While moaning about the bad weather may be a national pastime in the Netherlands, the country has an important and thriving beach culture – as soon as the sun comes out. And because the sun sinks in the west, the sunsets are amazing as well.

So here is the latest in our very own inburgering course, to make sure you know what to expect from the most famous Dutch mainland beaches.

Lesson 51: beaches

The Dutch coast stretches over 1,900 kilometres, from the Wadden Sea Islands in the north to the Dutch-Belgium border in Zeeland. Here are 12 Dutch beaches with something for everyone:

Bloemendaal aan Zee – easy to get to, all amenities and services available, and on a smaller scale than neighbouring Zandvoort. Bloomingdale beach bar is popular with the in-crowd. For the quieter life, head into the nature reserve and hang out at the Parnassia bar and restaurant. It’s a steep climb down to the sand.

Katwijk: Close to crowded Scheveningen, Katwijk boasts the oldest lighthouse in the Netherlands, has a delightful promenade and more space to spread your towel.

Bergen: Close to the Schoorlse Duinen, Bergen is popular with nature lovers and artists. It is also home to the highest sand dune in the country.

Renesse: 21 kms of beach with dozens of beach bars, some open all year round.  Popular with youngsters in search of a good time and known by some as Lloret de Holland – which might be a good reason to avoid it.

De Koog on the island of Texel, the largest of the Wadden Sea Islands, and a very decent beach with something for every member of the family.

Domburg: Located at the edge of a nature reserve, De Manteling, this is the oldest beach in Zeeland. Wide clean beach with accessible boardwalks, old historic buildings and numerous beach pavilions and cabins.

Kijkduin: Family friendly beach, 30-minute bike ride from Scheveningen. Children’s activities on offer include the lighthouse, the ‘Atlantis’ play boat and the artificial crater, ‘Het Hemels Gewelf’.

Cadzand-Bad: Another Zeeland beach close to the Belgian border offering unspoilt beaches and many accommodation options.

Scheveningen: Often compared to Coney Island in NY, critics claim it is too commercial and targeted at tourists. This seems to have little impact on the masses enjoying the beach on warmer days. In addition to the usual beach fare, Scheveningen offers a casino, cinema, bowling alley and a multitude of restaurants, cafes and beach pavilions.

Velsen-Noord: Under the belching smoke of the Tata steelworks, the beach is wide, wild and particularly suitable for surfing. Timboektoe started out as a popular surfers shack but is a great place for a sundowner.