Off Voyage!

If you need some peaceful and quiet time away from the chaos of city life, I just discovered a spot for you! Let me introduce you to Ameland! One of the West Frisian Islands located north of the mainland, NL. We visited this peaceful and beautiful island with a lovely friend of mine, Yuqi, for a short weekend getaway. With its sandy beaches and beautiful nature, it already found a place in my heart and a place in my blog, as you can see!

Alright,  I must admit it is a journey to arrive to Ameland!

If you are travelling from Rotterdam like we did, I highly recommend waking up early for the journey because it takes a decent amount of time to arrive there from the mainland. If you can rent a car, which is the fastest option to get to the port, that would be great. There is a big parking area at the harbour. If you are relying on public transport, whether you start from Amsterdam Central or Rotterdam Central, the goal is to reach Leeuwarden with a combination of bus and train, which takes around 3 hours. From Leeuwarden station, you need to take bus 66 to reach Holwerd to catch the ferry.

There are 2 ferry options: the fast one takes approx. 20 mins and the regular one around 40 mins. Both ferries are fairly regular, but it’s definitely worth booking your tickets in advance to prevent any unpleasant waits. From Holwerd, the ferry will take you to Nes, where your holiday begins.

You can pick your accommodation here, or if you don’t mind cycling for 20 mins, I recommend staying in Ballum. We stayed at Nobel Hotel, which I highly recommend. They have a restaurant just next door if you don’t want to cycle around for food, and also nice breakfast options in the morning.

Fancy a Seal Safari? 

There are seal safari tours departing from the harbour at Nes around midday, which take around two hours. The boats take you closer to the sandbanks between Ameland and Terschelling, where you can spot chubby seals enjoying their day, swimming in the water or sunbathing on the sandbanks.

As the boat approaches the seals, it’s really important to stay quiet and simply enjoy the moment without disturbing them. Watching them chilling in their natural habitat is a lovely experience and definitely worth adding to your time on Ameland.

Cycle Around!

The best way to see the island is to cycle around. There is a bike rental just after you arrive at the harbour, where you can reserve your bike in advance. They also collect and transfer bags to hotels around the island if you arrive with a suitcase.

Friendly reminder: don’t be like us! When you are collecting your bike, make sure that the front and back lights are working, you have a bag for your stuff, and a place to put your phone while you are finding your way around. Especially, the front light is very important since there are no artificial lights on the roads around the island, and you might end up cycling in the dark. Don’t ask me how I know…

Life on the island is quiet and slow, making it really pleasant to cycle around and enjoy the scenery. There are multiple cycling routes to choose from. We were based in Ballum and explored the western half of the island by bike. Here is an example of a route similar to ours that you can follow. Number 3 is the most famous landmark on the island, the lighthouse!

The Ameland Lighthouse has been an iconic landmark of the island since 1880. Its distinctive red and white tower adds a charming touch to the landscape of endless beaches, rolling dune. If you finish your cycling trip around sunset at one of the bars or restaurants on the western side of the island, you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful sunset over the North Sea, a perfect way to end the day!

Actual show starts after the sunset for the island!

Ameland located at the very far north and there is no artificial light source in the island which can obstruct your view of the sky. I think this was the best night sky I have ever seen so after the sunset, get ready with your blanket and your drink for the real show. Hope you enjoy the island for the rest of your trip and hope to meet you on the next one!

Basak x