On Bornholm you are never too far from water, in fact you are never more than 15 minutes away from the crystal clear water of the baltic sea.
There is however a largely varying nature along the coastline. On the south side of the island you'll find wide, sandy beaches. The northern side offers cliffs and hidden gems among the formations, which you can jump from.
Beaches on Bornholm
Galløkken strand, Rønne
On the outskirts of Rønne you'll find two larger beaches. In the south there's Galløkken, besides being the name of the beach it also refers to the forest-area that's found by the beach. The beach is made up of 3-5 smaller bays that are all protected by stone walls in the water. The sand is smooth and water is clear. Some smaller stones and pebbles can be found at the edge of the water, further out you'll find larger boulders to jump from.
There are no toilets, and also no possibilities to buy food and drinks nearby. The beach is within walking distance of Rønne Vandrerhjem.
Antoinette, Rønne
To the north you'll find Rønne's other large beach, Antoinette strand. The beach is nice, long, and sandy with plenty of room and lifeguards in the summer. Nordskoven lies behind the beach, and both the forest and the beach stretches all the way to Hasle.
Here you have a view over all the activities in Rønne Havn, which means that you can watch the marine traffic to and from Rønne. Because of it's location, the beach is often struck with waves from the ferries between Ystad and Rønne. The waves are to be looked out for, especially if you have small children with you on the beach.
There is a toilet right on the descent to the beach. Food and drinks can be purchased at Nordskoven camping, just five minutes walk away from the beach.
Skovly strand, Hasle
If you walk from Antoinette towards Hasle, you'll eventually get to Skovly. There's no real indicator that separates the beaches. It looks pretty much the same as it's neighbour; smooth sand, sandy bottom, and mostly clear water.
The beach is 50 meters from Hotel Skovly, where you can get something to eat and drink.
Sandvig strand, Sandvig-Allinge
Sandvig beach is surrounded by Sandvigs cozy little harbour on one side and the cliffs of Hammerknuden on the other side. The sand is soft and smooth, and the ocean floor is sandy for a long way out. You could walk into the water from the beach, or jump in off the cliffs or pier. Lifeguards are present during the summer months.
At the beach you have pretty much everything close by. You can get lunch in Sandvig, where you'll also find hotels, restaurants, shops, and public transportation. Because of the beach's great location, it's always filled with life all summer long.
There are great options for parking close to the beach and in Sandvig. A public restroom is also nearby.
There can be quite a strong current in the water, so be aware of that. There are markings and a perimeter furthest out in the water.
Næs strand, Allinge-Sandvig
Just below Allinge Badehotel in the southern part of Allinge there is the pleasant Næs Strand. This is where most of the Allinge locals go when summer is in full effect and the sun shines the brightest. By the beach you will find a small pier that stretches out from the beach. The beach itself is one of the smaller ones but worth a visit all the same. The sand is a bit more rough here and there are also more rocks on the beach.
Næs is about 100 meters from Nordbornholms Røgeri. The perfect place to get lunch for your day at the beach.
Sandkaas strand, Sandkaas
Sandkaas strand is a lovely beach just off the coastal road that wraps around the eastern part of northern Bornholm. Besides the sandy shoreline there are also several cliffs on the beach which makes it perfect for those that want both smooth sand and hard cliffs.
You can walk directly out in to the water which has it's bottom made of sand, the beach also has it's own pier to jump from.
Parking and restrooms are found by the parking lot north of the beach. Here you'll also find Sandkaas Strandbar, that offers both food and drinks.
Balka strand, Balka
Balka strand is an especially popular beach for bornholmers that live on the southeast part of the island. Balka is often spoken of as one of the best beaches that can be found on Bornholm, and is therefore heavily visited by tourists during summer.
The beach is one kilometer long and stretches all the way from Balka to Snogebæk. Behind the beach is a forest that protects the beach from western winds. The sand here is really fine and smooth and the water is shallow for a long way out from shore. Balka strand is therefore a favourite for many families with small children.
On the beach is a wide selection of water activities that you can enjoy, if you're tired of relaxing. Here you can try something different with windsurfing or SUP. You can rent by the hour or take classes that are catered to beginners, aswell as those a bit more experienced.
In both ends of the beach there are great options for buying food or drinks with restaurants, cafées, and restrooms available.
Dueodde strand, Dueoddeklitter og gryder
Dueodde strand is Bornholm's, Denmark's, maybe even Europe's best beach. The beach goes on for a whole 10 kilometers from Sømarken in the west all the way to Snogebæk in the east. In some spots the beach is even as wide as 100 meters.
If you don't feel like lying on the beach you can find some rest away from the wind in between the dunes and hills along the beach.
Beyond the shoreline there are varying depths, it is however, for the most part very shallow, which is why Dueodde is largely popular among families with smaller children.
Besides it's extremely smooth and fine sand, Dueodde is especially known for Dueodde Fyrtårn. It's definetely worth taking a trip up to the top of the tower, where you'll have an amazing view of the coastline and the beach.
There are plenty of options for parking, and by the parking you'll find a kiosk, public restrooms, and a bus connection to the rest of the island.
Boderne strand, Boderne
Boderne strand is one of the larger beaches on the south side of Bornholm. Pretty much the entire southern coast is a beach but only in a few spots is there an established public beach. Boderne Strand is one of those. It's 1-2 kilometers long and 20 meters wide. The ocean floor is sandy all the way out.
If you're not one for laying on the beach and relaxing all day, then you could go for a walk in the large forest area behind the beach.
Boderne by is found in the west end of the beach. Here you'll find public restrooms, a kiosk, and a lunchspot that serves smørrebrød.
Cliff coast on Bornholm
Høl, Listed
100 meters north of the small lovely harbour in Listed you'll find this swimming spot. It's a rocky beach with large cliffs on each side of the shoreline.
The bay is 20 meters long and five meters wide. It has a rocky bottom, which is perfect for those who feel like swimming. You can jump from the cliffs, however, you'll do so on your own responsibility.
Parking and restrooms are found just by Høl. In case you're feeling hungry you can walk over to Listed. Here you could visit Bay Frost, for example, where you can get lunch or maybe something sweet.
Hullehavn, Svaneke
In Svaneke you'll find a small gem called Hullehavn. It's an old harbour, that has been altered to accommodate swimming. You can jump in from the edge of the old pier, or off the trampoline that's fitted during the summer months. The smallest members of the family can swim right by the shore where the water isn't very deep.
The sand is bit more rough than the sand found on the beach, and the bottom is made up of cliffs and rocks. There's a volleyball court on the beach which is free to use, just remember to bring a ball.
Behind the beach you'll find the beach bar Syd Øst for Paradis. Here they serve cold drinks, some light lunch, and ice cream. If you grow tired of the beach, just head over to the bar's comfortable lounge. In the summer they often have live music in the evenings.
Svenskerhavnen, Nexø
Between Nexø and Svaneke you'll find Svenskerhavnen. From the main road, just turn off onto a small gravel road where you can park. From there just walk towards Nexø, until you find a small bay area within the cliffs - that's Svenskerhavnen.
You can lay on top of the warm cliffs and enjoy the sun and view of Christiansø.
Be aware though that there are no restrooms of any kind here, and there isn't any opportunity to buy food or drinks.
