Sunny Beach Bulgaria
Looking for the perfect summer destination? Want to go somewhere to be cheap and close to your home but to be spoiled and treated like a king?
Well, Bulgaria is the right destination for you!
It is located in Europe, it is cheap, the people are friendly and welcoming and the services and hotels are really great!
But Bulgaria is such a big country and there are many interesting things to explore and do when visit Bulgaria!
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This article is focusing on one of the best Bulgarian resorts from the Black Sea: Suny Beach
- 1. Location
- 2. How to get there
- 3. Moving around
- 4. How safe it is
- 5. Things to do around
- 6. Places to stay
Now let me tell you why I consider this as the best summer holiday destination and one of the most interesting places for a family holiday.
1. Location
This amazing resort is located on the southern part of the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, 35 kilometres away from Burgas and 90 kilometres away from Varna.
Why am I talking about Burgas and Varna? Well, because these two towns have airports and the easiest and fastest way to reach SunnyBeach is by plane and then by car.
I recommend you to fly directly to Burgas or if you don’t have a direct connection to this town, fly to Sofia, which is Bulgaria’s capital and from there take a flight to Burgas.
From Burgas airport, you can take a bus, a taxi or a rented car and reach your hotel.
2. Getting there
There are three options to get to this resort: by car, by plane and by bus.
Travel anywhere without worries
- trip interruption -up to $5.000
- medical assistance including COVID-19
- travel delay - up to $100/day
- emergency medical evacuation
- medical safety abroad
Plane
The nearest airport and the second largest in the country is Burgas. It is located 30 kilometres away from SunnyBeach.
From the airport to your hotel you can get a taxi, a bus or rent a car.
Buses are extremely cheap and have a fixed scheduler.
The buses leave from Bugas South and the cost per one way ticket is somewhere between 2 to 3 euros and in about 1 hour and 10 minutes, you get to SunyBeach.
Car
You can choose to rent a car or to travel in your own car if you live nearby Bulgarian Sea.
Prices for car rentals are very convenient; they start from about 25 euros per day for a small car and go up to a few hundred for large cars.
Another factor that influences the price is the coverage you choose for your car.
We prefer to rent a car with full coverage so as not to worry about anything during our trip.
Get the best price for your car rental today
The bad news if you travel by car to this magnificent resort is that you don’t have a highway directly to the city.
The only highways in Bulgaria has been to Varna and Burgas and from there you have to drive on express roads.
Express roads are in good condition, but the maximum speed allowed is 90 kilometres per hour.
So, be prepared to spend a few hours in the car if you choose to drive up to your destination.
Bus
There are multiple buses that connect the most important cities from Bulgaria with Sunny Beach Bulgaria.
The ticket prices are really convenient but unfortunately, buses stop in many towns and are pretty slow.
I advise you to use the bus only if you travel on a really tight budget and if you have time. Otherwise, you should consider renting a car, because it is faster.
These are the new essentials you have to pack for your trip
1. Hand sanitizer with 99.9% efficiency
2. Face mask with increased protection
3. Vaccine card and passport holder
10. First aid kit
3. Moving around
Once you reach your hotel, leave your luggage in the room and explore this magnificent resort.
You need a car to move around if you want to visit the nearby area. Otherwise, if you choose to stay at the beach then all you have to do is walk.
The good news about SunnyBeach is that it has 15 kilometres of beach, so most of the resorts are located right on the beach or in the nearby area.
So you should not be worried about how you’ll move around!
If you plan to visit the town of Nessebar, a beautiful Old Town located 10 minutes away from the resort, then you should know that there is a special train or some hotels have free shuttle buses which could be used to reach the nearby Nessebar.
Everything is within walking distance from most of the hotels, so moving around is not an issue!
Bars, restaurants, aqua parks, everything is built together and accessible for all tourists! what else I can say that they thought about everything when they built this resort!
Walk to the beach, walk to the resort centre, within a few minutes you reached your destination! That is really great!
