The Wadden Islands rim the northern and northwestern coasts of the Netherlands. These five vacation islands—Texel, Vlieland, Terschelling, Ameland and Schiermonnikoog—lie north of Amsterdam. They're great for bird-watching, sailing, cycling, beach strolling and enjoying peace and quiet.
We particularly enjoy Vlieland and Schiermonnikoog—both islands are pedestrians only. You can walk between some of the islands at low tide, when the water recedes and the area becomes a large mudflat. The Dutch call this practice wadlopen (mud walking), and we strongly recommend going with a guide. It's easy to get disoriented on the wide, flat mud plains and you don't want to be caught there when the tide comes back in. http://dutch-frisian-islands.com.
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