Bathing water quality in Friesland, Netherlands
Friesland has 52 official bathing waters in the EEA dataset for the 2025 season (43 lake and 9 coastal). 48.1% were classified Excellent — 22.8 points below the 70.9% across Netherlands — and 4 were Poor. By area, the Excellent share is highest in Zuidoost-Friesland (83.3% of 6) and lowest in Zuidwest-Friesland (29.2% of 24). 14 sites have been Excellent in every season from 2015 to 2025.
Zwemwaterkwaliteit in Friesland (NL)
Van de 52 officiële EU-zwemlocaties in Friesland (NL) was in 2025 48,1% ‘uitstekend’; aantal locaties met ‘slecht’: 4.
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official bathing waters
Excellent in 2025
Poor in 2025
Map of official bathing waters in Friesland
Friesland by area
Sites are placed in the Eurostat NUTS 3 areas that contain their reported coordinates.
| Area | Sites | Excellent | Good | Sufficient | Poor | Not classified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zuidwest-Friesland | 24 | 7 (29.2%) | 6 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| Noord-Friesland | 22 | 13 (59.1%) | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Zuidoost-Friesland | 6 | 5 (83.3%) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Sea, lakes and rivers in Friesland
| Water type | Sites | Excellent | Good | Sufficient | Poor | Not classified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coastal | 9 | 8 (88.9%) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lake | 43 | 17 (39.5%) | 12 | 8 | 4 | 2 |
Coastal waters are assessed against stricter bacterial limits than lakes and rivers but are diluted far more; see how the classes are calculated.
Most consistent Excellent sites
14 sites were Excellent in all eleven seasons. Ordered by the length of the unbroken Excellent run ending in 2025; the first 24 are shown and every site is in the full list below.
- BADSTRAND BUREN, AMELAND 11 seasons · Noord-Friesland
- BADSTRAND HOORN, TERSCHELLING 11 seasons · Noord-Friesland
- BADSTRAND NES, AMELAND 11 seasons · Noord-Friesland
- BADSTRAND PRINS BERNHARDWEG, SCHIERMONNIKOOG 11 seasons · Noord-Friesland
- BADSTRAND WEST AAN ZEE,TERSCHELLING 11 seasons · Noord-Friesland
- CANADAMEER, APPELSCHA 11 seasons · Zuidoost-Friesland
- DE HOLLE POARTE, MAKKUM 11 seasons · Zuidwest-Friesland
- DE VLINDERSLAG, WOLVEGA 11 seasons · Zuidoost-Friesland
- DUINMEERTJE HEE, TERSCHELLING 11 seasons · Noord-Friesland
- ELAHUIZEN DE LANGE HOEK, ELAHUIZEN 11 seasons · Zuidwest-Friesland
- IT SUDERSTRAND, STAVOREN 11 seasons · Zuidwest-Friesland
- LYTSE WIELEN, LEEUWARDEN 11 seasons · Noord-Friesland
- MOLKWERUM, MOLKWERUM 11 seasons · Zuidwest-Friesland
- POTTENSTRAND, SNEEK 11 seasons · Zuidwest-Friesland
- BADPAVILJOEN IJSSELMEER, HINDELOOPEN 10 seasons · Zuidwest-Friesland
- BADSTRAND HOLLUM, AMELAND 9 seasons · Noord-Friesland
- SPOEKEPLAS, NOORDWOLDE 6 seasons · Zuidoost-Friesland
- BADSTRAND BADHUIS, VLIELAND 4 seasons · Noord-Friesland
- DE DRIESPRONG, LANGELILLE 3 seasons · Zuidwest-Friesland
- GRUTTE WIELEN, LEEUWARDEN 3 seasons · Noord-Friesland
- RECREATIESTRAND SKÛLENBOARCH, DROGEHAM 3 seasons · Noord-Friesland
- DE HEIDE, HEERENVEEN 2 seasons · Zuidoost-Friesland
- BADSTRAND BALLUM, AMELAND 1 season · Noord-Friesland
- SMELIESTER SÂN, SMALLE EE 1 season · Zuidoost-Friesland
Rated Poor in 2025
For a Poor site the Bathing Water Directive requires management measures, including a bathing prohibition or advice against bathing, so check the authority before visiting.
- ROHEL, ROHEL Poor in 3 of 11 classified seasons · Zuidwest-Friesland
- TERHERNE Poor in 2 of 2 classified seasons · Zuidwest-Friesland
- TSJÛKEMAR ULESPRONG, SINT NICOLAASGA Poor in 2 of 11 classified seasons · Zuidwest-Friesland
- ALDEGEASTER BREKKEN, OUDEGA Poor in 1 of 11 classified seasons · Zuidwest-Friesland
Changes from 2024 to 2025
Improved (3)
- DE VLEYEN, NES AMELAND Sufficient → Good
- SMELIESTER SÂN, SMALLE EE Good → Excellent
- SWIMPLAK BLAUWHOEK, JISTRUM Good → Excellent
Declined (6)
- ALDEGEASTER BREKKEN, OUDEGA Good → Poor
- EELTSJEMAR, RINSUMAGEAST Excellent → Good
- HARLINGERSTRAND, HARLINGEN Excellent → Good
- IT SOAL, WORKUM Good → Sufficient
- LAUWERSMEER OOSTMAHORN, OOSTMAHORN Good → Sufficient
- MIRNSER KLIF, MIRNS Good → Sufficient
How Friesland rated since 2015
Counts for the sites in today’s 2025 inventory; the Excellent share is calculated over classified sites only.
