De Koog (Texel)
Photos from Google
Behind the dunes on the western side of Texel lies De Koog, the island's largest tourist village. The beach here is wide and stretches along the beach marker posts, with beach entrances that are supervised during the high season. Seventeen beach clubs are spread out along this stretch of coast, from simple pavilions to venues with an extensive dining menu.
The beach clubs have an average rating of 4.4 out of 5. The atmosphere varies from one venue to the next: some focus on calm and a carefully prepared kitchen, others on a livelier crowd with music and a terrace that keeps going into the evening. The offering ranges from breakfast and brunch to lunch and dinner, so you can drop in early and late.
De Koog itself has a village centre with shops, places to eat and drink and a direct link to the beach via the dune crossings. From the beach you look out over the North Sea; in clear weather you can see ships passing in the distance on their way to Den Helder. The hinterland consists of dunes and woodland, part of the Dunes of Texel National Park.
You reach Texel by ferry from Den Helder, which is also home to the nearest station, just over fifteen kilometres from De Koog. From the ferry port, buses run to the villages on the island. If you come by car, you take it across on the boat and find parking within walking distance of the beach entrances; some of it is paid. The exact rates and locations can be found in the parking overview on this page.
The beach at De Koog lends itself to long walks along the tideline, strolling from one pavilion to the next between the beach marker posts. During the breeding season, restrictions apply in the dune and nature zones, as Texel is an important breeding area for coastal birds. Outside that season there is more room on the beach for dogs and walkers.
The combination of a village with amenities and a spacious beach makes De Koog suitable for both day visits and a longer stay. The beach clubs serve as reliable stopping points, where you can settle in for a cup of coffee after a dune walk or a dinner overlooking the sunset above the sea.
For those who want to explore the island further, De Koog is centrally placed in relation to Texel's other beaches. From here, the northern and southern stretches of beach are easy to reach by bike or car, as are the villages and the nature reserve among the dunes.
Great for
The wide beach at De Koog shelves gently and has supervised beach entrances around markers 17 to 21 during the high season. The beach clubs are family-friendly and serve breakfast, lunch and snacks, making it easy to fill a whole day on the beach with children.
Dogs are welcome at several of the beach clubs. Texel works with island-wide zoning: a lead requirement applies around the supervised entrances at markers 17 to 21. Outside the breeding season, your dog may run off the lead on other stretches of beach, provided it is under supervision.
Several venues serve dinner overlooking the North Sea, with the sun dropping below the horizon in the evening. The atmosphere ranges from quiet to lively, so you can choose between a low-key table and a venue with more buzz.
The seventeen beach clubs offer lunch in all sorts of forms, from a sandwich to a more extensive menu. After a morning on the beach or in the dunes, you can simply step into a pavilion for a warm meal.
Several beach clubs in De Koog are suitable for groups and corporate outings. The combination of beach, dunes and hospitality leaves room for activities followed by a shared meal by the sea.
When it rains or the wind picks up, you can head for the covered areas of the beach clubs, which are also open in poorer weather. The village of De Koog is within walking distance and offers shops and places to eat and drink as an alternative to the beach.
In the summer months, De Koog is the busiest village on Texel. The beach entrances around markers 17 to 21 are supervised then, and the pavilion terraces fill up with day trippers and holidaymakers.
The breeding season runs from 1 March to 1 September. During this period, restrictions apply for dogs and walkers in the dune and nature zones, as coastal birds nest on and around the beach.
Outside the high season, the beach and the village grow quieter. Autumn and winter mainly draw walkers seeking out the long coastline and the dunes. Some of the beach clubs adjust their opening hours to the season or close in winter; check this in advance with the venue itself.
Texel hosts events throughout the year, including activities centred on the beach and nature. The combination of a lively village and expansive nature means De Koog draws visitors in every season, with a clear peak in July and August.
If you want to avoid the crowds, you are better off coming in the early or late season, when the beach is more spacious and the pavilions are less full.
Parking
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Parking payment details come from OpenStreetMap and may be incomplete. Please check locally.
Nearby seaside resorts
Last updated: 23 June 2026