Holiday in the Netherlands: tips for the Wadden Islands

The Wadden Islands are a special part of the Netherlands. The ultimate island feeling is therefore not to be missed. From the open horizon to the beautiful expansive beaches. A characteristic that every holiday should have, comes naturally on the Wadden Islands: total relaxation. The five islands all have their own unique magic. We give you some tips per island.

World Heritage

The Wadden Islands are not only known among Dutch people, but have been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 2009. This among other natural wonders such as the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Kilimanjaroin Tanzania.

The Wadden Sea is unique

The Wadden Sea is a recognized biological ecosystem that you only find on the Dutch-German-Danish North Sea coast. Every six hours, ebb and flow alternate. This ensures that the landscape is continuously changing, creating a sea of variation for the eye, but also for the plants and animal kingdom. The Wadden Sea offers a unique habitat for more than 10,000 plant and animal species. It also serves as an indispensable stopover for millions of birds during their migration.

Texel

Also called 'De Hoge Berg'

The Netherlands would have looked very different without Texel. Looking back in history, during the Ice Age, glaciers left a solid base of boulder clay and erratics here. An unshakeable hill in the dynamic coastal landscape was thus created.

Ultimate spring feeling

As many sheep as people live on Texel. In spring, this means tens of thousands of lambs running around in the meadows. Texel is often described as: 'the Netherlands in miniature', this is because the island has so much to offer: dunes, forest, heath, beach, mudflats, polders and meadows.

Tips for Texel

1. Discover the Wadden Sea World Heritage Sitein Ecomare.
2. Visit Texel's more than 30-kilometer-long sandy beach. Wonderful for walking, kite flying, swimming, etc.
3. For the real daredevil:Parachute jumping.
4. Pay avisit to Kaap Skil, the museum of beachcombers & sailors.
5. Climb the lighthouse. From the lighthouse, you have a beautiful view of the North Sea, the Wadden Sea, Vlieland and, of course, Texel.
6. Daily you can take a boat trip tospot seals. During a one-hour trip, you'll have plenty of time to capture the beautiful mammals on your camera and enjoy the fresh air.

Vlieland

An island that feels a bit far away from the Netherlands, but is still close by. Vlieland is located between the Wadden Sea and the North Sea, an hour and a half by boat from Harlingen. Vlieland offers beautiful sandy beaches that stretch along the entire length of the island. In addition, there are forests and amazing nature. To avoid disturbing the fauna, a new bird hide has been placed, allowing you to enjoy the multitude of different bird species.

Tips for Vlieland

1. Just behind the village, the Vuurboetsduin about 45 meters into the air. It is the second highest dune in the Netherlands! Definitely worth climbing.
2. You can take beautiful walks through the forests behind this dune.
3. The so-called Kroon's Polders are the pearls of Vlieland and absolutely worth a visit. Here you will feel almost alone in nature.
4. Are you a fan of seals? Take a ride with the Vliehors Expres across the beach and try to spot these magical animals.
5. Stelling H12 – this is an old bunker that has been painstakingly excavated from under the sand. You can get an interesting guided tour here.

Terschelling

An island that offers atmosphere and plenty of space in all seasons. Here are endless possibilities for discovery. Eighty percent of the island consists of beautiful nature. Of this, the Boschplaat is an absolutely dazzling highlight. As soon as you arrive by boat, you are welcomed by the 'Brandaris' lighthouse. This eye-catcher is 400 years old and immediately puts you in a holiday mood. In addition to beautiful nature, the island also has numerous restaurants, cafes and pubs, and events are held throughout the year.

Tips for Terschelling

1. Enjoy the viewat the Walvis.
2. Dine atde Zee in West-Terschelling
3. Gather and eat oysters yourself at low tide at Lies.
4. Make abeautiful cycling route on Terschelling.
5. Visit one of the manyevents.

Ameland

After a wonderful trip across the Wadden Sea, you arrive on Ameland. an island with four picturesque villages, each with its own history and culture, amazing nature and of course lots of sea and beach.

The small island is ideal for a walk, where watching the sunset with a bite to eat is a must. Every day, the island's cuisine uses ingredients that are freshly caught or locally sourced.

Tips for Ameland

1. Do one of the manyexcursionson Ameland such as the (mini-) mudflat excursion, the beach and shell excursion, forest and dune excursion, the duck decoy excursion and many more.
2. Visit thenature center, one of the Ameland museums.
3. For the true horse lover, you can visitthe film set of Penny's ShadowThe film was entirely shot on Ameland!
4. For the creative ones, there are plenty ofworkshopsyou can attend.
5. Last but not least, you can do manyactivitieson Ameland. Walk on the sandy beach of Ameland or do a sporty activity such as beach camp or kitesurfing.

Schiermonnikoog

This may be the smallest Dutch Wadden Island, but it is grand in its nature. The status 'National Park' therefore applies to the entire island. Also a fun fact about the island: it has the widest beach in Europe in terms of size. Schiermonnikoog is known for its unspoiled character and the love that Mother Nature has put into it.

Tips for Schiermonnikoog

1. Do the cultural-historical excursion(or one of the other excursions), discover the island and learn about the history of Schiermonnikoog.
2. Pay a visit to theBunker Museum and learn how this place served as a communication center during World War II.
3. Visit one of theevents that are organized on Schiermonnikoog throughout the year.
4. Take a walking tour and discover what the island and the village have to offer.
5. Sail along with the fastRescue Boat and pass the sandbanks, the Wadden Sea and then sail towards the North Sea.

Transport

Except on Schiermonnikoog and Vlieland, you can take your car, caravan and camper to the other islands. These offer plenty of campsites where you can enjoy your holiday. On the smaller islands, you can of course always camp in a tent or at one of the recreation parks the island offers.

Want to read more camping tips? Look here! Still looking for your own camper or caravan? View our offer.