Zandvoort - The Netherlands

[HeavyDiscipline]

If anyone is planning a trip to the Netherlands (Holland) next year, may I suggest visiting the town of Zandvoort for a day or three.

The town has a couple of alright coffeeshops, but its the wonderful beach that's the real attraction. Miles of lovely golden sand, gentle cycle tracks and just a short train trip from either amsterdam or haarlem.

Here's a few uninspiring pic's for you...

Well, hope the above photo's tempt you out of amsterdam. I'll see if I can find some useful links etc to post, and maybe a few tips and hints I've learned from previous adventures in The Netherlands. I've been going twice a year for over a decade...

Peace & Manners

I & I

Heavy Discipline

 

[Nor'Easter]

nice beach, how is it in the summer? Is the water swimmable or too cold or polluted?

 

[JamieShoes]

its a bit cold alright, but sure, plenty of ppl swim in it


it really is a beautiful place... most of the coast of Holland is

 

[spliphy]

glad you said "next year"

glad you said "next year"

ah Zandvoort....wanted to visit the race track....just to say I was there back in Nov. '99...took the train from A'dam...walked from the train station to the track after getting directions....it was a very cold walk that particular day....the track was actually in operation....either a driving school of sorts or a manufacturer was testing sedans....the lovely folks at the track gave us a warm cup of coffee for our trouble..we took a few pictures....then walked back to the station...and back to cozier environs in Amsterdam...the bicycling among the dunes looks like a great way to get some exercise in nice natural settings

 

[HeavyDiscipline]

Mr Nor'Easter:

Mr JamieShoes is being a lil' conservative when he says the waters are chilly! Not sure about the pollution. This part of the world isn't known for it's crystal blue waters! Doesn't stop hoards of Dutch and Germans venturing out in the summer months. I'm too much of a pussy! Been to Zandvoort 4 times now, never once dipped as much as a toe in the sea. Oh, the shame....


Mr JamieShoes:

Sounds like you're well frequented with Holland. Despite all my visits to the place, I've not really seen much else of the coast (other than the approach in on the ferry!). Have you any tips for other coastal towns worth a visit? I'll be in Holland again in late spring.


Mr Spliphy:

Great story about the race track. Been there a couple of times to have a peek, but alas no races to watch either.


Got a joint to smoke just now, but will get back soon with some links etc...





I & I


Heavy Discipline

 

[vta]

Have you any tips for other coastal towns worth a visit? I'll be in Holland again in late spring.

Check out Enkhuizen. Great town with some very cool sites to see. Rent a bike.

 

[HeavyDiscipline]

Here we go...

Here we go...

Zandvoort tourism site (external link) - Basic site with loads of pic's and a few live cam feeds.

Hotel Doppenberg (external link) - We stay here when we visit. Not cheap, but very cosy. Get the suite in the basement of the building. It has its own private entrance and a separate sitting area.

Cafe Boy (external link) - Owned by a gay chap called Boy. Lovely interior décor. Surprisingly . Spent many happy evenings in this bar drinking and chatting to the friendly locals. The owner is one of the loveliest people I've had the pleasure of meeting. Unless you're an asshole, then the claws come out!!! Its also around the corner from a coffeeshop that sold some nice weed. Be nice to Boy, and he'll let you sit out on his terrace and enjoy a beer and a spliff. Just make sure you offer him some! One last thing about Boy's, if you visit in the evening, don't forget to sample Boy's world famous 'Big Meaty Dutch Balls'.

If you visit Zandvoort on a nice day, rent a bike from the place opposite the train station. Just get there early, or you'll be left with all the crappy old ones. and check the tires. I got a dud one once. To get to the best stretches of beach, head south and you'll find a cycle path that cuts into the dunes and straddles the coast. Beautiful to explore when stoned!

Like being naked in public? Zandvoort is home to one of the largest (and probably windiest!) nudist beaches in North Europe. and for the more reserved, there are plenty of dunes to hide in! One word of warning. If entering a secluded dune, call out first. I've seen one too many fat naked German people for my liking! Droopy old man balls are no fun

The coffeeshops you ask? I went to 2. The first was Yanks (external link) - Had the native American theme going on. Got some surprisingly strong super skunk and some lovely medium grade Moroccan hash (second picture in my first post). The other was lapaz (external link) - Dark lighting, local r'n'b on the radio, slightly edgy atmosphere. Bought some silver haze. Made me do some fucked up moon-walk wobble back to the hotel


I & I

Heavy Discipline

 

[HeavyDiscipline]

Cheers Mr Vta. Will google it later.

