Vlissingen has the unusual distinction of an urban beach: the Badstrand, a wide stretch of sand running west from the harbour entrance below the boulevard. The beach is well-organised, with lifeguards and beach huts in summer, and is one of the most accessible sea-swimming spots in the Netherlands.
The water of the Western Scheldt is brackish and clearer than further up the Dutch coast, but the tides and shipping mean swimmers should stay within the marked safe zones. To the west, beyond the city, the dune-backed beaches of Zoutelande and Dishoek are larger, quieter, and a 15-minute drive away.