Amsterdam Noordwijk Aan Zee

Beautiful beaches can be found about an hour from Amsterdam and The Hague in the town of Noordwijk aan Zee (pop. 25,000). hile this stunning hamlet on the coast of the Netherlands has always been a favorite resort for Dutch vacationers, tourists from outside of the Netherlands and Europe are beginning to discover its wonders—visit before the town is overrun by traveling hordes. Less crowded and commercial than Scheveningen (

) is, Noordwijk aan Zee hosts outdoor activities galore; visitors can go horseback riding through dunes and woods, surf brisk coastal waters, or toss Frisbees over 13km of sparkling white sand.

Transportation And Practical Information. To get to Noordwijk from Amsterdam, first take a train to Leiden Centraal (35min.; 8 per hr.; €7.60, round-trip €14). Outside the station in Leiden is a terminal where you can catch bus #40 or 42 to Noordwijk (30min., 5 strips or €2.20). A better (but lesser known) bet is the Flying Pig summertime shuttle bus (€3) that leaves from their downtown hostel in Amsterdam daily at 10:30am, 1:30, 7, 10pm and from the Vondelpark hostel 15min. later. The bus will drop you off at the Flying Pig Beach Hostel in downtown Noordwijk aan Zee. The return bus leaves from the hostel for Amsterdam at 9:30am, 12:30, 6, 9pm. (☎362 2533. Reservations required, taken up to 2 days in advance.) Noordwijk aan Zee is easily walkable; however, renting a bike is an engaging way to take in the nearby dune trails or to leave the sand-bound crowds behind. Bike, scooter, and roller-skate rentals are available at J. Mooijekind, Schoolstraat 68, starting at €6 per day. (☎361 2826. Open daily 8:30am-6pm.)

To visit the town’s VVV, get off the bus at the Pickeplein stop and head in the direction of the massive Hotel Huis ter Duin. The VVV will be on your right. Here you can pick up a free map to the town. (☎0900 222 2333, €0.60 per min.; www.vvvnoordwijk.nl. Open Apr.-May M-F 10am-6pm, Sa 9am-4pm, Su 10am-2pm; June-Aug. M-F 10am-6pm, Sa 9am-5pm, Su 10am-2pm; Sept.-Oct. M-F 10am-5:30pm, Sa 9am-4pm; Nov.-Mar. M-F 10am-5:30pm, Sa 10am-2pm.) The beach is just a four-minute walk from the bus stop—Koningin Wilhelmina Boulevard is the street that runs parallel to the beach along the center of town, while its adjacent neighbor is conveniently named Parallel Boulevard. Wilhelmina turns inward and becomes De Grent at the police station on the beach while Koningin Astrid Boulevard continues south along down the coast.

Accommodations And Food. If you’ve boarded the Flying Pig—shuttle, that is—to Noordwijk, chances are you know of at least one place to spend the night: the Flying Pig Beach Hostel 1, Parallel Blvd. 208. Located in the center of town and two minutes from the beach, the Beach Hostel is a rare find among budget accommodations, offering excellent service and clean, brightly decorated lodgings. It’s a favorite among backpackers who want to meet other young travelers in a fun, laid-back ambience. Staff members prepare home-cooked meals for guests every Saturday night (€6). Ask for help with any activities you have planned. For those getting to Noordwijk on their own, take bus #40 or 42 to Vuurtorenplein, or Lighthouse Sq.; face south with the lighthouse to your right. The Pig is 100m up on your left. (☎362 2533; www.flyingpig.nl. Full kitchen facilities. Breakfast included. Free safety deposit lockers. Free Internet access. Key deposit €15. Reception 9am-2am at bar. Open Mar.-Oct. Dorms €19-27.50; queen-size bed in dorm €28.50-31.50; doubles €55.50-64. MC/V.)

Hoofdstraat, a two-minute walk from the Flying Pig, is lined with small shops and restaurants. There are a number of cafes lining De Grent, before the VVV, as well as snack spots along the beach. In addition, the cafes and bars on Koningin Wilhelmina Blvd. offer terraces that overlook the North Sea. The best of these is Chicoleo 3, Koningin Wilhelmina Blvd. 7B. This colorful Mexican restaurant and Argentinean steakhouse is a local favorite; wicker furniture is spread outside, and bright lights jazz up the interior. Stop in on the weekend and catch some live music (Sa-Su 7-11pm) to add some spice to your salsa. The lunch specials are unbeatable—with any and all options you could desire, from quesadillas to wraps to taco salads—for only €5.50-5.75. (☎361 2121; www.chicoleo.nl. Dinner burritos, tacos, and chimichangas €12-13.50. Vegetarian dishes €14.50-15.75. Steak €17.50-19.50. Open M-Th 1pm-midnight, F-Su 1pm-1am. Kitchen closes at 11pm. AmEx/MC/V.) Restaurant de Filosoof 2, De Grent 4, next to the VVV, attracts its fair share of both tourists and locals with slightly expensive but satiating food in a cheerful, upscale setting. Sit on the large outdoor terrace and watch the kids play minigolf across the street. The menu changes often, but tasty fare like Thai beef (€16.75) is always guaranteed—and topped with fresh desserts. (☎364 9003; www.defilosoof.nl. Lunch sandwiches €4.50-8. Salads €11.75-12. Open daily 11am-2am. Kitchen closes at 10:30pm. AmEx/MC/V.) No meal, however, could be complete without the superb ice cream of Vivaldi’s 1, Koningin Wilhelmina Blvd. 17. Stuff your toppling cone with one of 50 homemade flavors, including hazelnut and pear. (☎361 6704. 1 scoop €1; 5 scoops €3.25. Open daily in summer noon-10:30 or 11pm. Cash only.) For nighttime nourishment, Harbour Lights 2, Koningin Wilhelmina Blvd. 9, is an intimate bar and grill where you can swig a beer while playing a harrowing game of darts. This seaside pub attracts locals and tourists of all ages, most of whom rely on it to serve up a mean pint of Guinness (€4.40). Other beers (14 varieties on tap and 19 in bottles) will cost you slightly less. (☎361 7705; www.harbourlights.nl. Vegetarian entrees €10. Spare ribs €12.50. Other entrees €10-15. Open daily 4pm-1am.)

Sights. Visitors come to Noordwijk for the beach, but they refuse to merely laze under the beating sun. The waves are perfect for surfing—boards, wetsuits, and all other equipment are always available for rent. For some less strenuous fun, take bus #90 toward The Hague and get off at Willem van den Bergh to reach the Space Expo, Keplerlaan 3, a permanent exhibit at the Visitors Center of the ESTEC, the largest branch of the European Space Agency. (☎364 6489; www.space-expo.nl. Open Tu-Su 10am-5pm. €9, ages 4-12 €6.) Across from the VVV is Mini Golf Huis ter Duin, De Grent 3, whose competitive game the Dutch tactfully call “midget golf.” (☎361 8859. Open in summer daily 10am-midnight; in winter Th 10am-midnight. €3.50, children €2.50.)