It’s possible to take public transport to this destination, but you need to first take a train to either Broadstairs or Margate and then take a bus to Botany Bay. From London, it’ll take around 2 hours and 30 minutes, depending on where in London you’re departing from. It’s much easier to get there by car since it’s a 1-hour 45-minute drive if there’s no traffic. However, this beach is very popular in the summer, so it’s best to leave in the early morning to get a decent parking spot near the beach.
The Botany Bay area is very residential and depending on where you’ve managed to park, you’ll likely have to walk along the cliff to one of the beach entrances. You’ll get some spectacular views of the sea and beach from this walk. There’s a free toilet and changing area at one of the main entrances, it’s not very big nor well kept though. If it’s a busy summer’s day, then there will probably be a long queue as well.
The beach itself is quite small, but it’s a sandy beach which is quite rare in the UK, hence its popularity. It’s also rather unique given the white chalk cliffs that border it. The cliffs make for great photo opportunities and are also great to walk along since they have great viewpoints of the beach. When we went in September, the weather was in the high 20s to 30s, but the water was still icy cold. Overall, it’s a great beach that’s close enough to London for a day trip.
