At Camping de Meulinge, you can enjoy the beach and beautiful nature reserves.

Nieuwvliet beach

In fact, all beaches in Zeeuws Vlaanderen are wide, clean and beautiful. The beach at Nieuwvliet is no exception. We are proud of that!

When you stand on Nieuwvliet beach, you are actually at the point where the Westerschelde flows into the North Sea. From your towel, you can see huge ships sailing up the Westerschelde towards the port of Antwerp. On the other side of the water, you can see Vlissingen.

There are several high-quality beach pavilions on the beach, of which Woest 17 (Nieuwvliet) and Dok 14 (between Nieuwvliet and Cadzand) are the best in our opinion.

The beach has a calming effect on people. Whether you take a kilometre-long walk on the beach or just chill out in the sun, it is always a great experience.

Verdronken Zwarte Polder

Near Nieuwvliet, between beach pavilion Woest 17 and Dok 14, you will find the Verdronken Zwarte Polder. This small nature reserve is a so-called “slufter” and is regularly flooded by seawater, resulting in unique flora and fauna.

Slikken are wet areas where seawater comes in daily (with the tide). Schorren, on the other hand, are only flooded by seawater a few times a year (mnemonic: a sore throat). This happens, for example, during a heavy storm or spring tide. Salt-tolerant plants grow in this schorren area and seemingly unusual birds breed there. If you would like to know more, you can take a guided tour with Het Zeeuwse Landschap.

You can walk through the mudflat area on a boardwalk towards the beach. Crabs are often hidden under the boardwalk, usually near the posts. Children enjoy catching these crabs. Of course, you should release them unharmed afterwards.

Shark teeth

Did you know that you can find real shark teeth on the beach from Nieuwvliet to Retranchement? How cool is that? Admittedly, you are most likely to find them after a huge storm when there are few tourists around, but shark teeth are found throughout the year.

Shark teeth wash up in Nieuwvliet and Cadzand in particular because a lot of sand replenishment is carried out here. Without the natural currents, the beach at Nieuwvliet and Cadzand would erode very quickly. Of course, we don't want that, because it would make the beach very narrow for visitors. That is why sand is regularly sucked up from the Westerschelde and sprayed onto the beach. This activity naturally completely churns up the upper layers of the soil, allowing shark teeth and other fossils to wash ashore.

Would you like to go looking for shark teeth? Please note: it is best to search at low tide in the strip where the shells have gathered and look for black shark teeth. Shark teeth absorb the surrounding minerals in the soil and change from a whitish tooth colour to a deeper colour, usually black, grey or brown. The fossilisation process takes at least 10,000 years, although some shark teeth can be up to a million years old! Good luck!

Seals

The Wadden Islands may have the reputation, but people who want to spot seals can now do so very well in Zeeland. The number of seals in Zeeland's waters is increasing rapidly. It is estimated that there are now around 200 swimming around in the Zeeland delta.

You often see the seals basking in groups on the sandbanks, but they actually live mainly alone. At high tide, they go hunting for fish. Flatfish, cod and sand eels are particularly popular on the menu. At low tide, they rest and sunbathe on the sandbanks.

In Zeeuws Vlaanderen, you can sometimes see the seals on the beach, especially in the early morning when there are no beachgoers yet. But you have to be very lucky; in the summer, they find the beach too crowded. Would you like to see seals? Past Breskens, near the town of Hoofdplaat, you can often see them from the shore lying on the sandbanks of the Hooge Platen. Of course, you have to go and look when the tide is out.

You can also book an excursion from Breskens. Rederij De Festijn organises seal safaris. This trip is extremely popular, so make sure you book online in advance.

Dogs at the beach

Dogs are welcome on the beach throughout the year in Zeeland Flanders. Please note that from 1 May to 1 October, dogs must be kept on a leash between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Outside these hours and during the other months, your four-legged friend is free to run around.

Enjoying the beach and nature