Nõva's beach is a long, gently curved stretch of sand and smooth stones backed by pine forest, with no facilities and almost no people on most days. The water is relatively shallow for a good distance out, warming up well by midsummer — cold by Mediterranean standards, but perfectly swimmable in July and August by Estonian ones.
The beach is part of a protected coastal area, and the pine forests above the shore are dense and excellent for foraging. In late summer and autumn, chanterelles, porcini, and boletus mushrooms appear in quantity. The combination of sea air, silent forest, and the particular quality of light on the western Estonian coast makes this one of the most atmospheric stretches of shoreline in the country.