Waking up on the water at Het Kleine Paradijs in Friesland
This green Walhalla, located in central Friesland, really lives up to its name. Not only because of its lush foliage and the cozy paths through its remote location, but also because of the special accommodations in which you can spend the night – from tree houses to an ark, as well as from writers’ huts to a cute red chapel.
Surrounded by nature in Súdwest Fryslân
Het Kleine Paradijs certainly feels secluded, in the middle of the nature of Súdwest Fryslân. The yard is about a 10-minute drive from the town of Easterein – also called Oosterend – and no sil dit wierskynlik hiel normaal wêze foar alle Friezen (this will probably be completely normal for all Frisians – in Frisian), but for us ‘Randstad’ girls it was still quite a drive through the stretched polder landscape. But hey, it certainly gave us that vacation feeling.
The Secret Garden
When we drove into the yard, we were immediately greeted cheerfully by Mathijs, the owner. Because we were right on time, and other guests had not yet arrived, we immediately got an extensive tour of the entire green area – which gave us very secret garden vibes. Think lush flowers, plants, corners, and paths, and you have got the right picture. Mathijs proudly told us about his future plans as well as how they got their start through crowdfunding – the previous owner already built the special sleeping places – and then he kindly gave us a look at every accommodation!
Fairytale accommodations
When we were invited to stay overnight, the choice was not easy: each of these places provides a unique sleeping experience. The tree houses are the first thing we noticed when we arrived, because they towered high above us. You have a beautiful view over the Frisian landscape from both the crow’s nest and the owl mirror . Prefer to sleep a little closer to the ground? Then the holy house , the writer’s hut and the red chapel would be perfet for you – all hidden among the greenery. The latter is actually like a real chapel, with a beautiful wooden floor and ceiling, stained glass windows and a box bed!
Although most cabins offer space for only two people, there are a few options for larger groups. With its two floors, the cabinet offers space for 10 people! Looking to accomodate an even bigger party? There is also the option to rent the entire site (for 22 people). How fun would it be to have a fairytale outing in Friesland with family or friends?
Sleeping on an ark
Although we love tree houses, this time we decided to go for something different. How often do you get the chance to stay on a raft? The ark is a little further away from the rest, on the rippling Frisian water. This allows for a lot more privacy – if that’s what you prefer. But that is certainly not the only reason why we recommend this camping raft! On the outside deck you can enjoy the surroundings – the farm animals in the meadows, birds chirping and even the setting sun (although there are equally beautiful views throughout the rest of the site!).
The interior is very cozy with only a few square meters, but spacious enough for a pleasant experience. Who needs more than a comfortable double bed, two chairs, a kettle, crockery and an electric heater for the colder days? For the other facilities there is a common room, more about that in a moment.
Discover Friesland through the water
Beside the ark there is a Canadian canoe waiting for you! You can really discover the waters and sail towards a number of other nice towns in Friesland, including Bolsward or Sneek. And what is perhaps even more fun: you can also drift away on the raft itself! For us personally, we thought that was just a bit too exciting. Fun fact: if the canoe hadn’t been there, I would have lost my drone. Thanks for catching him! 😉
Facilities
Het Kleine Paradijs offers a beautiful combination of a special overnight stay and camping experience. The accommodations themselves only have the essential facilities, but at the beginning of the site you will find a well-maintained sanitary building and a recreation room. This building has an extensive kitchen (which is fully equipped) and a small shop with products that you can rely on. Plus, you can pay on the spot! This is also a nice place to get to know other people on holiday. For example, we had a very pleasant game night with a father and son! And last but definitely not least: to complete the experience you can also use an electric barbecue, sauna and hot tub!
The next day: waking up on the water
After an evening full of games and a good night’s sleep, we were awakened by raindrops on our roof. I can tell you one thing: it is wonderful to wake up on the water, even when it rains. For us it was almost time to go home, but if you have more time: there is plenty to discover in Friesland – even when the weather isn’t the best. Besides Bolsward and Sneek, Franeker and Leeuwarden are also not far from Easterein.
If you want to stay overnight in one of these heavenly huts, you will receive a 5% discount on your next booking with the code ’22MKLR02′! What’s stopping you?
→ Dit artikel is geschreven in samenwerking met Het Kleine Paradijs. Wij mochten hier gratis een nachtje verblijven, in ruil voor content. Uiteraard lees je hier wel onze eigen mening!
