Spectacular expanse, salty air and unique unspoiltness. With its natural spectacle of tides, the Wadden Sea attracts far more tourists each year than Neuschwanstein Castle and the Brandenburg Gate combined. Who now fears overcrowded beaches, I can reassure. Due to its almost intangible size, you can enjoy the spectacle of the tides all to yourself, if you want to.
The Wadden Sea stretches 450 km from Den Helden in the Netherlands along Germany's north coast to the west of Denmark, and with a total area of 14,900 km² it is the largest Wadden Sea in the world. Nowhere else can the change between low and high tide be experienced more clearly.
On the North Sea coast, the sea retreats up to 40 km and puts the islands of North Friesland on dry land. Thus, at low tide, to get from island to island, you can, or rather must, leave the boat and start your way on foot.
Whether starting from the coast of the North Frisian mainland or from one of the islands, the mudflat hike is a must for anyone who not only wants to see the tides, but experience them. On average, the sea grants all nature-loving mudflat hikers six hours, until low tide is followed by high tide again. Nature makes no exceptions, so keep a close eye on the clock or book a guided tour. This not only reduces the risk of falling victim to the tide, but also provides a highly interesting insight into the flora and fauna of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In spring and autumn, birdwatchers in particular get their money's worth like nowhere else. 10 to 12 million migratory birds use the soil of one of the world's most fertile natural landscapes to rest on their way to their summer or winter quarters. If you want to actively experience nature instead of passively watching the birds, you should visit East or North Friesland in the summer months to see the world-famous lugworm, shore crabs and co. with your own eyes.
The Wadden Sea is divided into three national parks, the Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg and Lower Saxony Wadden Sea together form the largest nature reserve in Germany and overwhelms with its untouched beauty and its intangible vastness. And exactly these two points, I would like to get personal, are what inspire me every time and make sure that I can switch off here at the Wadden Sea like nowhere else.
Because sometimes the greatest thing is to feel very small.
