Wadden Sea National Park

Not to be confused with other national parks in the Wadden Sea region.

Wadden Sea National Park (Danish: Nationalpark Vadehavet) is a large area stretching the entire west coast of South Jutland of Denmark. It's listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Understand

The Wadden Sea is the largest tidal flats system in the world, stretching from Denmark, through Germany, and well into the Netherlands. Because of its unique biodiversity and intact intertidal ecosystem, the Wadden Sea in the Germany and the Netherlands was designated as an international UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009, and in 2014 the Danish parts joined. The Danish part of the Wadden Sea, constitutes about 10% of the tidal region's area.

History

The Danish parts of the Wadden Sea, has been protected nature since 2010, when it became a national park. The Wadden Sea National Park is by far the largest of Denmark's national parks, outside of Greenland, reaching from Ho Bugt in the north, right to the German border, and includes the islands of Fanø, Mandø and Rømø, as well as Skallingen, the Varde Å valley, and many of the marshlands of Tjæreborgmarsken, Ribemarsken, Margrethekogen and De Ydre Diger in Tøndermarsken.

Landscape

Almost all (97%) of the national park is part of the European Natura 2000 nature protection, divided into several projects: important bird sanctuary, important wildlife sanctuary, and Ramsar wetlands of international importance. The Wadden Sea National Park comprise biomes such as low-lying flat coast, tidal channels, tidal flats, stream mouths, beach meadows, sandplains and dunes.

Flora and fauna

More than 10 million migratory birds pass through the Danish parts of the Wadden Sea twice a year, signifying the area's international importance. Large flocks of European starlings can be experienced flying in peculiar huge group-formations known as 'black sun formation', a truly special natural phenomenon. The Wadden Sea is also home to large numbers of breeding birds, fish, and invertebrates such as starfish and blue mussels, and it provides habitat for more than 500 species of plants and animals.

Get in

Esbjerg, Ribe and Højer all borders the national park and may be good starting points for exploring it.

Get around

Asphalted roads for biking and hiking in the Wadden Sea marshlands. Here from marshlands of Ribe.

The Wadden Sea landscape and nature can be experienced in many ways; hiking, on a bicycle, in a canoe, from the deck of a historic wooden ship, or other regular guided tours of various sorts. Go to the Wadden Sea Visitor Centre to learn more about your options.

The North Sea Trail passes through the entire length of the national park, often right behind the dikes.

• Mandøpigen (The Mandø Girl). Small amphibious vehicle bringing small groups of passengers back and forth between Kammerslusen, Mandø and Juvre, Rømø as well as doing oyster and seal safaries. (updated Jul 2024)

See

Wadden Sea Centre

The national park's own ship "Vadehavet" is primarily used for education

• 1 Wadden Sea Centre (Vadehavscentret), Okholmvej 5, Vester Vedsted, 6760 Ribe (a few kilometres southwest of Ribe), ☏ +45 75 44 61 61, info@vadehavscentret.dk. Enter and experience the unique Wadden Sea landscape at the gateway visitor centre near Ribe. Here you can view exhibits, participate in activities, and guided tours into the Wadden Sea landscape. kr 140 Adults, kr 50 Children.  
• 2 Vidåslusen. Lock at the mouth of the Vidå River, just 2 km to the west of Højer  
• 3 Ballum Sluse. Lock at the mouth of the Brede River, about 5 km southwest of Skærbæk  
• 4 Kammerslusen. Lock at the mouth of the Ribe River, just 5 km to the west of Ribe  
• 5 Rømødæmningen. Travelling across the 9 km long causeway to Rømø gives you a very nice impression of the Wadden Sea landscape  
• 6 Låningsvejen. This is the 6 km long gravel road directly on the seabed across the Wadden Sea to Mandø. Warning! Only accessible during low tides!  

Experience the Danish islands of the Wadden Sea:

• Fanø
• Mandø
• Rømø

Hike or bike through the Wadden Sea coastal Marshlands.

• 
  Vast tidal sand flats
• 
• 
  Guided tours
• 
  Wide sandy beaches (Fanø)
• 
  Heath and wetlands at Rømø island
• 
  The coastal marshlands are grazed by cattle in some places, including marshland sheep, a local delicacy for this region.
• 
  Dune-heaths (Rømø)
• 
  Mandøpigen

Do

Seal safari

• Seal safari - participate in a seal safari. Seals are common on the tidal flats, where food is plentiful and they can rest undisturbed in the sun.

Buy, eat, drink, and sleep

See listings in the Fanø and Rømø articles.

Go next

Extend your Wadden Sea experience and go to the German side of this World Heritage Site.