About This Place

Joss Bay is a popular sandy beach sheltered by steep chalk cliffs and backing on to the North Foreland golf course. Stretching for around 200 metres this is a great family beach with all the facilities close at hand. There is a beach cafe, toilets, plenty of car parking and deck-chair hire if you really want to go for the full English seaside experience! Along with Viking Bay beach in Broadstairs, Joss Bay is one of the most popular beaches on the Thanet coast. --> Joss Bay is Kent’s best known surfing beach and is home to the longest established surf school on this coast. As well as surf lessons there is surf hire and an associated shop in nearby Broadstairs. The beach is reputedly named after an eighteenth-century smuggler, Joss Snelling. He was notorious for importing a variety of contraband to the various beaches of the Isle of Thanet in the late 1800s. Snelling managed to make a mockery of the customs men and lived to the ripe old age of 96 whilst many of his contemporaries went to the gallows or were deported. Loacted approximately halfway between Broadstairs and Margate, Joss Bay is a good starting-point for coastal walks and cycle rides.

💡 Our Take

Kent's Joss Bay is a fantastic year-round dog beach, offering a wide expanse of soft, golden sand perfect for zoomies! We love that dogs can enjoy the beach freely anytime. Parking is available but can get busy, especially in peak season. Nearest facilities are a short walk away. This gently sloping bay is generally safe for swimming, but always supervise your dog closely. It's brilliant for pups getting used to the sea and socialising, or even bigger breeds that love a run. Our tip? Check tide times beforehand to maximise that sandy playtime! A real winner for a doggy day out.