Netherlands · South Holland · The Hague
Visit Kijkduin
Kijkduin is the smaller of The Hague's two seaside districts, about 7 km from the city centre, now part of Nationaal Park Hollandse Duinen (official since April 2026). Its dunes rise to 33 metres, its beach shares the Sand Engine's sand supply, and unlike Scheveningen it never grew into a big resort after 1900.
Booking link is sponsored (affiliate): we may earn a commission.Why is Kijkduin now part of a national park?
Nationaal Park Hollandse Duinen became the Netherlands' 22nd national park on 28 April 2026, approved by minister Jaimi van Essen (LVVN). The officially designated park covers just over 18,000 hectares from Hoek van Holland to Hillegom; Kijkduin sits at its southern edge, next to the Westduinpark & Wapendal core area, with the Sand Engine forming part of the park.
The wider Hollandse Duinen partnership area, which includes surrounding landgoederen, bollenvelden and towns, spans about 453 km². More than 7,000 plant and animal species have been recorded across the combined area. Read the full story on the national park page, or the official announcement at rijksoverheid.nl.
Why does Kijkduin feel different from Scheveningen?
Around 1900, Kijkduin was not much smaller than Scheveningen. The explosive growth Scheveningen saw afterwards never happened here, which is why Kijkduin today is the quiet, low-rise sibling of The Hague's two seaside districts, rather than a copy of it. Both districts sit on the North Sea coast west of The Hague's centre.
Some of that quiet comes from the landscape itself: the highest dune near Kijkduin, De Vulkaan in Westduinpark, reaches 33 metres. A short distance north, the Sand Engine (Zandmotor), an artificial sand peninsula built in 2011, keeps feeding this stretch of coast without the repeated construction work older sea defences needed. See the full Kijkduin vs. Scheveningen comparison and the Kijkduin Beach guide for more.
Where can I stay in Kijkduin?
Kijkduin offers four broad types of stay: a hotel room on or near the boulevard, a self-catering holiday park in the dunes, a beach house on the sand, or a smaller B&B or serviced apartment in the village. See the full accommodation guide for what to expect from each.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Kijkduin?
Kijkduin is a seaside district in the far west of The Hague, Netherlands, in the Loosduinen area, on the North Sea coast bordering the municipality of Westland. It sits roughly 7 kilometres from The Hague's city centre, reached by bus rather than tram or train. The district includes the boulevard, the Deltaplein square and the surrounding dune landscape; see the guide on getting to Kijkduin for the practical routes.
Is Kijkduin part of The Hague, or was it once its own town?
Kijkduin was not always part of The Hague. From 1811 to 1923 it belonged to the separate municipality of Loosduinen, which voluntarily merged into The Hague in 1923 because the city needed room for housing. Kijkduin has been a district of The Hague ever since; see the full history of Kijkduin for more on this period.
About this guide
Visit Kijkduin is part of a small network of Dutch destination guides. See About Us for who writes this site and how facts are checked, and Sources for the references behind the claims on this page.
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