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UK bay that looks like a Thai island with sparkling blue sea and golden sands
Kingsgate Bay in Broadstairs, Kent has been likened to one you’d find in Malta or Thailand, due to its long sandy beach and how the blue water sparkles on sunny days
A beautiful beach on the English coast has been likened to one you’d find on Malta or in Thailand.
This extraordinary looking bay in Kent draws the attention of thousands of photographers and artists a year who try to capture its impressive look.
The beach – Kingsgate Bay – has chalk cliffs which wrap around the golden sandy beach and, with the shimmering blue sea and sky, it would be hard to find a prettier spot by the sea, Kent Live reported.
What makes this place even more special is the eroded archway in the cliff, which creates a dramatic “window” onto the sea and sky beyond.
You also get a tantalising view of the bay as you head towards it on foot on a pathway through the rocks.
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This gem of a place may look more like the world-famous Gozo Island in Malta – or even Thailand, according to one delighted visitor from California – but it is actually close to Broadstairs.
Kingsgate gets its name from the castle which sits on the headland of the cliffs, built in the 1760s and now housing apartments with some of the finest sea views around.
There are also sea caves on the Viking Coastal Trail between Margate and Broadstairs, with plenty of rockpools for families to explore. If you want to walk from Broadstairs, visitors say it is around a 30-minute walk.
One visitor from Beverley Hills, in California, called Delia, said: “Absolutely stunning. You know that feeling when you are just carried away to Thailand or somewhere like a proper exotic holiday? That’s how I felt arriving at Kingsgate Bay.”
A glowing review came from Trevor Edwards of Broadstairs who said: “In a resort offering an array of beautiful bays, Kingsgate takes the crown. A local secret, this sandy bay is never overcrowded and offers safe bathing.
“It is overlooked by the majestic Broadstairs Castle and even has its own family pub, the Captain Digby. A beautiful feature of this bay, and the thing which truly sets it apart is the ancient and unique chalk arch, the subject of thousands of photographs and paintings.”
There is no dedicated parking for the beach, but daytrippers can leave their vehicle at Joss Bay. If the tide is in, you will have to walk along the road to reach Kingsgate.
You can also park at The Captain Digby pub and restaurant at Kingsgate Bay, for £10 a day per vehicle, but check first with Thorley Taverns.
Dog owners are allowed to walk their pooches on the beach all year round.
It is worth noting that the bay can only accessed via a set of steep steps from the top of the cliff. Visitors are asked not to walk through the famous but “fragile” Kingsgate Arch, as you could get hit by falling chalk.
