Here are some pictures from our trip to Sunny Beach, Bulgaria. June 2008. We had a good time. The weather was just gorgeous and we became very good in using sunscreen and aftersun cream. I'm glad we didn't go in high season because we could already tell by the end of our week there that more and more people were coming and in high vacation season, it would be packed with people. Plus it would have been way too hot for me.
Here is a little map I found on the internet kinda showing were Sunny Beach is in Bulgaria. It´s a very popular summer destination, especially for young people who want to party. We didn't party but did have a great time. We landed in Burgas and took a bus with the travel agency to Sunny Beach, directly to our hotel. We stayed at Chaika Beach and I would recommend that place to anyone thinking of going to Sunny Beach. Nice and clean with a great location. Good breakfast too. The only minus was at the hotel is that there wasn't any entertainment in the evenings but then again, Sunny Beach is full of entertainment and we were in walking distance to everything.
Another picture from the internet - The main beach area in Sunny Beach. Our hotel is the one right in front of the large red building... I think ;)
This is the view from our hotel. (another picture from the internet because we had rooms on the other side, overlooking another pool and parkinglot). The street between the hotel and beach was a long walking street with bars, restaurants and small booths with clothes, shoes, bags (everything you can possible imagine)and there was constant activity there. We weren't bothered by the noise at night because our room wasn't facing this way... but we would rather have the noise and be able to have that view!
The beach goes on for miles and miles both sides. Perfect sandy beach where we could just enjoy the sun but was also able to sit in the shade. We stayed near our hotel and was at the beach pretty much everyday. The water was ok - not very salty and the swimming conditions were good. In high season, everything is packed with people from the morning to the evening. There were street salesmen walking up and down the beach with fresh fruit, jewellery, icecream, drinks etc.
The view of our hotel from the beach.
Yes, I actually showed myself in a bikini. It wasn't that bad because there were all sorts of people on the beach so I didn't feel dumb after I got used to it. I was very careful and spent a lot of my time in the shade. We always had books or puzzles with us but I also spent lots of time just watching people and taking in the atmosphere. And went swimming when the heat got to me.
The "walking street" in front of our hotel early evening. Lots of people - families, old, young, drunk, sober. Entertainment and plenty of things to see and do.
We went to Burgas, a larger city/town about 30 km from Sunny Beach. Sunny Beach is very new - large, fancy hotels and buildings. Very touristy whereas Burgas was more "normal". Still very clean for a larger city. We did some shopping and poked around the center of the city.
Burgas (picture taken from the internet - I didn't get many good photos that day...)
Mmm, cake. There was a cake cafe not far from my hotel so we were there several times to drink coffee and eat cheesecake. Mmmm, cake.
We ate dinner at many different places and tried some really good food and unfortunately also some really shitty food. The mexican place, Mammacitas was excellent!!
Around 99.9% of bars had happy hour - buy 1 get 1 free. It was almost impossible to just order 1 drink because most of the time, you'd get one free. I think this picture is taken after I kicked Anders' ass in mini-golf.
Nessebar is about 10km from Sunny Beach and is on a large spit (like Whiffen Spit in Sooke). We took the local bus there one day to poke around and enjoy the old fashion atomosphere. The buildings and roads in the old part of Nessebar haven't changed in many many years - but all the booths and salesmen kinda ruined the effect. BUT, super interesting and very cool to experience.
People knitting and crocheting was very normal down there. They would sit there all day, doing their own thing and hope someone would buy something. They weren't as pushy as the restaurants (people working at the restaurants would constantly stop you as you walked by and try to get you to come eat there.) Things were cheaper there than in DK and there was so much to look at.
There were several old ruins in Nessebar and this one was in the center of the town. An old church if I remember correctly.
Beer was cheap in Bulgaria. We ate dinner at a seafood place in Nessebar and relaxed with beer and wine. (really good wine!) No one had to drive so we were allowed to have a couple of drinks with the food.
The restaurant overlooked part of the harbour and we could see across to Sunny Beach.
Back in Sunny Beach - people are starting to come and the streets were getting more and more packed.
The last night there. We played mini-golf and just hung out. Lots of fun and I had a really good time. I don't think I really have anything to complain about - it was a very nice, relaxing time and I'm sure Anders would say the same.
