In July and August the beaches are full of sunbathers and Pärnu, Estonia's summer capital, is the main attraction. Most of the public beaches are sandy and the average water temperature is 18°C. Inland waters and some shallow bays are even warmer and ideal for families with children.
Generally beaches offer catering and equipment rental services and most of them have playgrounds with swings, roundabouts and slides. The most popular Estonian beaches like Pärnu and Pirita in Tallinn, also have football and beach volley courts for more active leisure time.
Estonia uses the flag system to regulate swimming where green means it’s safe to swim, yellow means swimming is not recommended but you can at your own risk and red means “no swimming.” Lifeguards usually work on (official) beaches from morning to late evening.
Estonia’s islands offer quite a different beach experience with their mostly untouched nature and remoter rustic feel. If you are looking for a new experience, then try swimming in bogs where the water is, suprisingly, incredibly clean.
Limo beach on Ruhnu island is called a beach with "singing sand" and it is considered to be the most beautiful beach in Estonia.
There are also options available for nudists in Pirita, Narva-Jõesuu and Pärnu beaches. Pärnu has also a women-only beach section. The naturists’ beach sections are marked with signs.
