De Haan travel guide: Belle Époque villas, beaches & dunes on the Belgian coast

A By Anna · Updated 21 October 2026 · 2 min read

Airports

Brussels (BRU), about 2 hours by train and coast tram; Eurostar to Brussels-Midi then train to Ostend or Bruges and onward by tram or bus

Best time to go

June-September

Type

Town

De Haan is the antidote to the high-rise seafront of much of the Belgian coast. Its historic heart, the Concessie, was laid out around 1900 as a garden resort of winding lanes and Anglo-Norman style villas with timbered gables, set among the dunes. Albert Einstein stayed here for several months in 1933 after leaving Germany.

Today it is a peaceful, green resort with wide sandy beaches, popular with Belgian families and anyone who wants a slower seaside break. The neighbouring village of Wenduine is part of the same municipality. De Haan is in West Flanders; see our Belgian coast guide and the Belgium guide for the wider picture.

Things to do in De Haan

1. The Concessie – wander the lanes of Belle Époque villas around the old tram station, now a tourist office.
2. The beach – broad, sandy and less crowded than the big resorts, with beach huts and seasonal bars.
3. Dune walks – nature reserves between De Haan and Wenduine and towards Bredene have marked paths through the dunes.
4. Cycling – flat routes lead along the coast and inland through the polders to Bruges and the village of Vlissegem.
5. Wenduine – the neighbouring resort, with a seafront promenade and the Spioenkop, one of the highest dunes on the coast.
6. Coast tram trips – hop on to Ostend for museums and seafood, or east to Blankenberge and Knokke.
7. Golf – the Royal Ostend Golf Club's links course lies in the dunes at De Haan.

Where to stay

• The Concessie – the historic villa quarter, with characterful small hotels and guesthouses close to the beach.
• Wenduine – a little livelier, with more apartments along the seafront.
• Vosseslag and the west – holiday parks and campsites, good for families.

Getting there

There is no railway station in De Haan. From London, take Eurostar to Brussels-Midi and a train to Ostend (roughly an hour and a quarter), then the coast tram to De Haan in about 20 minutes. Alternatively, take a train to Bruges and a bus. From Brussels Airport (BRU), allow around two hours. Driving from Calais or Dunkirk takes a little over an hour.

Best time to visit

June to September is the beach season, with July and August busiest. May and September are quieter and good for walking and cycling. De Haan is very quiet in winter, which suits some visitors perfectly.

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