Netherlands: From Zeeland to the Waddenzee - Vlieland, Terschelling and Harlingen

The harbour on Vlieland is small and is often closed for days at a time: Full is full. Those who arrive too late are anchored off the island in the mudflats. But the harbour masters go to great lengths to find a box, or at least a place, for every yacht coming in. We are lucky, and even before the shore power comes on, the bathing platform folds down and the SUP pump squeaks. Holiday at last!

Totally relaxed on Vlieland

"Vlieland is as beautiful as Spiekeroog, but not as stuffy," is how a German neighbour on the jetty sums it up. Quiet, decelerated, free. The town on the mudflats side is nestled around a pedestrianised street with a variety of shops and boutiques, restaurants and pannekoekenhuis. Harbour residents have their "private beach" just east of the harbour entrance. The Oost, a beach bar one kilometre north-east of the marina, is more spacious.

From the jetty, it's 50 metres over the dyke to the bike hire. The bike is the main means of transport for journeys through the dune village to the beach in front of the Hotel Badhuis. Nine kilometres to the west, the Posthuis is a popular excursion destination. On the way there, flat-bottomed boats and catamarans seeking solitude anchor in the mudflats.

The largest sand area in Europe

It doesn't go much further west. The Vliehors soon begins behind the Posthuis. The largest sandy area in Europe is a restricted military area. However, tourists can explore the "Sahara of the North" with the Vliehors Express, a four-wheel drive bus that takes guests to an unforgettable evening around the campfire.

Through the mudflats to Terschelling

After almost two weeks of deep relaxation, we move on. We follow the mudflats to Terschelling in five boats. Only seven miles away, everything is different here: more cars, more people and parcels instead of boxes. But also wide beaches and more choice of everything - even in the rain.

The exciting bunker museum - once part of the Atlantic Wall - is within walking distance of the harbour, but even on this island, a trip to the bike hire shop is a must. In the evening, the barbecue is fired up at the marina and you can wait for the sunset with drinks and lounge music. Here, too, time seems to stand still.

Stay or go to Texel?

"Stay or go to Texel?" We decide in favour of island number three and leave Terschelling behind. In the meantime, the north-westerly wind has settled in and is churning up the sea. Going round the outside would mean crossing into the North Sea north of Vlieland. Then we would have to sail around low water in the south of Texel through the Molengat again.

into the mudflats. There is a steep, breaking wave here with five Beaufort from the north-west, especially when there is little water. A good reason to choose the further route through the mudflats. With our more than two metres, we take the Blauwe Slenk back to Harlingen.

Stopover in Harlingen

Friesland's "only harbour town" combines the hustle and bustle around the ferry terminal with a leisurely stroll through the historic old town. In the Noorderhaven, passers-by are packed tightly beneath magnificent warehouses during the season, but the atmosphere makes up for the blood pressure of manoeuvring. In the evenings, insiders take a dinghy into the canals of the city, which is connected to the Staande Mastroute through Friesland on the land side. In addition to the ferry traffic, countless flat-bottomed boats create a hustle and bustle and are happy to come and change beds.

The end of our holiday is approaching and Texel is to be our departure point to the south. So we head for the Afsluitdijk and then turn into the Texel Current at low tide. With good timing, however, the almost 25 nautical miles are quickly behind us, as the tide pulls us westwards in the wide Wadden current towards Texel from around the halfway point.

Also interesting

• Netherlands: Area update 2026 - What skippers need to know.
• Netherlands: Staande Mastroute 2026 not passable throughout.
• Netherlands: Sea rescue - What German skippers should know.