North Belgian coast hides a little discovered gem, the charming and comfortable resort town of De Haan. Do you like cool water and tender sun? In this case, De Haan is an ideal destination because this is a true paradise for vacations of this type. The swimming season is relatively short in this town compared to other resorts. It starts on June 15 and lasts only two months. Despite this fact, tourists can easily enjoy the beauty of local nature and sunbathe at comfortable beaches in the area. The North Sea is truly spectacular, and it is worth visiting it at least once. The sea has always inspired numerous artists to create true masterpieces regardless of the season.
The history of the resort started in the 30s of the 20th century. This is when a small seaside village started developing and turning into a town. Every year, the popularity of De Haan was growing, and more tourists were coming to the town in order to enjoy a silent and peaceful holiday on the coast of the North Sea. In modern times, there is a trend of making cities look more modern and up-to-date. The town’s authorities do not follow this trend and try to keep the original look of De Haan that was forming for many years. Naturally, this makes the resort look more authentic and appealing for tourists.
Beaches in De Haan are so comfortable that it is easy to spend days here. It is worth mentioning that De Haan Beach is the leader among other Belgian resorts in terms of the beach surface quality. You will not find a better beach anywhere else in the country, even in a big city in Belgium. Moreover, there are numerous restaurants, cottages, and clubs along the seaside. Vacationers are welcome to continue their recreational activities in any of these establishments in the daytime and in the evening.
De Haan is not rich in landmarks, and so this is not the best choice for fans of sightseeing. As a rule, people visit this resort to sunbathe at the North Sea coast and enjoy the beauty of the region. If you want to learn more about the past of this charming town, head to the dock area that has retained its original look without any major changes until modern time. There is a medieval mill not far from the dock. Surprisingly, the mill is still working and still produced wheat flour.
Are you fond of golf? A popular local landmark - Royal Golf Club – always has its doors open for new guests. In this club, visitors can always enjoy their favorite game or watch professionals – the club regularly hosts golf competitions. If you are an experienced golf player, you can test your skills and participate in these tournaments.
If you are an art connoisseur, you can always visit the local art gallery. This venue, which was established by Marco Titucci, is not big in size but, nevertheless, it is very interesting to visit. It exhibits numerous works by talented modern artists. There is one more good thing about this gallery – visitors can purchase the works that they like. As a rule, visitors do not leave the gallery without any purchases because it is hard to resist the temptation to buy at least something. Besides, the gallery exhibits many interesting works that are not available in other similar venues.
Young guests of De Haan, as well as their parents, enjoy visiting a local park, De Sierk, during their stay in this tranquil beach paradise. The park is not big in size but it offers a range of interesting amusements for children. The most important – it doesn’t matter what the age of the child is, kids can always find something interesting and exciting in De Haan. There are many comfortable playground areas for children of different ages. That being said, the “amusement world” with different rollercoasters and merry-go-rounds is a magnet that children enjoy visiting the most.
If you decide to book an excursion tour in De Haan, it will definitely include a visit to a small nearby village called Klemskerke. First mentions of this settlement date back to 1003. Residents of this village were mostly fishermen. In this village, visitors can still see houses built in polders, low-lying tracts of land. In Klemskerke, tourists can see these original buildings, in which local people lived centuries ago.
De Haan is situated twelve kilometers from Ostend. The tram is a very comfortable way to move between these two cities and other settlements in the coastal area. That is why, if you want to get to De Haan quickly from Ostend, simply find the tram that goes in the right direction. There is one more way to get to the aristocratic town – by using a transfer from Ostend. The ride will be not long, roughly fifteen minutes.