Joss Bay

Broadstairs · Thanet · sand

Thanet's best-known surfing beach.

What the tide does here

At a spring high tide about 47% of Joss Bay is out of the water. By spring low the sea has drawn back roughly 160 metres, uncovering 93% of it — about 52 hectares of sand.

Joss Bay at high water: the dry beach shaded on a satellite map — **High water, 4.2 m above chart datum.** About 48% of Joss Bay is out of the water.

Joss Bay at low water: the dry beach shaded on a satellite map — **Low water, 0.8 m above chart datum.** About 86% is uncovered.

Dogs

Dogs are banned from the beach between 10am and 6pm from 1 May to 30 September. Before 10am, after 6pm and from 1 October to 30 April, dogs are welcome.

Water quality

Classified Excellent by the Environment Agency in 2025, sampled as "Joss Bay, Broadstairs", a designated bathing water since 1988. Daily pollution risk forecasts appear on this page in the bathing season.

Lifeguards

RNLI lifeguards: daily 23 May-6 Sep, 10:00-18:00.

Awards

Blue Flag & Seaside Award 2026.

Facilities

Nearby: public toilets, parking and a café or kiosk. Access: accessible toilets. Steps to beach; limited wheelchair access.

All Kent beaches on Beach Days

Tide predictions © UK Hydrographic Office. Beach shape from Environment Agency LIDAR survey data, © Environment Agency, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Facilities and places from OpenStreetMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Bathing water classifications from the Environment Agency. Satellite imagery © Mapbox, © Maxar.