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De Waddeneilanden - leveranciers van eilandgevoel
The Wadden Islands - suppliers of island feeling
The Wadden Islands are the proverbial 'pearls' of Friesland. Four, or actually five in a row. Texel, Vlieland, Terschelling, Ameland and Schiermonnikoog. Texel is unfortunately left out on this website because it belongs to the province of North Holland and this website is about Friesland.
One Wadden Island is even more beautiful than the other. They have a few important and popular features in common, the immeasurably long golden sandy beaches.
A few special phenomena occur when visiting one of the Wadden Islands. At times, It can be very busy at departure and arrival and on the boat, but once you are on the island, the crowds spread out over the island and you experience peace and space. All the more when you arrive at the beach. There you have kilometers of sandy beach all to yourself. Another phenomenon is that you recognize the faces of the boat on the island, on the bike path, or on the terrace. You see the same people over and over again. This makes the Wadden Islands appear large and small at the same time.
Although the Wadden Islands all contain the same basic ingredients, such as villages, dunes, and beaches, they are also different from each other in a special way. One island has more forests, the other has more heathland. One more cranberry fields, the other more meadows, and farmyards. One is car-free and the other is not. They all have many kilometers of hiking and biking trails. Youths especially appreciate Terschelling. Ameland attracts families. Nature lovers and bird watchers frequent Schiermonnikoog. Vlieland has a more exclusive character and is popular with celebrities.
One phenomenon remains unspoken, "island feeling". You must have been there to recognize this phenomenon. It starts as soon as the boat has released the ropes and ends when you set foot on the mainland again in Holwerd, Lauwersoog, or Harlingen on your return. Books have been written about it. As far as I know, you only have this island feeling on the Frisian Wadden Islands!
