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If you ever hitchhike through the Netherlands, make sure to hitchhike to Noordwijk and stay there for a while to enjoy a holiday. A holiday in Noordwijk is always thoroughly enjoyable and often repeated. Noordwijk, situated in the dutch province of Zuid-Holland (South Holland), between Amsterdam and the Hague, lies on the coast and has a wide 13 kilometer long sandy beach. Noordwijk is surrounded by ample woodland, wild dunes, and fen land. Noordwijk is in the heart of the "Bollenstreek" (dutch bulb growing area) often called the flower garden of Europe. Above all, Noordwijk is centrally situated and, via a modern network of motorways (extremely useful for hitchhikers), easily accessible from Leiden, Haarlem, Amsterdam, the Hague, and Rotterdam. If you go by plane the national airport, Schiphol is just a half hour drive from Noordwijk. Noordwijk is easily accessible from other countries; Belgium, two to three hours, and Germany, approximately three hours on the road (if you are lucky to get a ride). Noordwijk is also accessible via a frequent public transport service (two to four times per hour). The timetables are planned so as to connect with the most important international train arrivals and departures in Leiden, Haarlem, and the Hague. Noordwijk is a sea-side resort of international fame offering modern four- and five-star hotels, lodgings, cozy hotels, private rooms, an abundance of top restaurants, beautifully situated camping sites, a youth hostel in the dune region, and much acclaimed nightlife. This makes Noordwijk a very varied and pleasant resort. Noordwijk has a dynamic character: numerous events (including two world-famous flowers processions, an international tennis tournament, and an international golf tournament) before, during, and after the high season keep things in full swing twelve months a year. Be it a long weekend, an evening out, a fully catered hotel, a business conference, or an out-of-doors camping excursion, Noordwijk will cater for everyone. The exciting image of Noordwijk has much to do with its natural surroundings, the glittering sea being its main attraction. The sea is ever changing, one day blue and tranquil, the next day dark and wild, full of rolling waves. It is difficult not to feel at one with the elements in Noordwijk. The sea air is always fresh, sometimes just a refreshing whisper. Walking along the 13 kilometre sandy beach, one has this beautiful feeling of absolute freedom. The view from both the north and south promenades offers an impressive vista. As one turns from beach to horizon it seems as if Noordwijk has no boundaries. Daytime ------- Noordwijk's enormous beach is a perfect place to begin any day of your vacation. Once settled on the beach, all you have to do is enjoy the sun, sea, and sand, lazing in the sun, getting an all-around tan. and viewing the sunny spectacle from behind your sunglasses. If you can find the nude beach you'll enjoy the beautiful sight of naked people playing around. Enjoy a refreshing dive into the sparkling sea, padding in the waves, or studying Noordwijk's undulating skyline. Perhaps you can go on a boat trip to view the beach from the sea, go sailing, or if you are more adventurous you can go surfing. Ploughing into the waves is an irresistible experience every time. Other relaxing things that can be done are strolling along the wet sandy shore, flying a kite, or perhaps a beach ball game which gives that "holiday feeling" an extra dimension. If you are worried about safety and service, the Noordwijk Police and Coast Guards keep a constant watch on your safety from their own posts on the beach. Swimmers, for instance, who have gone out too far or behave irresponsibly are closely watched. If need be, a rescue operation can be put into effect with lightning speed. So you don't have to worry about safety and you can enjoy the sunsets. Sunsets are always a true spectacle, watching it at sea even more so. The reflections of colour and light are a fascinating combination. As the evening closes, Noordwijk awakens for the second time... the night time. Delicious food is easy to find in Noordwijk: a tasty meal in a cozy dutch restaurant or a quick snack American-style; an exclusive dinner perhaps with live music in an Indonesian, Chinese, German, Norwegian, French, or Italian specialist restaurant. Evening and Night Time ---------------------- After your evening meal, Noordwijk has plenty to offer in the form of entertainment. Strolling along one of the promenades or perhaps making the most of the beach at this mysterious and romantic time, under a moonlit sky. Browse through the quaint shops or modern shopping arcades. In the summer most of the shops are open daily until 9.00 pm. Enjoy an ice cream, and the firework display from the promenade or one of the street cafes. Visit an exhibition or concert or just meet new holiday friends. Another fascinating pastime is simple watching people as they walk by: very relaxing and always entertaining. Noordwijk is ideally suited for this. Noordwijk is also highly renowned for its sparkling nightlife, especially during the summer months. Each evening its reputation is proved over and over. Enjoy a quaintly lit street cafe or bar with live-music, or a rural tavern for intimate conversation over a glass of wine. Dance in one of the many pulsating discos with their laser-light shows (visible in a radius of 20 miles) and pounding beat. Visit a pub for a game of darts or snooker and enjoy different types of English and European beers. The bars and discos are all open until two o'clock during the high season. In the Spring ------------- In the spring the region is in bloom. The whole areas are alive with the colour and floating scent from the glorious bulb fields. The flowers are also paraded at this time in the world famous "Bloemencorso," the