Sleeping with the Dutch: Landal Sluftervallei
Texel is one of the beautiful places to spend a vacation in The Netherlands. The island has a pristine sandy beaches, breathtaking nature reserves, amazing gastronomy and a purity that makes for a wonderful vacation destination. The first time I visited Texel, I fell head-over-heels in love with the island. We stayed at holiday park Landal Sluftervallei and I really feel this is an excellent place to stay. Read my review here.
Plan your trip to Texel, The Netherlands
- It’s possible to travel to Texel by either car or public transport.
- If you travel by train, there is a direct train from Amsterdam to Den Helder from where you take the ferry to Texel. Once arrived on the island, you will have to rely on local busses or rent an e-bike, like lots of people do.
- You may want to drive to Den Helder, either with your own car or a rental car, to be more flexible, once you get to the island.
- The ferry to Texel is operated by Teso and runs hourly. If you travel by car it’s adisable to book your ferry ticket in advance.
- The holiday park Landal Sluftervallei is located in the beautiful northern tip of the island.
- Read about all the top things to do on Texel.
About Landal Sluftervallei
The entire island of Texel is stunning. I spent my week there in complete awe. The landscape, where nature meets the sea is something out of this world and I ever thought dunes could be so varied in flora. And the holiday park is located in the middle of the most beautiful National Park: De Slufter, which is part of Texel Dunes.
De Slufter is a unique piece of nature, as it has an open connection to the North Sea. Since the water is brackish, lots of plants in the national park are salt-tolerant. For example, salicornia and sea lavender, which colour the dunes of De Slufter its iconic purple all through summer. Most of De Slufter is a bird breeding and resting area and eiders and shelducks use the park as their nursery. Crabs, shrimp and flatfish inhabit de Sluftergeul.
And the best part: the holiday park is located in the middle of this stunning nature park. Through the many exits of the park, you can simply walk to the beach through this beautiful setting and reach the beach within ten minutes.
The cottages of Landal Sluftervallei
Holiday park Sluftervallei offers cottages that can host up to twelve people. Some of the newer and larger cottages are brand new, have beautifully thatched roofs and stand amongst the dunes and their lovely wildflowers. We stayed in a cottage suitable for six people, with three three bedrooms one of them being a proper master bedroom. We also enjoyed a well-equiped kitchen and cosy living room, some even with a fireplace. Every cottage has its own garden, with matching patio furniture. It was lovely to sit outside amongst the dunes, enjoying the sun. Kids can play here safely as all gardens are surrounded by natural hedges. In summer, you also have the opportunity to go glamping at Landal Sluftervallei and rent a safari tent surrounded by the Texel dunes.
At the time we were travelling with our 3 month old son and we were worried about what we should pack. We shouldn’t have worried as everything for babies and children is available and can be added on your booking. There are baby beds, baths and even play pins available.
Landal Sluftervallei: facilities
Landal Sluftervallei is located near the village De Cocksdorp where you will find a large supermarket, nice shops, cafés, restaurants and some places to get take-out food. But if you don’t feel like leaving the holiday park you’ll have all you need right on the park premises. The holiday park has a little shop where you can buy everything for your breakfast and lunches and to cook a simple meal. There are also toys available, swimming aids and reading material, toys and games. I really enjoyed the restaurant at Landal Sluftervallei. The menu contained a variation of vegetarian, fish and meat dishes, some of them prepared with local and organic produce, some of which can’t be had anywhere outside Texel. The outdoor terrace is the perfect place to enjoy the sun with a cool drink and some snacks. If you rather eat in, you can buy a variety of snacks and things like pizza in the snackbar.
Kids will absolutely adore Landal Sluftervallei. The holiday park had multiple outdoor playground, suitable for little ones as well as older children, there’s a mini-golf course and an year round entertainment program. The indoor swimming pool is a big bonus. And of course, the beach is just a stone’s throw away.
Top things to do near Landal Sluftervallei, Texel
Ecomare
Ecomare was originally created to refuge wounded seals and orhpaned seal pups from the Waddenzee. But it has evolved to one of the most interesting nature museums in The Netherlands. Definitely worth a visit when you’re staying on Texel.
Texel Dunes National Park
Landal Sluftervalleis is nestles in Texel Dunes National Park in the western part of Texel where grass-covered dunes meer with sea buckthorn and marsh orchids. You can join ranger-led walks through the nature reserve at Ecomare or get a map to plan your own hike.
Eierland Lighthouse
Just a stone’s throw away from Landal Sluftervallei is Texel hisrorical 35 meter high lighthouse. It’s standing tall surrounded by a beautiful dune landscape. Climb the 153 steps for a beautiful views across the island.
Texelse Bierbrouwerij
Having a beer or taking a tour around Texelse Bierbrouwerij is absolutely one of the top things to do on Texel. The tour takes 45 minutes, is very informative and includes four tastes. This particular beer can be tasted anyhere around the island.
De Zelfpluktuin
A visit to De Pluktuin in Texel is my favourite thing to do on the island. From May until October you can pick all kinds of berries on the 3 hectare of land, as well as have a coffee and some local treats in the café.
't Pakhuus
Texel has many (!) amazing restaurants and it’s difficult to pick just one. But I really recommend having lunch or dinner at ‘t Pakhuus in dreamy fisherman’s village Oudeschild. The restaurant offers amazing seafood. A real must-try.
Landal Sluftervallei, Texel
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7 Comments
Angela Vincent
June 27, 2019 at 7:30 pmI have never heard of Texel but it sounds and looks just delightful. A wonderful place for a family holiday, #farawayfiles
Lauren
June 28, 2019 at 11:57 amI feel like there are so many hidden Dutch gems- I’d love to see more of the country! Hopefully when I’m here in Europe, I’ll have more time 🙂
Sarah
June 28, 2019 at 3:34 pmI am always learning about new and off-the-beaten path destinations in the Netherlands from you. I had never heard of Texel before but it looks like a lovely and relaxing getaway.
Lauren
June 28, 2019 at 10:29 pmWhat a beautiful location! I never think of the Netherlands having “beach towns” but this one seems amazing. Pinning for future reference! #feetdotravel
Rhonda Albom
June 30, 2019 at 12:59 pmThe cottage looks lovely and perfect for the little one. It’s just the type of place I used to stay in when my kids were young. Having your own garden will make it very homey.
Scarlett
July 1, 2019 at 3:37 amI had never heard of Texel, but we would love to visit one day! I love the little wildflowers in the dunes, and the cottages were adorable. Thank you for sharing this stunning destination.
Sharon
July 1, 2019 at 6:03 pmSometimes it is nice to stay in one place and have a kitchen and your own cottage when you travel. Texel looks like such a relaxing location, too. What a great find!