De Westhoek, Nature reserve at the westernmost point of De Panne, Belgium.

De Westhoek is a nature reserve at the westernmost point of De Panne, spanning 345 hectares with dunes, beaches, forests, meadows, and marshes. These varied habitats support over 200 bird species and numerous plant varieties found throughout the area.

De Westhoek has been protected as a landscape since 1935. In 1957 it received the status of state nature reserve together with the Hoge Venen, making it the oldest Flemish state nature reserve. It is owned by the Flemish Region and managed by the Agency for Nature and Forests, and forms part of the Natura 2000 site 'Duingebieden inclusief IJzermonding en Zwin'.

The name De Westhoek is easily confused with the inland Westhoek region of southern West Flanders, but this reserve takes its name from the coastal area around De Panne. Since 2025 the adjoining French dunes across the border, including the Dune du Perroquet, have been designated a Grand Site des Dunes de Flandre.

Marked pathways with varying distances guide you through the reserve, and the main parking area is located at Duinhoekstraat 174 where you can begin exploring. The trails are well-signposted and easy to navigate throughout the area.

The reserve's central moving dune, the Romeinse Vlakte, covers more than 100 hectares and shifts eastward with the prevailing southwesterly wind at 5 to 10 metres a year, slowly burying the older dune slacks to its south. Two slufters opened in 2004 let the sea back into the foredunes on a limited scale after part of the concrete sea wall was removed and replaced with small bridges.