Oostduinkerke: Dune Landscape and Fishing Heritage

Oostduinkerke offers two distinct starting points for planning a trip: the protected De Doornpanne dune landscape and the history of fishing at the NAVIGO Fisheries Museum. If you’re looking for a hotel in Oostduinkerke, you can first consider whether nature, the museum and fishing traditions—or a combination of these—will shape your stay. The seasonal shrimp-fishing events also provide a timeframe for choosing your travel dates.

Dune Landscape and Nature

De Doornpanne is one of the last large dune areas on the Flemish coast and lies in Oostduinkerke, close to the sea. It has been a protected landscape since 1975 and is part of the Natura 2000 network. The De Doornpanne visitor centre serves as a starting point for walking and cycling tours and offers a range of options for visitors interested in nature. If you’re considering Oostduinkerke primarily for its landscape, De Doornpanne is a clear focal point alongside the cultural attractions.

Fishing History at the NAVIGO Fisheries Museum

The NAVIGO museum site is located in the village centre of Oostduinkerke. It includes a fisherman’s cottage with a herb garden, the Estaminet De Peerdevisscher and a memorial dedicated to Flemish fishermen lost at sea. The present-day NAVIGO Fisheries Museum opened in September 2024 and tells the story of fishing in all its facets. The site thus brings together a museum, a fisherman’s cottage and a place of remembrance for Flemish fishermen lost at sea.

The exhibits include the 13-metre-long skeleton of the sperm whale Valentijn. The whale washed ashore on the beach at Oostduinkerke in 1989; its skeleton is on display at the museum. The OD.1 Martha is also part of the museum exhibition and is a protected monument. The exhibition therefore brings together different points of interest: Valentijn is associated with a specific beach stranding in Oostduinkerke, while the Martha is a protected monument. The aquariums at the NAVIGO Fisheries Museum feature North Sea inhabitants such as shrimp, sea bass and lesser-spotted dogfish; the display may change.

Shrimp Fishing and Dates

Horseback shrimp-fishing demonstrations take place on the beach at Oostduinkerke almost daily during the summer months. Dates vary according to the calendar and the tides. The Garnaalfeesten are held every year on the last weekend of June; the exact date changes from year to year. This distinction is useful when planning your trip: the demonstrations take place throughout the summer months, while the festival is tied to a particular weekend in late June. Check the dates for your travel plans before arranging your stay around a demonstration or the festival.

Private sessions with horseback shrimp fishers in Oostduinkerke were bookable on 2 September 2026; availability may vary. If such a session is important to your plans, enquire about your preferred date before making firm plans around it.

For the broader travel overview: Koksijde.