After a long time being first on my list – Vama Veche – it came a time when the desire to explore around it made me find some magical places close to the border. I’ve discovered special places, wild beaches on the coast, very close to the border with Bulgaria.
Regarding the accommodation, there are several options: stay in Vama Veche, and have day trips to Bulgaria, book a place in Bulgaria, where you can find fully equipped apartments on Booking or stay at tent or van. I chose the Booking option and found the ideal place in…
Kavarna, 25 minutes from the border, with 35 euros per night for a fully equipped two-bedroom apartment.
Booking.com
Info:
- At most restaurants one can pay in Lei or by card (very few). If you want Leva, there is an exchange office right at the border when you reach the Bulgarian side and if you go through the small coast towns like Kavarna, you can exchange at a bank.
- The vignette for Bulgaria can be purchased right at the border, the minimum period is 6 days and costs 15 leva, equivalent for aprox 40 Lei. It is necessary to glue the vignette on the windshield.
- GPS is a real help. There are also signs, but not all of them have Latin characters, I have troubles trying to decrypt them from the car rush. If your data traffic is restricted in roaming, you can download the area map to your phone for offline use.
- For those who are limited by budget or simply want flexibility – a freezer can do wonders and nice picnics. Some beaches have no places to buy anything, such as Krapec; for others, the options are very limited.
I’ve visited lots of places, but I’ll write about the ones I liked the most.
1. Durankulak – beach, lake & sea
Coming from the border, the first village you’ll see is Durankulak. From here the way to the beach takes no more than 15 minutes. The road reaches to the parking of a camping and a very simple restaurant. You can also follow the road parallel to the sea which has the lake on the right, but the sand can be quite tricky on the vehicles so you better watch out.
2. Krapec – quiet and fine sand
This beach is known for the peace which lies here. You can bring a van, a tent, the Krapec camping prices are here. The beach has a pine tree barrier and takes you towards Ezerets, next on list.
Map.
3. Ezerets – camping in the pine wood
About 20 kilometers from the border, after Ezerts village, at the end of a coniferous forest lies one of the most beautiful beaches I have been to. Its length, also its width, are considerable; there are very few people, it is the ideal place to listen to the secrets of the sea. Do not be discouraged if you do not find it at first, the place is not nearly signaled, but you can find the access link below.
If you want to bring your tent, consider bringing water with you because I haven’t seen any water sources around, except an ecological toilet near the only restaurant in the area.
Map.
4. Russalka – Rocky landscape
The first thing I thought when I saw this place was that this can’t be on the Black Sea coast! We have arrived in Greece or Sardinia. Ha, ha. Well, no. Once you have passed the barrier where you will pay 6 Leva for access (you have nothing included in this money than the parking space that may be on the green space), turn left, follow the paved road and park. Going to the sea you will see a trail descending to the water. The beach is small, with stones and semi-fine sand. The access to the sea is rocky, but at least for sight, it is worth visiting the place. Unfortunately, the area is not being maintained, the bushes became a toilet, because there is no toilet around. You should bring water with you. The beach is part of a complex named Russalka Resort, which stretches to the right of the barrier, but for visiting the holiday village you will find that you have to pay another 6 Leva per person. As a direction, coming from the village of Gorun, on the national road, turn left towards Kavarna then left again.
Map.
5. Bolata – The ideal beach
Bolata Bay is not easy to find, on the last part of the road coming from the coast you will be accompanied by reed towards the beach; the view and tranquility found here are truly wonderful. Bolata Bay is in the Kaliakra Nature Reserve. Here you will find fine sand and a clean sea. By noon, the area is populated, most of the tourists are Romanian. On the left and right of the bay rise tall rocks which provide spectacular landscapes from above. That, provided you have a pair of closed shoes for climbing. As you look to the sea, on the right side of the bay there are ladders that show you to the top.
There’s only one ice cream machine, apart from that you don’t have anything on the beach to eat or drink. Again, the freezer saved the situation and helped us have a great picnic.
6. Topola – chic
A small and extremely chic beach, I recommend to come as early as possible, because the afternoon sun hides some of it quickly. For locating it, if you follow signs leading towards the Thracian Cliffs resort on the main road, you will end up on a road that reminds you of the Côte d’Azur view. Before arriving at Thracian Cliffs, on the right, there’s a parking which costs 5 leva/day. You can leave the car there or on the road, and walk the last part to your destination.
7. Thracian Cliffs Resort
This resort is designed for golfers, but also for those who want to enjoy the spectacular view of the landscape. You can eat at any of the on-site restaurants, the most beautiful are on the beach. And close to the beach, there are two superb gems that you can enjoy: Bendida Beach and Argata Beach. Everything happens at a cost, of course: 35 Leva, that is about 80 lei for two people (mattress, umbrella, 2 towels). Within the complex, access to the beaches or the golf course is done with buggy. For a complete experience, you can stay in one of the apartments and also take golf lessons.
OTHER PLACES
Cap Kaliakra
In the same area of the beaches mentioned above there’s also the Kaliakra complex, an easy-to-access archaeological area. As you come from the E87 national road, before leaving Kavarna, turn left at the indicator. The car parking is right at the entrance to the archaeological site. The entrance costs 2 Leva (about 1 Euro). The history of the city was tumultuous, being occupied by Greeks, Romans and then the Turks destroyed it almost entirely in the 15th century. Legend has it that 40 virgins have thrown from the rocks into the sea so as not to fall prey to the Turks. Cape Kaliakra is a peninsula surrounded by the sea. The area is part of the same natural reserve as Bolata beach. From here on there are excavations showing the Roman dwellings or baths, and a rock museum is also found on the top. Within the complex there is a restaurant with a beautiful view, but it is recommended to have cash.
Black Sea Rama Resort
Another visit, another resort for golf lovers. Different than the Thracian Cliffs, this resort offers golf courses, swimming pool villas, restaurant, “new” ruins and loooots of green. 🙂
There is no access to the beach within the complex because it is a bit far from the seashore and one can admire only the view from above.
Dalboka Mussel Farm
I left for the end one of the experiences I do not recommend. If you want to annoy yourself by imagining some delicious mussels, you have found the ideal place – Dalboka. The experience was like this: we waited for about 45 minutes to find a table which we cleaned ourselves from previous clients and waited for another hour for somebody to take our order. The mussels were full of Delikat (taste amelioration), which stayed on my throat for a very long time. The check came after an eternity and it did not seem cheap. The conclusions can be drawn by you. We ate better mussels in the port of Kavarna or Balchik, at the first promenade restaurant next to the palace.
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