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 in high season. Seventeen beach clubs are spread along this stretch of coast, from simple pavilions to venues with an extensive dining menu.
- Beach clubs
- 16
- Avg. rating
- 4.4 / 5
- Nearest station
- Den Helder (19.2 km)
The average rating of the beach clubs comes out at 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 carries on 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; on a clear day you can see ships moored in the distance on their way to Den Helder. The hinterland is made up of dunes and woodland, part of the Nationaal Park Duinen van Texel.
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 harbour, buses run to the villages on the island. If you come by car, you take the boat across and find parking within walking distance of the beach entrances; some of it is paid. The exact rates and locations are listed in the parking overview on this page.
The beach at De Koog lends itself to long walks along the tide line, 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 ground 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 a day trip and a longer stay. The beach clubs serve as regular stopping points along the way, where you can pop in for a cup of coffee after a dune walk or a dinner overlooking the sunset above the sea.
For anyone who wants to explore the island further, De Koog sits centrally in relation to Texel's other beaches. From here the northern and southern sections of beach are easy to reach by bike or car, as are the villages and the nature reserve between the dunes.
Great for
The wide beach at De Koog slopes gently and has supervised beach entrances around posts 17 to 21 in high season. The beach clubs are family-friendly and offer breakfast, lunch and snacks, so a day on the beach with children is easy to fill.
Dogs are welcome at several beach clubs. Texel works with an island-wide zoning system: around the supervised entrances at posts 17 to 21, dogs must be kept on a lead. Outside the breeding season, dogs may run free on other sections of beach, provided they are kept under control.
Several venues serve dinner with a view of the North Sea, with the sun dipping below the horizon in the evening. The atmosphere ranges from calm to lively, so you can choose between a quiet table and a venue with a bit more buzz.
The seventeen beach clubs offer lunch in many 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 hot meal.
Several beach clubs in De Koog are suitable for groups and corporate outings. The combination of beach, dunes and places to eat and drink leaves room for activities followed by a shared meal by the sea.
When it rains or the wind picks up, you can take shelter in 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 posts 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 that period, restrictions apply in the dune and nature zones for dogs and walkers, as coastal birds breed on and around the beach.
Outside 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 extensive countryside means De Koog draws visitors in every season, with a clear peak in July and August.
If you want to avoid the crowds, it is better to come in the early or late season, when the beach is more spacious and the pavilions are less full.
Parking
4 marked as paid, 20 with no fee info. Tap a pin for the name and directions.
Parking payment details come from OpenStreetMap and may be incomplete. Please check locally.
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Last updated: 23 June 2026