A remote world… right on your doorstep TEXT: EVA MENGER | PHOTOS: PRINS HENDRIK HOTEL & BUNGALOW PARK
As the largest Dutch Wadden Island, Texel is known for its many great restaurants, cosy villages and liveliness. With a population of over 13,000, it’s hardly uninhabited, and its reachable location has made it an incredibly popular tourist spot. But there’s a different side to the island: on the eastern corner, far away from the crowd, you’ll find Prins Hendrik Hotel & Bungalow Park, a hidden gem offering nature, peace and quiet. Founded by Floris Dekker in 1911, the hotel is named after Princess Wilhemina’s 26 | Issue 65 | May 2019
husband Prince Hendrik. The island used to be his favourite spot to hunt for seals, though rumour has it that hunting for women was equally high on his agenda. Over 100 years later, the hotel has become the perfect base for guests looking to explore the Wadden Sea and its nearby bird boulevard. “Our location is the perfect antidote to a busy and stressful lifestyle,” owners Ernst Weijschede and Ingeborg Noordam confirm.
Nature in all its glory Whether it’s the Wadden Sea (also a great spot for oyster picking), the vast number
of bird species flying around or the island’s very own breed of sheep, a visit to Texel brings you straight back to nature. As the world’s largest unbroken system of mud flats and intertidal sand, UNESCO listed the Wadden Sea as a World Heritage Site. Throughout most of the area, natural processes and eco-systems are undisturbed, making a walk alongside these stretches of land – the locals call it mudflat hiking – an extraordinary experience. Seals like it there too, so keep your eyes peeled! What’s more, the hotel is right around the corner from Europe’s longest bird boule-