Exploring Germany's East Frisian Islands: Langeoog

Germany's East Frisian Islands are a wonderful vacation destination for anyone from families to retirees. Combining exquisite natural habitats with beautiful, undisturbed beaches, these islands are a favorite among Germans. However, they are also very friendly towards American visitors, and almost ninety percent of the population can speak some English.

One such beautiful island is Langeoog. Considered by many to be the best of the seven East Frisian islands, Langeoog offers a great blend of small town conveniences and village atmosphere-while the village has a traditional atmosphere and most of the island is left untouched by humankind, you won't have to visit the mainland for groceries. Additionally, the wider variety of people found here makes it much easier for Americans to feel at home.

Langeoog's wonderful flair is evident from the moment you board the ferry in Bensersiel, Lower Saxony. Once on board the ship, the vacation has begun, complete with odors of German sausage wafting through the cabin. Once arrive in the island's beautiful harbor, a colorful narrow gauge train waits to take you into the village. Here, you won't find any mega cruise ships or even large yachts-the harbor is filled with almost exclusively sailboats!

After a ten minute ride through pastures and woodlands, you'll arrive at the quaint village train station. The only motorized vehicles on Langeoog are the emergency vehicles and some delivery services. Otherwise, transportation is provided by horse-drawn carriages. Of course, you can easily see most of the village sights on foot; however, a five mile ride to the east end of the island requires a bike rental. This is the home base for Langeoog's tourism industry and is also the center of the town's activity. Langeoog's village is large in comparison to that of some other islands, but it is easily maneuverable and retains that special vacation village atmosphere. The whole village spans no more than about ten square blocks, but several bakeries, grocery stores, abundant hotels and restaurants, tennis courts, and even a huge, exciting indoor swimming pool known as the "Meerwasser-Freizeit Erlebnis Bad" that includes a wave pool, waterslide, and sauna.

Langeoog offers a large stretch of sandy beaches designated for swimming and sun bathing; however, do to the often colder temperatures here, neither are very popular activities on the island. Apart from the beach, Langeoog offers many unique attractions and activities. The aforementioned swimming pool can easily take an afternoon to enjoy, and 1.5 hours of free admission per day are included with the tax that all visitors must pay to visit the island. The wonderful natural dune scenes on the eastern end of the island are best experienced by bike; many of the secluded beaches in that are a wonderful place to get "up close and personal" with nature. Carriage tours of the island are also offered; however, these can be quite expensive. Hikes onto the tidal mudflats are a "must-do" attraction-these unique habitats are just as much a part of the island as are the regular tourists.

Of course, no vacation at the shore would be complete without boat ride. The maritime sector of Langeoog's government offers many excursions to a variety of destinations. Day trips to neighboring islands, fishing and ecology cruises, seal-watching itineraries, and pirate cruises for children are all part of the regular schedule. These trips leave from the harbor, and free transportation from the village station is provided by the train.

Whether you've never been to Europe or are a seasoned European, Langeoog offers a great destination for young and old alike. After all, there is a reason that many Germans return year after year and generation after generation-the relaxed atmosphere and combination of nature and regular conveniences make this truly the perfect island!