The marina stretches along both banks of the IJzer and is the biggest of its kind in northern Europe — somewhere around 2,000 berths, depending on the season. Even if you have no interest in boats, a walk along the pontoons gives you a sense of how seriously Belgium takes its weekend sailing.
The eastern bank, on the Nieuwpoort-Bad side, is the most pleasant for an aimless wander: there are restaurants, a couple of yacht-club terraces, and bicycle and boat rental places. The western bank is quieter and more working. The harbour mouth, with its distinctive wooden pier and small lighthouse, is the photogenic end of the walk.