One of the most photographed bays in the UK, Botany Bay is famous. This hidden gem offers stunning views of white cliffs and beautiful chalk stacks. When the tide is out, Botany bay is a great location for fossil hunting and exploring rock pools. There is plenty of exposed sand to enjoy when the tide is in, but due to the bay's shape the ends are cut off at high tide. Botany Bay is the northernmost of seven bays in the popular Kent resort of Broadstairs. This sandy beach is deservedly popular with clean sands and a Blue Flag award for water quality. It was named after Botany Bay in Australia as local smugglers were caught on the beach and deported to Botany Bay, hence the name. The bay is very attractive with chalk cliffs, golden sands and some rock pools. There’s a small (somewhat inadequate) car park but you can park on the nearby streets off Marine Drive. The approach to the beach has beach huts and flights of shallow steps. There is an RNLI lifeguard service in high season and dogs are banned in the daytime from May through to September. Despite these minor niggles, the beach remains very popular. As well as being popular for sandcastles and beach sports, Botany Bay is ideal for kayaking, canoeing, swimming, sunbathing, fossil hunting, body boarding and kite-flying. It also has a deck chair rental service. Nearby coastal walks offer superb views of Botany Bay from the Viking Coastal Trail and Kent Coastline Walk.
