| Belgium's beaches are among the best in northern Europe. The country's 70km (44-mile) North Sea coastline is one continuous vista of fine white sand backed by dunes and dotted with seaside resorts. Unfortunately, to enjoy that vista you have to keep your eyes tightly focused on the beaches. Let your gaze drift inland, and it immediately bumps up against a line of hotels, restaurants, and apartment blocks that sarcastic critics have dubbed the Atlantic Wall (after Hitler's World War II coastal fortifications). Except for De Haan, each of the seacoast's resort towns is encumbered with an unattractive density of accommodations and other commercial developments that virtually neutralize the coast's natural beauty. |
