Wadden Sea

The Danish Wadden Sea is the northern reach of a vast UNESCO tidal wetland shared with Germany and the Netherlands, where each tide bares immense mudflats teeming with life. It is a haven for seals and millions of migrating birds, and twice a year it stages the sort sol, the black sun, when huge murmurations of starlings swirl at dusk.

What you'll find

• The black sun - the vast dusk murmurations of starlings in spring and autumn.
• Mudflat walking - guided walks out onto the exposed tidal flats.
• Seals - the harbour and grey seals on the sandbanks.
• Bird migration - the millions of birds that stop on the flats.

When to go

Spring and autumn for the black-sun starling murmurations and bird migration; guided mudflat walks run in the warmer months. Tides govern everything, so check times.

Good to know

It is a flat, subtle landscape whose wonders are wildlife and tides rather than dramatic scenery, so a guide or some knowledge helps. Mudflat walking must be guided, since the tides are dangerous. The black sun is seasonal and weather-dependent.

Nearby

The old town of Ribe, the oldest in Denmark, is close; the Wadden Sea islands lie offshore.