The best thing about Vlieland
Yes, the Wadden. Absolutely, Texel. Certainly, also Terschelling... But if we have to choose, really choose, then we choose the dreamy Vlieland. One lovely village street, beautiful (empty) wide beaches, delicious food and drinks and actually just that feeling of holiday abroad, but close to home. The best thing about the island? We gathered.
OO Oost on Vlieland aka the gift of the white island. Because a beach tent on Vlie, that is not allowed. Strict rules and more of that kind. Secretly that is wonderful: what makes Vlieland so distinctive compared to the other islands, is that there are only two beach tents of which, all year long seen, 't Badhuys our favorite. The summer favorite? That's without a doubt East, the pop-up beach tent of Vlie. Every year around the end of March or beginning of April everything is built up and at the end of the season everything disappears again. Where? On the easternmost tip of the Vlieland North Sea beach, of course, with a picture-perfect view of the North Sea and the Vlieland dunes. The accessible fish restaurant is stylishly decorated. No fuss here. All materials have been reused and the design nods to the beach, sea and... island vibes. This also applies to the menu: it changes daily and what is on your plate comes straight from the sea. Sea bass, oysters, cockles, mussels, razor clams, shrimps, squid and yes, also seaweed, something different every day. Anything that isn't fish comes from locally and all dishes are prepared with the KOPA charcoal oven. Anyway, a hospitable but gas-free beach pavilion it is. Where else can you go on Vlieland? Our Little Escapes the revised version is full of them!
Rather a little more space and not bothered by your neighbor's snoring? Then the spacious hotel rooms of WestCord Hotel Seeduyn a big thumbs up. With their neutral look, view of the beach and the sea, and a comfortable bed, it is wonderful to stay here. Whether you come with the family, your grandparents, or your dog (yes, he can come along!), you can choose between a family room or an apartment. From the hotel you can sprint straight onto the beach, you can hardly sleep closer to the beach. And in the village street you are also in no time, twenty minutes by foot and you are there. Don't feel like doing anything for a while? Plop down at 't Badhuys for a drink.
If you really want to do something different, try the Vlieland Water Taxi. Because yes, there goes one ferry from Vlieland to Terschelling. Yes, you can take an excursion to the sandbanks where the seals do their thing (not too many). And yes: you can also combine the two. Instead of the slow (but cozy) ferry, you can book a water taxi. Bee Water taxi De Bazuin for example. Then you get on a RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat), a lightweight speedboat on a rubber tire that can accommodate twelve people. The super-fast boat takes you alternately calmly and then clapping on the water (o the adrenaline) via a sandbank FULL of seals to the next island. What gives us childish pleasure, we can't say it any other way.
Vlieland, it is the island where, of all the Dutch islands, we always relax the most. Empty head and all that, you know how it is. It is simply relaxed: as soon as you get on the boat in Harlingen you know that the (little) escape has begun. And the nice thing about Vlie (we are allowed to call it Vlie): no cars are welcome on the island other than the islanders themselves (don't panic, you really don't have to drag your suitcase all over the island yourself). If you are on Vlieland, sleep at Pilot Hotel Vlieland. Right at the front of the Dorpsstraat at number three you will find this wonderful hotel. They have six luxury rooms, some even with a beautiful view over the Wadden Sea. What? Yes, beautiful, more beautiful, most beautiful. Also nice, your faithful four-legged friend is welcome at Loods. And with that the place stole our hearts, you understand. Although it could also be due to the village coziness, the sea and everything that goes with it.
Vlie-biza, that's what the semi-hip types are babbling to each other. We get it, the small island is predominantly white and wonderfully relaxed. Our favorite spot for a few days a year, a few times a year. And that's also perfectly possible last minute: the forest houses of Campsite Stortemelk are rented all year round. The camping site is intended for tents and is located more or less by the sea, but there are also cottages for rent that you will find in the middle of the dunes. Although the forest cottages in particular stole our hearts. All that greenery in combination with the North Sea beach that is within reach, is nothing but a win-win situation. All eighteen cottages have a spacious terrace and are sustainably built. Always good. The cottages are relatively small, but everything is included. Pay attention to which type of cottage you book, because not all bedrooms have enough space for a cot.
Also nice: you can find it just four minutes by bike from the camping site Stranded Vlieland, a beach pavilion with a sea view and a perfect terrace to get a tan.
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Cycle from Dorpsstraat to at least once 't Badhuys. The beach tent is above all what a beach tent should be: built from planks that have been greyed by the salty sea air, a wide veranda with tables and chairs, hanging benches and here and there a beach chair. In the summer months, a fish market is organised on Friday evenings: oysters and fish from the North Sea, straight from the water via the barbecue onto your plate. Party.
No hotel, no campsite, no apartment but a large boat with a captain to explore the islands with a group of friends – sounds idyllic and it is. Imagine a large wooden ship, a small kitchen fully equipped, a cozy common room and 8 small cabins for 2 or 3 people. You can see the latter as a negative: don't expect romantic nights that are also comfortable. On a ship you sleep on top of each other (or on top of each other, but who can handle that) in narrow bunk beds. Oh well, if you love each other, you will find a solution. Bootbootboot.nl (which I think is a very nice URL)
The Dorpsstraat is – once again – not to be missed on Vlieland. It is the only street where there is really something to experience (although it is clear that experiencing 'nothing' is the most important the must- is) and that 'to experience' happens at its best. Sleeping at its best also happens at the new (since 2015) Vlieland Hotel, a contemporary fresh and light hotel right at the beginning of the street; rolling your suitcase from the boat to the hotel takes hardly any effort. The hotel is run by the couple who have also run 'Poffertjeshuis De Lickebaert' for many years, a must for with the mini.
The Dorpsstraat is where everything can be experienced on Vlieland. The street in itself is actually already a tip – so nice. Not to be missed folks, a fairly new place where you can have lunch, dinner in big-city style and nowadays also take a nap in one of the three guest rooms above the café. Big city style because Leut is in no way inferior to hip places in the Randstad: vintage meets industrial interior, small but nice terrace in front of the door and spelled wraps plus packed salads on the menu.
Anyone who gets off the boat and thinks they have to look far to find one of the nicest catering establishments is wrong: always guessed and you walk like this Stranded inside. Nice place, friendly service, beautiful and large terrace where you can watch people (always a buzz in the harbour). The menu is exactly what you would expect from an island grand café, nothing more and nothing less: steak with cranberry pate (because cranberry, they have plenty of that on the islands), gigantic prawns, mackerel fillet (recommended) and a surprising number of vegetarian dishes.
Although the undersigned is more of a hotel person than a camping guest Camping de Lange Paal highly recommended: the campsite offers an unparalleled experience of staying in the middle of nature, everything beautifully maintained. Not surprising since the campsite is part of Staatsbosbeheer. Forest ranger Frederika ensures that everything is more than well arranged at the nature campsite and a special spot has been reserved for those who want to spend the night with their four-legged friend.
The best tip on Vlieland is to rent a bicycle from the friendly person Jan van Vlieland for example (Jan and his family pretty much run the entire island. It must be the last name). Because the island is nice and small, really beautiful and you can cycle all the way around in no time. Be sure to take a morning trip to the lighthouse (instagram-galore) next to which is the bunker of the Vlieland Self-Cheese Cheese state. The best man makes the most delicious cheeses in his bunker cellar, which of course smells quite a bit of cheese, and he also talks about it with great enthusiasm. Tasting is not only allowed, it is a must.
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