Oostduinkerke
title: "Oostduinkerke" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["populated-places-in-west-flanders", "koksijde", "municipalities-of-west-flanders"] topic_path: "general/populated-places-in-west-flanders" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oostduinkerke" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Oostduinkerke |
| native_name | vls |
| settlement_type | Deelgemeente |
| image_skyline | Oostduinkerke, het gemeentehuis oeg16516 foto1 2013-05-11 17.00.jpg |
| image_caption | Former townhall Oostduinkerke |
| image_map | OostduinkerkeLocation.svg |
| subdivision_type | Country |
| subdivision_name | Belgium |
| subdivision_type1 | Province |
| subdivision_name1 | West Flanders |
| subdivision_type2 | Municipality |
| subdivision_name2 | Koksijde |
| coordinates | |
| population_note | Source: NIS |
| population_total | 8.534 |
| postal_code_type | Postal code |
| postal_code | 8670 |
| area_code_type | Area code |
| :: |
| name = Oostduinkerke | native_name = vls | official_name = | settlement_type = Deelgemeente | image_skyline = Oostduinkerke, het gemeentehuis oeg16516 foto1 2013-05-11 17.00.jpg | imagesize = | image_alt = | image_caption = Former townhall Oostduinkerke | image_map = OostduinkerkeLocation.svg | mapsize = | map_alt = | map_caption = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Belgium | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = West Flanders | subdivision_type2 = Municipality | subdivision_name2 = Koksijde | coordinates = | elevation_m = | area_total_km2 = | population_note = Source: NIS | population_as_of = | population_total = 8.534 | population_density_km2 = | postal_code_type = Postal code | postal_code = 8670 | area_code_type = Area code | area_code = | website = | footnotes =
Oostduinkerke (; ; ) is a place on the southern west coast of Belgium, located in the province of West Flanders. Once a municipality of its own, Oostduinkerke now is a sub-municipality in the municipality of Koksijde.
The name Oostduinkerke translates as 'East Dunkirk'. The town originally shared its name with the city of Dunkirk in current-day France; therefore, in the 13th century, Oost- was added to its name to avoid confusion with its namesake further to the west.
Oostduinkerke lies amidst a dune area (approximately 2.4 km2; 1 sq. mi.), which is now a protected nature reserve. Oostduinkerke's sandy beach stretches from 250 to 700 metres (270 to 800 yards) at ebb-tide and extends over 30 km (20 miles), via De Panne to the beach of Dunkirk (France), which explains why Oostduinkerke is popular with sand yachters and parakarters.
Shrimp fishing on horseback
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Shrimpers_on_horseback.jpg" caption="Oostduinkerke is the only place in the world where horseback shrimping is practised."] ::
Main article: Shrimp fishing on horse back in Oostduinkerke
Oostduinkerke is known for its shrimpers on horseback, a considerable tourist attraction. The practice was once common across the coastal areas of the North Sea, but today it is only present in Oostduinkerke, where 17 fishers remain active as of 2021.
Sights
Oostduinkerke has several museums. The National Fishery Museum gives a historical survey of Flemish fishery and shows among other things scale models of fishing boats from 800 AD up to the present, and an original fisherman's cottage. Other museums are: 'The Key and Lock Museum' (a unique historical survey of 3,000 years of keys and locks), a regional museum 't Krekelhof (The cricket court in Dutch) (a huge collection of craft objects and curiosities from the 19th century), and Florishof (old crafts and folkloristic objects).
Oostduinkerke is also home to Koksijde Golf ter Hille, a par-72 golf course.
The British Military Cemetery (1940–1945) bears witness to British sacrifices in the Battle of Dunkirk.
Images
File:Oostduinkerke mouettes.jpg|Oostduinkerke seaside apartments File:Sand-Yachting-0016-7.web.JPG|Sand-Yachting on Oostduinkerke beach File:Oostduinkerke - Sint-Niklaaskerk 2.jpg|Sint-Niklaaskerk in Oostduinkerke Cloned Paardenvisser by William Sweetlove (DSCF9833).jpg|Cloned Paardenvisser statue Shrimp fishing Brabançon draft horse in Oostduinkerke (DSCF9699).jpg|Brabançon draft horse on the beach
References
References
- Dansby, Angela. (24 February 2021). "Europe’s 500-year-old seafood tradition".
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