Hook of Holland is a small town on the Nieuwe Waterweg canal, at the mouth of the North Sea. Its ferry port has sent boats to the east of England since 1893, and today Stena Line sails from here to Harwich, on the Essex coast. The crossing leaves the EU and Schengen area, so border checks take longer than on a short hop. Ashore, the Zeekant beach strip and its pavilions draw most visitors, with views over the Nieuwe Waterweg from the Koningin Emmaboulevard.