It consists of the entrance area of a former tidal inlet which during the Middle Ages connected the North Sea with the ports of Sluis and Bruges inland.

The towns of Damme, Sluis and Sint Anna ter Muiden were also located on the Zwin.

However, from the late 13th century onwards, the channel was affected by progressive silting, which from around 1500 caused the waterway to become unusable and cut off the harbour of Bruges from the sea.

There is a small zoo with some major domestic birds and it is one of the few places in Belgium with a population of white storks.

The success of the English raids ended the threat of a French invasion of England.