Monastir occupies a small peninsula with sea on three sides, giving it more beach frontage than most Tunisian coastal towns. The main beaches are to the east and north of the historic centre, lined with the large resort hotels that have made Monastir a package holiday destination since the 1970s.
The beaches themselves are sandy and well maintained, though they can be crowded during the main European summer season (July and August). The water is warm and calm, sheltered from the open Mediterranean by the peninsula's geography. Outside high season, the beaches are considerably quieter and the town more pleasant. The beach at Skanes, a few kilometres north toward the airport, tends to be less busy than the hotels immediately adjacent to the town.