Zoutelande fascinates with its beach, sun and North Sea as a family-friendly holiday destination in the south-west of the Netherlands. The picturesque landscape of Walcheren around the small town consists of dunes and dykes, lined with windmills and narrow rivers. Active holidaymakers use the wind and waves for kitesurfing or surfing. Campers with dogs can take long walks along the coast of the Zeeland Riviera. Nature lovers enjoy camping with children on a farm in the quiet village of around 1,500 inhabitants.

Special features of camping in Zoutelande

With two churches, several appealing restaurants and shops as well as a campsite, Holland lovers can expect a relaxing holiday in Zoutelande. Families will quickly find like-minded people at the popular bungalow and holiday home park Het Kustlicht. As in many places in Zeeland, guests at the campsites in Zoutelande are not far from the sea. With Ardoer Vakantiepark De Meerpaal, which has charming holiday chalets in addition to the classic pitches, Strandcamping Valkenisse, Camping Weltevreden and the Werendijke mini campsite, there are some wonderful campsites in the region. The paths lead idyllically over bridges and dykes, past the dunes and to the only south-facing beach in the Netherlands. If you would rather be active on land than swimming, you can discover the rugged coastline by cycling along the hamlets of Boudewijnskerke to Werendijke. A day on the golf course is also one of the promising activities on offer in the province of Zeeland.

Journey

From the centre of Germany to Zoutelande, guests travel up to 500 km or more. The journey from the north is the shortest, while visitors from southern Bavaria have to travel more kilometres. If the journey starts in Cologne, holidaymakers will reach their campsite in Zoutelande after around 300 km. Motorhome drivers generally take the A52 motorway for this route until they reach the Mönchengladbach junction and continue on the A61 towards Venlo. Just after Kaldenkirchen, travellers cross the border into the Netherlands and stay on the A73 towards Eindhoven for a while.

It makes sense to fill up before crossing the border into the Netherlands, as higher petrol prices are to be expected in the neighbouring country. Of course, the prescribed speed limits now also apply to motorists. The Dutch stick to 100 kilometres per hour on their motorways. During the summer months and holiday season, the roads in the Netherlands are very busy. Follow the signs for the A58/E312 motorway in the direction of Breda/Tilburg. At the Knooppunt Zoomland motorway junction, campers now head towards Bergen op Zoom/Antwerp/Vlissingen. Stay on the motorway for the next 62.5 km until you reach the junction at Roompotstraat in Zoutelande and the campsite.

Top 5 sights

• Zeeland Riviera: Holland's only southern beach and the beaches of Dishoek and Westkapelle are perfect for sunbathing.
• 9-hole golf course: The course in Zoutelande is a work of art by Belgian architect Bruno Steensels.
• Windmill in Zoutelande: The corn mill on Molenweg with its 22 metre high wheel cross has been standing since 1722 and continued to grind grain until the 1970s.
• De Sergeant: The 12.8 metre high lighthouse from 1951 shows ships the right way into the Oostgat channel with its white light.
• Catharinakerk of the Nederlands Hervormde Kerk: The church, built around 1270, has a tower with fragments of brick Gothic architecture that will delight culture lovers.

Top 3 insider tips

• Mini camping on a farm: Family-friendly holidays among cattle, hay and vegetable gardens are also offered in Zoutelande in summer by private individuals who provide a place to camp.
• The light of Zeeland: it has inspired famous Dutch painters such as Van Gogh. Anyone who sits down by the sea with an easel and brush is guaranteed to find a suitable motif thanks to the special incidence of light.
• Bike and kite hire: Visitors can also hire a typical Dutch bike in Zoutelande and explore the region. With a kite in their luggage, guests have plenty of space for their tricks at low tide.

Activities and excursions

Sports tournaments on the beach or island hopping to the next island add variety to your camping holiday.

Island magic around Schouwen-Duiveland

A trip to Zeeland's northernmost peninsula offers plenty of leisure activities for the whole family. The waters of Zijpe, Mastgat and Keten as well as the North Sea lie around Schouwen-Duiveland and are ideal for boat and ship tours. Visitors can reach the next island, Noord-Beveland, via dams. Hikers can explore the large Kop van Schouwen nature reserve and the impressive Zeeland forest area on many paths and trails. The Oosterschelde National Park, which at 340 square kilometres is the largest in the country, fascinates visitors with its fabulous underwater world. Divers will find suitable spots on the Grevelingenmeer.

Zoutelande sporty

The beach volleyball tournament at the Branding beach pavilion in Zoutelande brings together beach enthusiasts of all ages. If you want to play golf but don't have a licence, you can do so at the public course Kustlicht Golf Zoutelande, which is located on a road. Campers with bicycles can try out the region's various Fiks-Knoppunten, designated cycle routes. Not too strenuous, guests can cycle to the beautiful neighbouring towns of Westkapelle or Ostkapelle, for example, as well as to the town of Vlissingen, which visitors can also reach on foot via the beach.

Events

Throughout the year, visitors to Zoutelande can look forward to a wide range of events, from sporting challenges to traditional and original festivities, which reflect the sociability of the Dutch.

April

• King's Day: On the national day of the Dutch, 27 April, there are also a number of activities in Zoutelande, especially for younger guests. A flea market, children's disco and darts tournaments make this day by the sea something very special. In keeping with tradition, the locals dress in the Dutch colours of orange and white.

July

• Ring Riding Zoutelande: The popular sport on the Walcheren peninsula has enjoyed great popularity for generations. In the spectacle of the century, the team participants have to stab a ring with a lance from horseback. The event is particularly attractive when the sporting skill is performed by old decorated horse-drawn carriages and Zoutelanders in appropriate traditional costumes. The best traditional outfit is chosen, as are the winners of the ring riding competition.

October

• Zeeland Kustmarathon: For one weekend, long-distance runners compete in Zoutelande for their personal best time. The annual stage in Burgh-Haamstede starts and finishes at the eye-catching bronze statue of a runner.

Gastronomy

Visitors travelling to the coast of Zeeland naturally enjoy the typical Dutch seafood and fish cuisine: cod, prawns in every conceivable size and preparation as well as matjes between two halves of a bread roll are always suitable as a small lunch when camping. If you like to go to a restaurant in the evening, you will also find many fish and lobster dishes on the menu. The cod fillet Lekkerbek is famous in the country. This is fried in batter until golden brown and, as is customary in Holland, served with chips. It is served with mayonnaise. The Dutch patat also tastes homemade at the chip stand. Meanwhile, the kids and those with a sweet tooth are on the lookout for something sweet on the campsite: The Dutch "pannekoeken" are freshly prepared almost everywhere in all variations and can be eaten in the hand.

Best time to visit

The summer months of June to August attract holidaymakers and locals to camping in Zoutelande. Bathing enthusiasts warm up on the beach at peak temperatures of up to 28 degrees Celsius. To cool off, guests of all ages like to jump into the water, which is around 20 degrees Celsius. In late summer or in the spring month of May, many holidaymakers hop on a Dutch bike and discover the province of Zeeland on short or long routes. The temperatures are mild and the wind only blows gently, making long walks on the beach with the whole family a great way to enjoy a campervan holiday. Crab and mussel hunting is a popular pastime for guests from spring to autumn.