place on a travel brochure for the Mediterranean has been named the best in the country.
As the warmer months draw near, there’s no better moment to pencil in a ‘beach day’ in your diary. And if you are, one magnificent location that is well worth a visit is Botany Bay.
The Kent beach consistently receives Blue Flag status, which is a recognised national mark of cleanliness and upkeep. But it’s not just a tidy, sewage-free spot. Botany Bay was recently crowned the best beach in the UK by Conde Nast
« Kent’s beaches make for a perfect day trip for down-from-Londoners, but many sunseekers opt for the likes of Margate’s Main Sands and Broadstairs’ Viking Bay as they’re close to lots of family-friendly amenities. Stray off the beaten track slightly and be rewarded with Botany Bay’s gorgeous sands and clear, shallow waters. Head down the main path and take a right to the buzzier side where in-the-know families set up base with cooler boxes and chunky picnic blankets, or stroll left for a more peaceful afternoon—things take a nudist turn at the far end, » the travel publication wrote.
The beach has an iconic arch (Image: Getty)
When the tide retreats, Botany Bay unveils vast stretches of sand and offers the chance to explore its fascinating rock pools. The landscape is utterly captivating, with the bay bordered by iconic white cliffs and chalk formations.
The wide beach and amazing scenery have made it a favourite with casting directors. In recent years, it has been used by productions such as BBC‘s D-Day: The Last Heroes, Tamil action drama Thaandavam, Sky Atlantic comedy Hunderby, BBC drama True Love, as well as music videos for Bat for Lashes, Bebe Black and Shawn Mendes.
Land Rover, Sainsbury’s and NatWest have also borrowed its good looks for adverts.
Another group with many big fans of the beach is the naturist community. The Foreness area at the western end of the beach is popular with those who enjoy getting their kit off, although the area does not have an official designation as a naturist beach. Thanet District Council has considered putting up signs to inform or warn non-nudists of the possibility of encountering naturists, but that hasn’t happened yet.
Those keen to take a dip should know that there’s lifeguard supervision between May 24 and September 7, from 10am until 6pm. And pet owners will be delighted to learn their four-legged companions are welcome on the beach beyond these hours, from May 1 through to September 30.
Getting to the bay, which was crowned the UK’s most photographed beach last February, is straightforward, thanks to the well-established route from the cliff top, or the concrete walkway near the water station at the seaward end.
The bay’s water quality has received an ‘excellent’ rating for swimming in 2024, maintaining the impressive standards recorded in recent years.
If you do visit, make sure you plan the time of your arrival well. Low tide exposes fascinating rock pools and enables access to Kingsgate Bay. The local authority has shared advice for beachgoers and adventurers: « When the tide is out, Botany Bay is a great location for fossil hunting and exploring rock pools. There is plenty of exposed sand to enjoy when the tide is in, but due to the bay’s shape the ends are cut off at high tide. »
If all of this wasn’t reason enough to visit, then the fact Botany Bay is in one of the best seaside towns in the country: Broadstairs. You can read about our recent visit to the town here.
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