| Season | Classified | Excellent | Excellent share | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 50 | 25 | 50% | 4 |
| 2024 | 50 | 24 | 48% | 4 |
| 2023 | 49 | 29 | 59.2% | 4 |
| 2022 | 49 | 29 | 59.2% | 3 |
| 2021 | 48 | 28 | 58.3% | 4 |
| 2020 | 47 | 32 | 68.1% | 1 |
| 2019 | 46 | 28 | 60.9% | 2 |
| 2018 | 47 | 28 | 59.6% | 2 |
| 2017 | 47 | 30 | 63.8% | 2 |
| 2016 | 46 | 31 | 67.4% | 3 |
| 2015 | 45 | 26 | 57.8% | 3 |
Places with the most bathing waters in Friesland
Each site is matched to its nearest named place (GeoNames, within 8 km in a straight line), so beaches of one resort or lake shore can be compared together. Select a place to show only its sites in the full list.
| Place | Area | Sites | Excellent | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midsland | Noord-Friesland | 3 | 3 (100%) | 0 |
| Nes | Noord-Friesland | 3 | 2 (66.7%) | 0 |
| Bakhuizen | Zuidwest-Friesland | 3 | 1 (33.3%) | 0 |
| Camminghaburen | Noord-Friesland | 2 | 2 (100%) | 0 |
| Hollum | Noord-Friesland | 2 | 2 (100%) | 0 |
| Koudum | Zuidwest-Friesland | 2 | 2 (100%) | 0 |
| Echtenerbrug | Zuidwest-Friesland | 2 | 1 (50%) | 0 |
| Oudega | Zuidoost-Friesland | 2 | 1 (50%) | 0 |
| Schiermonnikoog | Noord-Friesland | 2 | 1 (50%) | 0 |
| Woudsend | Zuidwest-Friesland | 2 | 1 (50%) | 0 |
| Heeg | Zuidwest-Friesland | 2 | 0 (0%) | 1 |
| Langweer | Zuidwest-Friesland | 2 | 0 (0%) | 0 |
All 52 official bathing waters in Friesland
Grouped by area, alphabetical within each group. Open a site for its 2015–2025 history, nearby alternatives, weather forecast and the national profile link.
Download all 52 sites as CSV (classes 2015–2025, coordinates, nearest place; EEA data, CC BY 4.0)
Zuidwest-Friesland 24 sites · 29.2% Excellent · 4 Poor
- ALDEGEASTER BREKKEN, OUDEGA · Heeg Poor Poor in 1 of 11 classified seasons
- BADPAVILJOEN IJSSELMEER, HINDELOOPEN · Koudum Excellent Excellent 10 seasons in a row
- DE DRIESPRONG, LANGELILLE · Echtenerbrug Excellent Excellent 3 seasons in a row
- DE HEGE GERZEN, OUDEMIRDUM Good
- DE HOLLE POARTE, MAKKUM Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- DE WOUDFENNEN, JOURE · Langweer Good
- DELFSTRAHUIZEN, DELFSTRAHUIZEN · Echtenerbrug Sufficient
- ELAHUIZEN DE LANGE HOEK, ELAHUIZEN · Woudsend Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- HEEG, HEEG Good
- INDIJK, INDIJK · Woudsend Sufficient
- IT SOAL, WORKUM Sufficient Good → Sufficient since 2024
- IT SUDERSTRAND, STAVOREN · Bakhuizen Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- LANGWARDER WIELEN, LANGWEER Good
- LEMSTERSTRAND, LEMMER Good
- MIRNSER KLIF, MIRNS · Bakhuizen Sufficient Good → Sufficient since 2024
- MOLKWERUM, MOLKWERUM · Koudum Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- NANNEWIID, OUDEHASKE Not classified
- NOORDERSTRAND, STAVOREN · Bakhuizen Not classified
- POTTENSTRAND, SNEEK · Stadsfenne Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- ROHEL, ROHEL · Sintjohannesga Poor Poor in 3 of 11 classified seasons
- SKIPSLEAT, JOURE Sufficient
- TERHERNE · Akkrum Poor Poor in 2 of 2 classified seasons
- TSJÛKEMAR ULESPRONG, SINT NICOLAASGA Poor Poor in 2 of 11 classified seasons
- ZWEM- EN SURFCENTRUM BALK, BALK Good
Noord-Friesland 22 sites · 59.1% Excellent
- BADSTRAND BADHUIS, VLIELAND · Oost-Vlieland Excellent Excellent 4 seasons in a row
- BADSTRAND BALLUM, AMELAND · Hollum Excellent
- BADSTRAND BUREN, AMELAND · Nes Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- BADSTRAND HOLLUM, AMELAND Excellent Excellent 9 seasons in a row
- BADSTRAND HOORN, TERSCHELLING · Midsland Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- BADSTRAND NES, AMELAND Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- BADSTRAND PRINS BERNHARDWEG, SCHIERMONNIKOOG Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- BADSTRAND WEST AAN ZEE,TERSCHELLING · Midsland Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- BERKENPLAS, SCHIERMONNIKOOG Good
- DAGRECREATIETERREIN KLEIN ZWITSERLAND, SUMAR · Burgum Sufficient