4. Is it safe to visit Sunny Beach Bulgaria?
This resort is probably the safest from Bulgarian Black Sea Coast!
You don’t have to be worried about anything as this place was ranked among the safest from the entire country!
However, like most of the resorts from all over the world, pickpocketing and bad people are a threat to your safety.
People who want to take advantage and exploit tourists can be found everywhere and SunnyBeach is not an exception.
There were rumours that the city is full of prostitutes, money scams and aggressive taxi drivers but things are not like that.
This resort is a great place to have a wonderful holiday and to have fun!
You have to stay within some limits!
I mean don’t get drunk and go out on the street to fight, or to disturb others!
Act polite and normal and I am sure that nothing wrong will happen to you!
This resort has a very active nightlife and many wonderful bars and restaurants where you can spend many beautiful moments with your friends!
But it is important to show respect to others and to pay respect to local culture and traditions!
5. What to do in Sunny Beach Bulgaria
Well, the first thing which comes into my mind is to lay on the beach and bathe in the beautiful Black Sea.
But this resort offers much more than that!
Here are some of the most interesting things which you can do here:
1. Turkish Bath
You are not in Turkey but Turkish baths are pretty common in Bulgaria! Taking into consideration Bulgarian past, the presence of Turkish baths should not be a surprise!
The best of this kind from the resort is located right in the city centre and is named Erma Spa.
Here you can pamper yourself in a “hot room” until your temperature goes really high and then cool off in a very cold water pool followed by a massage.
Ladies, Erma Spa thought about everything and they have lots of cosmetic treatments and mani-pedis services so you can enjoy your time there at a maximum level.
2. Party till morning
This beautiful resort got famous all over Europe for its wild parties and vibrant nightlife.
There are more than 15 bars and nightclubs spread all over the resort, most of them hosting parties with a few hundred people.
Each night is unique because the owners thought about everything! There are paint nights, foam parties and the list could go on!
The party continues even during daytime as there are plenty of beach bars with their private strip of sand where you can dance and party from morning till evening!
Take a quick shower and continue the party till the next morning!
Boy! What a tiring experience! Haha
3. Have fun at Action Aquapark
Action Aquapark is the first of its kind from Sunny Beach Bulgaria. The place was built in 2001 and is refurbished and extended each year!
Trust me! It is not an easy thing to stay updated and be number one! It is a serious work behind!
The park has more than 30 water attractions with different levels of difficulty. You can find here everything you could wish for, from extreme plunges to relaxing rivers and pools.
You definitely should try the Free Fall with speeds up to 75 kilometres per hour and the Kamikaze, which starts at a height of 19 metres.
There is also a kids zone, where your child can have fun in a shallow pool and explore various bridges and nets of the pirate-themed Adventure Island.
4. Have some action at Sunny Beach Luna Park
The resort itself has its own amusement park with all kinds of activities, games and funfair rides.
Try the white-knuckle rides at The Booster or the roller coasters with loops. Even adults will feel like children for a couple of minutes!
And for the little ones, there are carousels and a very interesting activity called the Family Apple Coaster with a caterpillar theme.
5. Book a tour at the karting track
Outside the resort, on the road which connects Burgas with Varna, there is a karting track where you can have fun with your friends.
The good news is that the track is child friendly and kids older than 9 years are allowed to drive the karting cars.
There are speed restrictions for kids tracks just for your baby to stay safe.
The staff is friendly and helpful, exactly what you need to feel safe and secure!
For young people looking for fun and some adrenaline, this is the right place to go!
The 400 metres track is the perfect playground!
6. Dive in the Black Sea
Sunny Beach Bulgaria is home to Angel Divers, a 5 star PADI dive resort, a very popular water sport among tourists from all over the world.
The centre teaches diving lessons for beginners and has many interesting trips for those with more experience and for professionals.
Based on your experience and expertise, you can choose which group to go and what kind of diving you are ready to take!
Maybe you are wondering what you can see on Black Sea bottom! Well, there are many vessels sunk in the area and plenty of marine life around!