Nice1

 

[HeavyDiscipline]

Thanks to whoever just rep'd me for this thread. Haven't got enough posts to see who you are. But cheers!

 

[Lakota412]

It's great to hear about other cool places in The Netherlands. Everyone focuses on Amsterdam, when sure it's a fun city, there is so much more to see and do besides walking from coffee shop to coffee shop in the city.

I always rent the bike, stock up on burnables and get lost in the country side.

Great little pubs and small towns to explore. And few tourist!

 

[THC123]

the North sea or dutch sea is actually muc much less polluted than the mediteranean , but the med. sea looks cleaner cuz the North sea has very murly sandy waters.


And it is cold and full of jellyfish , yuck , i will never ever set foot in that sea again.

 

[Syd]

I've been to Zandvoort more than a decade ago and it was a nice funny town.

 

[HeavyDiscipline]

Glad to hear other's have made the effort to venture out of amsterdam. Many other threads have suggested basing your dutch holiday in Haarlem (external link). I've done this many times in the past. It's nice and easy to explore the rest of the country from; especially Zandvoort. Got to meet one of my heroes a few years back in haarlem. Here's the Mrs (a non-smoker supposedly) sucking on one of Nol's bad boys:

She got seriously f*cked!

Peace & Love

Heavy Discipline

 

[HeavyDiscipline]

For those who don't know of Nol (Van Schaik)...

His current blog (external link)

a true coffeeshop protagonist...

 

[stasis]

Good recommendation, HD..>!!

HEY, that;s Nol, one of our Crusaders....!

I like the protein hit at the fish stands of Zandvoort.... A great break after too many consecutive days (more particularly, nights, lol) in Amsterdam...

In Summer, I have had standing room only, barely, on a train from AMS and Haarlem...
And yet, Zandvoort can certainly seem a bit desolate in winter... But, still a nice change...! Large bodies of water are grounding.

Or even further afield, places like the Island Texel... A ferry ride from Den Helder.

A good few years ago, A friend and I rode bikes under the influence of Afghani Hasj Spacecakes (VERY strong - I was crazy for a little while..!) to a town with a great name - in a misty North Sea sunset, through a few clouds of flies, at the top end of the island: De Cocksdorp. Stayed for 3 nights... Interesting people. Fascinating discussions. A maritime, edge-of-the-world feeling. No C'shops up there lol...

On the ferry back to the Continent, we ended up getting invited to stay with a couple of up-to-then strangers, who must have overheard our breakfast talks... They transported us all the way to the other side of the country in an old cool and classy Citroen. To Breda.. No biggie, good people, though.

That was a great trip. In total.


Funny synchronicity happened whenever I took a chance and went somewhere on a whim.

 

[Nor'Easter]

Mr Nor'Easter:

Mr JamieShoes is being a lil' conservative when he says the waters are chilly! Not sure about the pollution. This part of the world isn't known for it's crystal blue waters! Doesn't stop hoards of Dutch and Germans venturing out in the summer months. I'm too much of a pussy! Been to Zandvoort 4 times now, never once dipped as much as a toe in the sea. Oh, the shame....

Well no offense but I can hardly see the point going to a beach and NOT swimming!
I don't enjoy it as much as I used to, once I liked to swim the whole length of a beach but now content to go 100 meters or so. But I don't know, the water, the sea air, the sites and sounds and interacting with it all while swimming and becoming one with my surroundings is almost a religious experience to me!
Of course being not from Europe, the speedo thing might disway me!

Lucky you, going there twice a year, wish I could afford that, I have yet to go once! Of course it is cheaper to travel from England than North America but again, lucky you!

 

[stasis]

Euro Nut-hugger bathing suits.... (Speedoes) haha... Perhaps the funniest thing in sports is seeing a Dude surfing in Nut-huggers....! haha... it is a rare sight. You are either the best or the worst surfer in the water, if you have the nardos to wear 'em. arr-arr.

That water can be brownish. Like the coast of Texas.. But, it is still water. If there were better waves for surfing - I would for sure live there.


Everything ELSE there is perfect though.
I love the groups of folks - some in street clothes, some in bathing suits. All sorts of people from all over the world sitting together. Toking up hash on da Strand. It is classic.

 

[Nor'Easter]

HAHAHA
YEAH
Scary-SCARY! old SNL SKit
Don't care to see anyone else's "family jewels" thank you very much!