- DE SWANNEBLOM, SLAPPETERP · Menaam Good
- DE VLEYEN, NES AMELAND Good Sufficient → Good since 2024
- DUINMEERTJE HEE, TERSCHELLING · Midsland Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- EELTSJEMAR, RINSUMAGEAST · Broeksterwâld Good Excellent → Good since 2024
- GRUTTE WIELEN, LEEUWARDEN · Camminghaburen Excellent Excellent 3 seasons in a row
- HARLINGERSTRAND, HARLINGEN Good Excellent → Good since 2024
- LAUWERSMEER OOSTMAHORN, OOSTMAHORN Sufficient Good → Sufficient since 2024
- LYTSE WIELEN, LEEUWARDEN · Camminghaburen Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- RECREATIESTRAND SKÛLENBOARCH, DROGEHAM Excellent Excellent 3 seasons in a row
- SWIMPLAK BLAUWHOEK, JISTRUM · Kootstertille Excellent Good → Excellent since 2024
- SWIMPLAK EASTERMAR, EASTERMAR Good
- ZWEMPLAATS EARNEWÂLD, EARNEWÂLD · Oudega Good
Zuidoost-Friesland 6 sites · 83.3% Excellent
- CANADAMEER, APPELSCHA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- DE HEIDE, HEERENVEEN · De Greiden Excellent Excellent 2 seasons in a row
- DE LEIEN, ROTTEVALLE Sufficient
- DE VLINDERSLAG, WOLVEGA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- SMELIESTER SÂN, SMALLE EE · Oudega Excellent Good → Excellent since 2024
- SPOEKEPLAS, NOORDWOLDE Excellent Excellent 6 seasons in a row
Compared with other provinces in Netherlands
| # | Province | Sites | Excellent | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zeeland | 58 | 89.7% | 0 |
| 2 | Drenthe | 41 | 87.8% | 0 |
| 3 | North Brabant | 101 | 85.1% | 2 |
| 4 | Gelderland | 97 | 79.4% | 2 |
| 5 | Overijssel | 51 | 78.4% | 1 |
| 6 | Limburg | 34 | 76.5% | 0 |
| 7 | Flevoland | 30 | 73.3% | 1 |
| 8 | Utrecht | 29 | 69% | 4 |
| 9 | South Holland | 104 | 67.3% | 2 |
| 10 | Groningen | 49 | 53.1% | 7 |
| 11 | North Holland | 111 | 51.4% | 8 |
| 12 | Friesland | 52 | 48.1% | 4 |
Provinces with at least 15 official bathing waters. Size, water type and how densely sites are designated differ, so the table is context rather than a verdict.
Quick answers
- How many bathing waters in Friesland were rated Excellent in 2025?
- 25 of 52 (48.1%) in the official EEA 2025 classification; 13 were Good, 8 Sufficient and 4 Poor, and 2 had no class. That ranks Friesland 12 of 12 Netherlands provinces by Excellent share.
- Which area of Friesland has the highest share of Excellent sites?
- Zuidoost-Friesland: 83.3% of its 6 sites were Excellent in 2025. Noord-Friesland follows with 59.1%. Only areas with at least five sites are compared; see the full table.
- Which beaches and lakes in Friesland have the best long-term record?
- 14 sites were Excellent in every season from 2015 to 2025, for example BADSTRAND BUREN, AMELAND, BADSTRAND HOORN, TERSCHELLING, BADSTRAND NES, AMELAND. See the ranking.
- Which places in Friesland have the most official bathing waters?
- Midsland (3, 100% Excellent), Nes (3, 66.7% Excellent), Bakhuizen (3, 33.3% Excellent). See the place table; places are the nearest named settlement to each site.
- Were any bathing waters in Friesland rated Poor?
- Yes, 4: ROHEL, ROHEL, TERHERNE, TSJÛKEMAR ULESPRONG, SINT NICOLAASGA, ALDEGEASTER BREKKEN, OUDEGA.
- Where do I check whether swimming is allowed today?
- On Zwemwater.nl (The provinces, with Rijkswaterstaat for national waters). Temporary bans, pollution alerts and closures are published there and on signs at the water, not in the annual EEA class.
Netherlands overview · All provinces of Netherlands · Bathing season dates
Sources and method
Bathing-water records: European Environment Agency (EEA), data and coordinates reported by Netherlands, licensed CC BY 4.0. Region and area boundaries: Eurostat NUTS 2024 (© EuroGeographics for the administrative boundaries). Place names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). A site belongs to the area that contains its reported coordinates; a site up to 10 km off the generalised coastline is placed in the nearest area of Netherlands. Counts, shares and rankings are calculated by BathingWaterFinder from the official records.