Knokke-Heist Favorites

Favorite thing: Along the Belgian Coast, you'll find a lot of dunes. A lot of people like to sunbathe in the dunes because there's more privacy and less wind. In Knokke-Heist, there is still an area of dunes between Heist and Duinbergen with a walking path.

Favorite thing: In Heist I met Helga & Walter for the second time in a week, and Filip for the second time in 2 days ;-) It was the first time that Susan and Helga had met, but they got along really well - talking about near air-disasters! ;-S

Favorite thing: At the Belgian seaside (not only in Knokke, but everywhere along the coast) you can hire so-called "billekarren". From very small ones for kids in the shape of an animal to huge ones for upto 10 people. This is great fun for both children and grown-ups. You can drive your vehicle on the promenade along the shore and sometimes also in the streets. If you want to drive on the streets, it is safer to take the quiet streets only!

Fondest memory: Billekarren are usually rented by the hour.
By the way, also rollerblades can be rented. And usual bikes of course, for half a day or a day.

Favorite thing: Knokke has a total of 12 km of sandy beaches. On many locations you can hire sunbeds for half a day, a day, or the duration of your stay.
During the summer dogs are now allowed on the beach!
During the off-season the beaches are more deserted and you can walk your dog or go horseback riding.

Favorite thing: The Zwin is the most important area of mud flacks and salt marshes in Belgium. The big natural value of the Zwin is due to this direct influence of the seawater.
The Zwin is also a breeding place for many different birds, for the winterguests for instance, birds coming from the extreme North.
Also the vegetation is special, with flowers and plants that like the salted marsh.

Fondest memory: The Zwin opens at 9.00 a.m. and closes at 7.00 p.m. from Easter till September, at 5.00 p.m. from October till Easter.
Closed on Wednesdays from November till the end of March.
Info: phone +32 50 607086 - Fax +32 50 622000 - E-mail: infozwin@zwin.be
Guided walks every Sunday at 10.00 a.m., also on Thursday from Easter till September. Guided walks during the whole year on written request (Graaf Léon Lippenslaan 8 - B-8300 Knokke-Heist).

Fondest memory: It was only a couple of days before that we had met Steve (Steventilly) for the first time in York, and here he was again, together with his lovely wife Susan and another VT member, I already met in Oostende, Filip (Filipdebont). They wanted to see Sail Brugge 2002, so we invited them to watch the parade from the beach in Heist. It was a lovely day, with a lot of sun, drinking, eating, watching the tall sailing ships and chatting.

Favorite thing: Heist has a lovely wide promenade just behind the beach - you can walk the entire length from Knokke to Heist and almost this whole length is lined with hotels, shops, cafes or apartments, and with the lovely sandy beach at the other side.

Fondest memory: When the water is low, you can watch lovely images in the sand made by low tide flood. This is beach art ;-)