In 60 seconds
Denmark's first national park and Europe's premier cold-water surfing coast, where rolling sand dunes, dune forests and wild Atlantic breakers create the world-famous surf culture of Klitmøller and Vorupør.
Best for
Known for
Skip if
You are looking for sheltered, warm swimming pools or manicured urban museums rather than windswept North Sea nature.
Your match
Choose a few travel interests and we will show how well Thy & Cold Hawaii fits them. Choose interests
See
The things that would make the trip incomplete without them.
Internationally renowned North Sea surfing destination featuring 31 consistent surf breaks, coastal reef setups and laid-back surf camps
Take a surf or stand-up paddleboarding lesson at Cold Hawaii Board Shop, watch pro surfers carve the reef and relax in beachside surf cafés.
Denmark's oldest national park, encompassing 244 square kilometres of pristine coastal dune heath, coastal lakes, red deer herds and shifting sandbars
Visit the architectural Nationalparkcenter Thy in Vorupør, carved into the coastal dune, and hike the wilderness trails.
Historic fishing community where deep-sea fishing cutters are hauled onto the open beach by motorized winches, beside a modern enclosed seawater bath
Swim safely in the filtered ocean pool, buy smoked fish from beachside smokehouses and walk the 300-metre sea pier.
Eat
A short list, kept short on purpose. Each entry answers one question: when is this the right choice?
Too few picks yet for their own heading, so they share this list.
Harbourfront coastal bistro in Klitmøller serving fresh North Sea cod, plaice, moules frites and Danish open sandwiches
Dine with panoramic views of surfers riding the evening reef break.
Traditional seaside smokehouse and fish shop serving freshly smoked mackerel, salmon, fish cakes and cold local beer
Enjoy a casual seafood lunch on outdoor picnic tables in the dunes.
Trendy clifftop gastro-bar overlooking the industrial port of Hanstholm, serving fresh-off-the-boat fish and natural wines
A vibrant dining hotspot with breathtaking ocean sunset views.
Buzzing surf café and espresso bar in central Klitmøller serving acai bowls, barista coffee and pastries
The social epicentre for surfers and travellers.
Beyond the obvious
Less obvious, rarely queued for, and usually the part people remember.
Solitary 35-metre granite lighthouse standing in the middle of wild heather dunes and pine plantations in southern Thy
Climb the tower for sweeping vistas across the North Sea and hike down to the dramatic 10-metre coastal cliff at Sorte Næse.
Northern Europe's largest WWII coastal fortification, holding colossal 38-cm gun bunkers constructed by German forces to seal the Skagerrak
Explore the underground ammunition bunkers and ride the historic narrow-gauge munitions railway.
Iconic row of pristine 1900 whitewashed fishermen's toolhouses nestled in the dunes above the open beach
Visit the small rescue station museum and photograph the timeless timber boat-hauling slipway.
After dark
Award-winning craft brewery taproom in nearby Thisted, celebrated for its Porse Guld ale brewed with hand-picked bog myrtle from Thy dunes
Taste iconic regional beers crafted with national park botanicals.
Orientation
How the city is actually divided, and what each part is for.
The bohemian surf capital with timber cottages, board rentals, cafés and coastal beach
The prime base for surfing, youth culture and coastal stays.
The authentic fishing harbour and national park gateway 15 minutes south
Best for family sea bathing, nature exhibitions and hiking.
Stay
Areas rather than hotels — pick the right one and the rest follows.
Modern Scandinavian surf cabins, seaside guesthouses and converted fishermen's homes
Walking distance to the reef and surf shops.
Secluded turf-roofed cottages nestled directly in the heather dunes of the national park
Total peace, dark night skies and coastal silence.
Practical
Plan this trip — useful links
Context
Enough to make what you are looking at legible.
Coastal fishermen in Klitmøller and Vorupør brave treacherous sandbanks using open clinker-built wooden boats without harbours.
German and Danish windsurfers discover Klitmøller's unique wave and wind conditions, dubbing the 50-kilometre coastline 'Cold Hawaii'.
Thy National Park is officially inaugurated as Denmark's very first national park, protecting fragile coastal dunes.
Further out
Worth a day if you have one to spare.
Pleasant market town on the sheltered waters of the Limfjord with Thisted Brewery
Gateway town for train connections and local supplies.
The shifting sand dune and migrating lighthouse of northern Jutland
Continue your west coast journey toward Skagen.
