If you look at a map of the Netherlands, you will notice a chain of North Sea islands stretching from the north of the mainland city of Van Helder and running in a line that flows into Denmark. These are the Wadden Islands. The largest and most western is called Texel (pronounced “Tessel”). Texel is a living paradise, full of marine life and surf. Low tides expose large amounts of the seafloor, and you can take a tour to marvel at the exposed marine life.
Getting around the island of Texel
Walking and biking are popular on the island. You can get around the island by bus, but the bike paths make getting around on two wheels easy. The southern cycle route takes you to De Petten Lake, home to refuges, oystercatchers, lapwing, avocets, and black-headed gulls.
For avid wildlife fans, winter is a great time to travel to the island of Texel. About a third of Texel is protected by the nature reserve, and Texel is a winter home for raptors and geese.
Don’t miss EcoMare, a visitor center in De Koog that will give you context for all the nature you are seeing. It also has a bird sanctuary, a dune park, and a wildlife museum; you can watch the seals feed at 11am and 3pm
You can buy a combo ticket at EcoMare that includes the Maritime Museum and Beachcombers in Oudeschild and the Historical Chamber in Den Burg.
There are only seven villages on the island of Texel:
- De Cocksdorp
- The Koog
- the Waal
- Den Burg (la ciudad más grande de la isla)
- Den Hoorn
- Oosterend
- Oudeschild
This makes Texel seem smaller than it is, but there are many tourist resources. The tourist office offers a good interactive map of the island that you can fill in with the tourist resources that interest you.
How to get to the island of Texel
The island of Texel is about two and a half hours from Amsterdam. You can take the train to Den Helder in North Holland, where there is a bus that takes you to the ferry every 12 minutes after the hour. For routes, timetables and costs, see: Amsterdam to Texel. You can change the starting city to whatever you want to see how to get to Texel from anywhere.
Where to stay on the island of Texel
There are many historic hotels on the island of Texel in the cities below (book directly):
- Den Burg
- De Cocksdorp
- The Koog
- Oudeschild
If you search the Internet, you will also find many small bed and breakfasts.
