Ostend and the Belgium Coast - Ostend and the Belgium Coast

Nordic Walking	De Kust	08/03/2008	16/03/2008
Nautic�08	Westende	26/04/2008	27/04/2008
Beach Run	Koksijde	18/07/2008	18/07/2008
Halloween parade	Koksijde	31/10/2008	31/10/2008
Beach Endurance	De Panne	07/12/2008	07/12/2008
Snow in the city	Nieuwpoort	24/12/2008	04/01/2009

What's on details are here.

Deals-sur-Mer
Have you taken advantage of the great seaside hotel deals on offer yet? If you haven�t, the deals get even better between 18th February and 21st March at the coast. Whatever your preference, big or small, luxury or traditional, you�ll find a low-season rate to suit your budget. We have a summary of participating hotels for you right here. Simply make your choice, book online and enjoy a relaxing pre-spring break by the sea.

Favourite seaside resort
If you have a favourite seaside resort you want to know more about, take a look at our new locality brochures. click here

Einstein in De Haan
The statue of Albert Einstein adorns the recently refurbished square at the Normandi�laan in De Haan. In 1933, Einstein held his famous meeting with James Ensor and other dignitaries at the nearby former hotel Coeur Volant. For more information, please visit www.dehaan.be

Six Starred Restaurants at the Coast
In the new 2007 Michelin guide for Belgium and Luxemburg six restaurants at the Coast have been awarded a star. �Philippe Nuyens� in Blankenberge is a newcomer. �La Maison Vandamme� has not received a new star. The other starred restaurants at the Coast are �The Fox� (De Panne), �t Molentje (Zeebrugge), De Oosthoek (Knokke-Heist), Jardin Tropical (Knokke-Heist) and Bartholomeus (Knokke-Heist).

Ter Helme Renewed
The Ter Helme holiday resort in Oostduinkerke has presented its new accommodation. Studios and flats have been renovated. Companies and organisations are using the convention facilities more and more in combination with a short holiday. More information on: www.terhelme.be

Camper Site in Nieuwpoort
Nieuwpoort is the first to have a permit for a camper site in Flanders. Campers are becoming ever more popular. The �Zwerver� site is a closed off ground with basic facilities. More information on: www.nieuwpoort.be.

Belle Epoque Centre to Open in Blankenberge
Next year a new Belle Epoque Centre is to be opened in Blankenberge. The centre will be located within a cluster of three protected houses near the Saint Rochus church. The neighbourhood has over a hundred registered Belle Epoque houses that date back to the start of the 20th Century. The idea of the visitor�s centre is to introduce people to the rich historical past of Blankenberge. For more information: www.blankenberge.be.

Heist Bay to Be First Nature Reserve at Sea
The Bay of Heist is Belgium�s first nature reserve at sea. The new wildlife area located in front of the western beach of Heist and the Zeebrugge harbour has a size of 6,76 square kilometres. It is renowned as a breeding ground for seabirds. More information: www.knokke-heist.info

Visit Oostende by Segway
Tourisme Oostende and Segway Events present a novelty: city tours by Segway. The Segway, awarded the prize for the most innovative invention of 2003, is a self-balancing vehicle for personal transportation that was specifically designed for pedestrians. The vehicle consists of a steering wheel and two wheels connected by a bearing surface to support the driver. More information www.toerisme-oostende.be

An Abundance of Cycling Routes
The cycling route maps of the Ommeland near Bruges are ready. This is the ideal moment to combine your holiday at the Coast with a cycling trip. You can start and end at the seaside, but you can also discover the hinterland and even stop over for a night. From May onwards your trip will be even more interesting because the whole coastline will be reachable through the Coastal cycling network. More information can be found on www.fietsen-wandelen.be

Booking Accommodation
Book online here.

Mobile Home Ground In Westende
Flanders Tourism is constructing a mobile home ground in Westende. This is a first for the coast. There will be room for over 40 mobile homes. Mobile home owners will also be able to use on-site facilities like drains and water taps. The mobile home site is due by summer.

European Award For Coastal Tram
At a European convention on sustainable tourism in Vienna the Coastal tram has received an award. The convention hosted a competition by the European Commission on mobility and tourism. De Lijn won the second prize with their Coastal tram campaign. De Lijn offers inexpensive combined tickets for coastal attractions. The campaign was seen by the jury as an example of how public transport can support sustainable tourism.

Just Another Lighthouse
Lighthouses have always been surrounded by a hint of mystery. But they're just a practical means of bringing ships safely to harbour. Or are they? What's the story behind the lighthouses at the Flemish Coast? Are you familiar with the 'High Light' or do you prefer the 'Low Light'? More details here.

Shrimp Catching On Horseback
Shrimp catching on horseback can only be found at Koksijde. It's a unique folkloric spectacle that can be seen on the beach of Oostduinkerke (located near the Astridplein) throughout the year. Click here for more details.

The Ferry
Would you like to view Nieuwpoort from the Eastern palisade? Then take the ferry. It will bring you from palisade to palisade. The ferry service runs from sunrise to sunset.

Weather forecast/Webcams
Bredene, De Panne, Blankenberge, Knokke, Koksijde, Koksijde 2, Nieuwpoort, Oostduinkerke, Oostende 1, Oostende 2, Oostende 3 here. Weather forecast here

Golf Course at Koksijde-Oostduinkerke
The Coast will have a new golf course soon. The Flemish Government has given a 'thumbs up' for the building of the Hof ter Hille golf course in Koksijde. It will be an ecological course of 18 holes on a terrain of 207.6 acres. The world famous golf course architect Jeremy Pern is counselling the project developers.

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