De Haan – the place to sea!
A seaside resort with plenty of atmosphere and flair. Streets that are filled with nostalgic architecture, and a sea dike that isn’t dominated by buildings that are taller than five storeys high. That is ‘De Haan aan Zee‘! The hysteria of mass tourism isn’t really an issue here, and therefore it may seem like there isn’t much to do in De Haan (which means ‘The Rooster’ in Dutch). But that’s certainly not the case since this hot spot at the Belgian coast has some aces up its sleeve. Ready for a short tour?
Culture to munch on!
When you say De Haan, you say culture, and that comes mainly in the form of architecture. Two heritage walks lead you through the Concessie, a historic residential quarter in an Anglo-Normandic style, where Albert Einstein –yes, the man himself!- lived for a short period of time! In the area surrounding De Haan you will find pretty villages with old farm buildings and windmills… they are waiting for you to visit them! And you certainly cannot leave this area without catching a movie in the retro movie theater Cinema Rio!
All that culture makes you hungry, and a man/woman has to eat, that’s for sure. Well, that won’t be an ordeal in De Haan, because, together with its sub-municipalities Wenduine, Klemskerke, Vosseslag, Harendijke and Vlissegem, De Haan counts almost 120 places where you can eat… From Belgian fries, pizza and kebab to European and Azian cuisine, and from pancakes, waffles and ice-creams to whisky’s, cocktails and Belgian beers with a frothy beer head; it’s all there. So many choices, so little time… what first?
One, two… Action!
When you’re starting to feel the need for a bit of adventure, you will feel quite at home here. For example, in the natural area of the ‘Duinbossen‘ (Dune Forests) you can walk, cycle, mountain-bike, or go horse riding as much as you want. Your kids can go wild at the large play zones in this area. If you’re not scared of a little splash of water, take advantage of the many water sport activities De Haan has to offer. How about some surfing, sailing, kite surfing, rafting, kayaking, or SUP’ing? And definitely make a stop at Aquafun! After they’ve finished off the wave pool, jet-streams, slides, waterfall, Jacuzzis, outdoor pool, ánd the wild water river, even the most zappy kids will sleep like babies, while you chillaxe on the sofa, accompanied by a little sip of wine! And if that’s still not enough for you, cities like Ostend, Blankenberge and Bruges are just a stone’s throw away.
The scent of sunscreen
The main reason why you would want to pay a visit to the Belgian coast is of course the beach with its well-known sunscreen scent! De Haan has got no less than 11 kilometers of this sandy gold. And besides paddling in the sea, searching for shells, sunbathing and flying kites, this tidy beach has got more to offer. For example, beach bars for that exotic feel, and a beach library to use during the summer holidays!
Well, what are you waiting for? It’s time to book your vacation! Rent one of our neat holiday apartments.
