Borkum's north beach is the island's main attraction — a broad, clean stretch of sand backed by dunes, facing directly into the North Sea. The beach runs for kilometres along the northern coast and is wide enough that it never feels overcrowded even in summer. The characteristic German beach chair (Strandkorb), a hooded wicker seat for two, is available for hire from spring through autumn and provides shelter from the wind while still letting you sit in the sun.
The beach is divided into several sections: family areas, a supervised bathing zone, and a designated FKK (nudist) section at the quieter western end. The North Sea is cold even in summer — rarely above 18°C — but the combination of clean water, wave action, and iodine-rich air is exactly what the 19th-century physicians who established Borkum as a health resort were prescribing. The dune path behind the beach makes for a good walk, with views of the sea on one side and the island's interior on the other.