Norrie McCathie Benevolent Fund

Zandvoort Holland's No.1 Beach resort

Zandvoort, Holland's no.1 beach resort, has been a tourist attraction for many decades. The beautiful sandy beaches are well known all over the country.

And rightfully so, since it offers a wide range of facilities and is famous for its dynamic nightlife. Holland Casino is situated on the Zandvoort promenade.

But also in the culinary field, Zandvoort plays first fiddle with its many restaurants, especially when it comes to seafood.

A visit to the Zandvoort circus, an impressive building housing an amusement arcade and a cinema/theatre, is definitely worth a visit.

Furthermore, there are numerous attractions and a great shopping centre packed with boutiques and shops. All shops are open on Sunday. The Zandvoort Racetrack is uniquely situated in the dunes.

Urban Zandvoort is encircled by the Kennemer duinen nature reserve, which offers extensive cycling and walking routes. The numerous beach pavilions on the beach attract many visitors.

If the sea wind proves to be a little too strong, they can take shelter behind the glass to enjoy the sun. You will certainly not be the only one who wants to join in on the wonderfully mondaine atmosphere! Zandvoort is easily accessible by train. The station is situated a mere 500 meters from the sea!

Dunes and man-made dams such as dykes, which together protect the lower-lying parts of our country against the North Sea, mainly determine the face of the Dutch coast.

Dunes account for some 75% of this line of defence, which ranges in width from a few hundred meters to a few kilometres. Together with the beach and the sandbanks hidden below the waves, the dunes provide a natural protection against the sea.

Natural forces such as the wind, waves and currents continuously change the face of the line of defence, however, strengthening it in some places and weakening it in others. The effects of these forces are now mostly understood and are used to keep the sand dams intact.

By letting nature run its own course, our coastal landscape will preserve its natural character and value while it will at the same time safeguard other interests, such as water collection, housing, recreation and tourism.

Large parts of the Netherlands are situated below sea level. We must protect ourselves from the advancing sea or the most densely populated parts of our country will be flooded, including major towns such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Leiden, The Hague and Delft.

Global climate changes are therefore a hot item in the Netherlands. Higher temperatures will melt icecaps on the poles and glaciers in the high mountains. Traditionally, dyke constructions were thought to offer the best protection against the sea. Unfortunately, building dykes is very expensive.

Moreover, dykes, and sea dykes in particular, are not exactly attractive elements in the landscape. Besides, in view of the continuously rising sea level, these dykes would have to be elevated in a few centuries time.