Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
One of the most popular options is to experience the '
Sort Sol
' (Black Sun) in spring
(approximate dates March to April) and autumn (mid-September to late October). This de-
scribes the phenomena of large numbers of migrating starlings (up to a million) gathering
in the marshes outside Ribe and Tønder. 'Sort Sol' takes place in the hours just after sun-
set, when the birds gather in large flocks and form huge formations in the sky before they
decide on a location to roost for the night. The movements of the formations have been
likened to a dance and the birds are so numerous they seem to obliterate the sunset.
VadehavsCentret
ACTIVITY CENTRE
( 75 44 61 61;
www.vadehavscentret.dk
;
Okholmvej 5, Vester Vedsted; adult/child Dkr70/35;
10am-4pm or 5pm mid-Feb-Oct; )
This is the best source on information about the park. About 10km southwest of Ribe,
VadehavsCentret is an information and activity centre, reached by bus 411 from Ribe.
There are
exhibitions
on the tides, flora and fauna of the national park, plus an excellent
calendar of
tours
(five-hour oyster safari for Dkr260; Sort Sol viewing Dkr65).
From here, there are tractor-buses running 6km across the tidal flats at low tide to the
small outlying island of
Mandø
(return Dkr60; timetables at
www.mandoebussen.dk
). It's
possible to hire bikes to explore the island, and to stay at a local campground, B&B or
kro
(inn; see
www.mandoetourist.dk
).
Naturcenter Tønnisgaard
ACTIVITY CENTRE
(
74 75 52 57;
www.tonnisgaard.dk
; Havnebyvej 30, Rømø; adult/child Dkr22/11;
10am-4pm Mon-
Fri mid-Mar-Oct, 10am-3pm Mon-Wed Nov-mid-Mar; )
Based on Rømø, this information and activity centre for the national park has exhibitions,
plus family-friendly tour offerings depending on the season (eg bird-watching, and
shrimp-, oyster- or mushroom-collecting).
Rømø
Pop 650
Summer sees the large island of Rømø fill with tourists (predominantly from Germany).
This is hardly surprising given the entire west coast is one long, sandy beach that's prime
happy-holiday turf, perfect for sun-bathing and sunset-watching or something more active.
