Wadden Islands

The largest Wadden Island of the Netherlands, Texel boasts about 30 kilometres of sandy beaches. It’s a true paradise for those who love beach holidays and has plenty more to offer, such as traditional villages and unique nature. The seven villages on Texel are known for having their own charming character and appearance. Take Den Burg for instance. It’s the unofficial capital and largest village on Texel, with various attractions and loads to see and do.

There is also De Koog, known as the premier seaside resort and centre of tourism on Texel. The only thing separating the village from the sea is a line of beautiful rolling dunes. The beach and the nearby wooded area are popular with tourists and dotted with hotels and campgrounds. And of course, don’t forget De Cocksdorp, the youngest village on Texel. It’s home to the most well-known symbol of the island, the red lighthouse.

Vlieland lies furthest from the mainland and is the smallest inhabited island of the Dutch Wadden Islands. It has only one (very quiet) village called Oost-Vlieland, located along the sea. Vlieland is known for its green-covered dunes, long beaches, forests and clean, clear seawater. An added bonus for those seeking real peace and quiet is the fact that no cars are allowed on Vlieland. With no cars and plenty of gorgeous nature to explore, it’s a great place for a bicycle ride. Vlieland may be modest in size, but its 12-kilometre-long beach certainly punches above its weight. It’s a delight to visit in any season.

Ameland is known as ‘the diamond of the Wadden’ and won the Quality Coast Award in 2009. It is home to some beautiful nature reserves such as De Hôn and Het Oerd. The De Hôn is a vegetated dune region with high dunes and marshy dune valleys. The dunes offer a spectacular view of the salt marshes, where many birds rest during high tide. The nature reserve is still changing, with new dunes still being formed and the salt marsh expanding. The pride of the nature reserve is the spoonbill colony which has been a permanent resident of the area since 1994. Short-eared owls also breed there and, at the end of the summer, the area is carpeted in a gorgeous shade of purple thanks to the sea lavender. With high dunes and dune valleys, Het Oerd is the largest nature reserve on Ameland. It’s home to thousands of birds, such as herring gulls, curlews, wheatears, avocets and common terns.

Schiermonnikoog has plenty to offer for nature lovers. There are forests, dunes, polders, a salt marsh, tidal flats and a few small lakes. Because of the diversity of its landscape, Schiermonnikoog was declared a National Park in 1989. Numerous birds feel at home in this varied, protected environment, and you can encounter about 300 different bird species throughout the year. The island is also home to hundreds of different types of plants, including nine species of wild orchids. There is also plenty to do around the island. For example, you can join a seal-spotting tour on a boat and walk on the sandbanks.