7. Book an off-road tour
There are a few companies around the area which offer off-road tours.
The tour is usually along the coast and into the backcountry.
I must tell you: this is the best way to explore the Sunny Beach Bulgaria area especially if you don’t rent a car to explore Bulgarian coast by yourself!
In your tour you will pass by a windswept lighthouse, a medieval church, you can admire the view from Cape Emine and swim at a deserted cove.
There are even more complex tours with little activities like archery, horse riding, walking and even carting.
6. Hotels in the area
Now that you know which are the most interesting things to do when you visit Sunny Beach Bulgaria, let’s see which are the best accommodations for you and your family.
All the places recommended below have been tried by ourselves and we really consider them as the best accommodations from the area:
1. Riu Palace Sunny Beach is an amazing adult-only 5 stars seaside resort located right on the beach.
The hotel is pretty new, it was opened in the summer of 2019 and offers a great indoor and an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness centre, a spa area and a few bars and restaurants.
The rooms are clean and large and some of them offer amazing views of the sea.
The food is tasty and fresh and you can serve all the three meals in the hotel’s restaurants.
2. Melia Sunny Beach Bulgaria is another great option for those looking to relax and enjoy their holiday abroad.
It is located just 80 metres from the golden strip of sand and is another brand new hotel, completely renovated in winter of 2019/2020.
The rooms are spacious and clean, some of them offering wonderful views of the sea.
There are three main restaurants on the site, offering international and local preps.
I don’t think I have to tell you that this hotel serves really great food, made up from fresh and high quality ingredients picked by famous chefs!
The hotel has 3 outdoor pools, an indoor pool and special places for children like 3 pools and a mini water park.
3. Royal Palace Helena Park Sunny Beach is located 150 metres from the beach and has its own private gardens with lush vegetation where you can relax and enjoy a cocktail while reading a book.
International cuisine, as well as a wide range of salads and dishes, are served at hotel’s restaurants.
Once a week there is GALA dinner, a thematic buffet organised at the main restaurant.
The hotel has 69 rooms overlooking the city, 18 suites and 150 rooms overlooking the park.
Inside the resort, there are shops with clothes and jewellery from where you can buy really nice presents.
For the complete list of the best hotels on Sunny Beach Bulgaria check our article 10 stunning hotels on Sunny Beach Bulgaria for the next trip.
Conclusion
These are all you need to know before your holiday to this amazing Bulgarian family resort.
Pack your bags and hit the road! Active nightlife and gorgeous sandy beaches are waiting for you!
Book your accommodation
We always use Booking.com as they have the best price-quality ratio and they offer a wide range of hotels, guesthouses, apartments, and villas to choose from.
You will find here all types of accommodations, from the cheapest ones to the most luxurious.
Don't forget travel insurance
We never leave home without HeyMondo Insurance or Safety Wings Insurance as they offer the best services and a good value for money.
When we go for longer trips around the world we get Globelink Insurance as it offers a good cover for an affordable price.
Travel insurance will always protect you against unexpected costs caused by medical events like illness, injury, theft, or travel cancellation.
We never go on any trip without travel insurance and there were many cases when we had to use it.
Renting a car
We like to explore a country on our own and a car gives us the mobility and freedom to do that.
We always rent our car from Discovercars as they have free cancellation 48 hours prior to starting date and a wide range of car rental companies and options to choose from all over the world.
Tours and attractions
When we are looking for some adventure or we simply want to break up the monotony and discover new places, we always use GetYourGuide.
We love it because we always find the most amazing experiences, with free cancellation and a large variety of activities and tours to choose from.
Airplane tickets and holiday packages
Expedia is our ally when searching for the best price for airplane tickets as it works as an aggregator for a huge number of airlines and we always find the best price for our flights.
Travel tip: use Expedia when you are searching for holiday packages as they have many last-minute offers and great discounts for hotels, flights, and even the whole holiday packages.
Check here for more articles on the subject
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