The west coast of Sylt is essentially one beach — 40 kilometres of fine sand backed by dunes, broken only by the towns of Westerland, Wenningstedt, Kampen, and Rantum. Each section has its own character.
- Westerland Hauptstrand — the central beach, with the boardwalk and full facilities; busy in summer
- Wenningstedt — north of Westerland, calmer, family-oriented
- Kampen (Buhne 16) — below the Rotes Kliff, fashionable, with the long-running Buhne 16 beach club; the FKK (nudist) section north of Kampen is famous and has been since the 1920s
- Rantum — long empty stretches between Westerland and Hörnum, particularly good for kitesurfing
- Hörnum Oststrand — at the south of the island, calmer water on the Wadden Sea side, good for children
- Ellenbogen — wild empty sand at the northern tip, accessed via the toll road from List; bring everything you need, no facilities
Access to the beach requires a Kurkarte (visitor tax card), included in most hotel stays and available at machines on the dunes. Strandkörbe (the iconic hooded wicker beach baskets) can be rented for around €10–15 a day.