flower pageant. This is an impressive sight, consisting of beautifully prepared floats on which an infinite fresco of colours are displayed. The pageant is paraded for miles throughout the region and ends its journey here in Noordwijk. Marching bands and dance formations accompany the vast procession. During one of the busiest weekend in the year the floats are displayed, all weekend, along the northern promenade. The locals also decorate the community with flower mosaics, flower chains and other floral decorations turning the village into a true dream world. The national flower exhibition gardens at the "Keukenhof," situated just a few mile from Noordwijk, opens its gates in the spring, enchanting hundreds of thousands admirers each year. A visit to this enormous flower garden, a former herbary belonging to Jacoba van Beieren, is highly recommended and will prove an unforgettable experience. In the Autumn and Winter ------------------------ In autumn and winter, Noordwijk's natural beauty undergoes a change. The sea becomes wilder, showing a darker more awesome side of its character. Rolling white waves becoming more frequent and powerful. The dune flora turning to beautiful shades and grasses taking on new forms. Natures intermezzo, a necessary hibernation of the purest from keeping nature in its natural balance. Understandably this atmosphere of peace and tranquility, the breathing of new life, can benefit many people. Trade and industry use Noordwijk at this time of year for their conferences, courses, seminars, and other business venues, for which Noordwijk seems purposely built. It is obviously very refreshing and inspiring to take a stroll along the promenades or beach replenishing oneself for tomorrow's new challenges. At this time of year Noordwijk is an ideal spot for long weekends or a few days away from it all. Special arrangements available through the VVV, the Dutch tourist office, make Noordwijk an ideal location for a vacation or conference. Rectification ------------- Don't believe everything which is said above. This is not a inside story of Noordwijk. Some inside tips follows right now. Although Noordwijk has two promenades the only one interesting enough to go to is the north promenade. Every time of year and day it is a nice place to walk, eat, drink, or sleep. The south promenade is usually a boring place so it's not worth going there. Only if you want to sleep somewhere you might go there. There are a few nice hotels which are cheaper then those on the north promenade but they have the same beautiful view over the sea. The nicest hotel is Huis ter Duin - a very beautiful and nice hotel, but also very expensive (more then 300 dollars a night). Other hotels are cheaper. You can find hotels in the range of 20 to 300 dollars a night. If you want to go cheaper you most sleep in private homes. Lots of people rent part of their houses to foreign people (often Germans). It costs about 10 to 20 dollar a night, with breakfast the next morning. If you want to sleep in such rooms look for plates which say "Zimmers, Rooms, Kamers." Even cheaper places to sleep are the campings, but they are quite a distance from the sea. Nice places to be after you spent your day on the beach are the bars and cafes on the street called De Grent. Usually its very crowded so you want to look for a better place. You can go to the promenade but the prices are higher. Best thing you can do is buy a bottle of wine at a shop and drink it on the beach, enjoying the sunset. It's relaxing, beautiful, and cheap. During autumn and winter this might seems cold and wet, but then the bars and cafes are not as crowded so you can go there. If you want to go to the beach only to lie on the sand you can watch topless naked women and men. You can see beautiful nice young women, but also very fat old people. If you want to see more than only topless people you have to walk several miles to the north. There lies the nude beach so you can see more than only chests. The only problem is you also most take of your all your stuff and go naked as well. If you don't like the beach at all, even with naked people on it, you can go to the dunes with are very beautiful. Or you can walk through the nice woods near the dunes. You can see quite a few rabbits, bunnies, deer, and if you lucky even foxes. Also a lot of different and rare birds are waiting to be spotted by you. But place be kind to nature and only walk on the roads. If you go to the dunes during the spring you can find blackberries. You can collect them to make into jam and juice. It tastes very well. If you want to know how to make it please contact me. Also you can go miniature golfing. There are two nice places: one between the north and the south promenades, and one in the middle of the village. Also you can go bowling. You can't miss the place. A huge ninepin is staying at the place. A lot of other things can be done, but there is something you can not do. There is no cinema in Noordwijk, so if you want to go to the pictures you have to go to Leiden, Haarlem, or the Hague. Luckily those places are each to reach by car and public transport. You can also visit the Space Expo. An expo showing everything about space and spacecrafts. It's worth visiting it. It lies near Katwijk (don't go to that village, it really sucks) next to Estec (on Noordwijk's property). Estec is Europe's main satellite testing area. It's also Noordwijk's main employer (except by the tourism branch). If you can visit it (almost impossible, but I went there so you most take my word for it) you will be astonished by all things happening there. It's very huge and very beautiful. You might even see parts of rockets like the Ariana 5 (a European rocket to launch satellites). But as said it is hard to get a tour. Concluding, it must be said Noordwijk is the most beautiful sea-side resort of the Netherlands.