The tourist complex Sunny Beach occupies a 7-kilometer strip on the coast of Bulgaria, 30 km north of Burgas. It is favorably located away from railways, highways and big cities, so the legitimate Blue Flag goes to the resort every year without any questions. This is the largest resort in Bulgaria – more than 800 hotels – so during the season it is definitely lively.
Sunny Beach is well suited for families with children: a calm, shallow bay with a gentle bottom, many children’s pools, playgrounds with swings, slides and other things, fun games and competitions with prizes and children’s discos are constantly held. In 2003, a water park was opened 10 km from the resort. In addition, hotels are located along the coast, and you do not need to go down the mountain or stairs to the sea. In addition, Sunny Beach loves young people, for the “separation” of which all conditions are created here: modern discos and nightclubs gather a cheerful party all season long.
Districts of Sunny Beach
The resort stretches for 10 km along the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria from Old Nessebar to Sveti Vlas. Since the town was originally conceived as a resort, almost its entire territory is occupied by hotels, restaurants, shops and other tourist infrastructure. The cost of living practically does not depend on the area, the farther from the coast, the cheaper. There are more inexpensive Soviet hotels in the center, and modern hotel complexes in the Chaika and Fregata quarters.
According to cachedhealth, Sunny Beach is considered a youth resort, so bars, clubs and discos can be found in any area.
The southernmost quarter of the city is Satdiona. From there, the closest to the sights of old Nessebar, on the outskirts there is a football stadium. Further from south to north is the area of Fregata. There, on the South Beach, the Deep Blue diving center and a popular nightclub are open. Most of the beach activities are concentrated in the central part of the resort. There is also a water park, and mini-golf courts are equipped along the promenade. For shopping, it is also better to go to the center – there is a large shopping center. In the northern quarter Chaika is a more expensive and respectable holiday. Modern expensive hotels have been built here, and nearby there is a large complex with a golf course.
Communication and Wi-Fi
For those who plan to talk a lot with the house, it is better to switch to a local connection. The 3 main Bulgarian companies are Telenor, M-Tel and VivaCom. Each of them has prepaid tariffs that are convenient for tourists, but Telenor has the most profitable one. The SIM itself costs 10 BGN, the amount already includes 30 minutes for calls to Russia and 1000 MB of Internet. If the start time is not enough, you can connect an additional package – 50 minutes for 12 BGN or 100 – for 25 BGN. Tariff plans are sold in mobile phone stores (you will need a passport to connect) and at the checkout of supermarkets. To replenish the balance, 5-25 BGN vouchers are used, you can buy in grocery stores.
It is not necessary to conclude an agreement, but passport data is entered into the base of the mobile operator.
You don’t have to worry about accessing the Internet in the resort, but you can completely forget about choosing a hotel with free Wi-Fi. The entire territory of Sunny Beach is equipped with access points, the connection is available anywhere – on the beaches and streets, in hotels, restaurants, shops.
The beaches of Sunny Beach
The beach stretches for 10 km along the entire Sunny Beach, the width is from 60 m in the south and north to 100 m in the center. For cleanliness and environmental friendliness, this part of the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria was awarded the Blue Flag. Great for families with small children – sandy surface, smooth entry into the water, shallow near the shore.
Some tourists prefer to buy a beach umbrella for 20-35 BGN in the store, and at the end of their vacation they give or sell it to other vacationers.
All beaches are municipal, entrance to them is free, but you will have to pay for using the infrastructure – 7-20 BGN for a set of two sunbeds and two umbrellas. There is usually enough space to settle in with your own towels, but some areas are run by hotels. They are almost completely crammed with sun loungers, and you won’t be able to lie down on the sand there. Toilets are also paid – about 1.50 BGN – and are not as common as we would like.
In the high season, the beaches are quite crowded. There are equipment rentals and water activities everywhere – catamarans, kitesurfing, bananas, paragliding and much more. There are places to have a bite to eat – there are bars and restaurants on the coast, but everything is very expensive. Foam parties take place on the beaches at night.
Diving
There are practically no dive sites near Sunny Beach. Experienced divers who want to dive will have to go to Varna, Sozopol or other cities. However, the nearest interesting object is located just 5 km from the resort – in Nessebar. Once the city was partially submerged, and now many traces of human civilization rest on the seabed – the city wall, the ruins of houses and fragments of amphoras.
There are many diving clubs in the region, one of them is on the South Beach of Sunny Beach. Beginners will be able to make their first dive and admire the clams, seahorses, gobies and other fish, professionals can dive for fun or take PADI training. In addition, diving centers organize trips to remote dive sites on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast.
Prices in different clubs are about the same. One dive for a beginner costs about 100 BGN, for an experienced diver – 70 BGN. PADI training courses and certificates will cost 500-700 BGN. The cost most often includes equipment rental, transport and other additional services.
What to bring
The shops in Sunny Beach sell Bulgarian-made clothes, shoes and accessories, as well as traditional souvenirs. For classic shopping and branded items, you should go to Burgas or Varna, local travel agencies organize entire shopping tours.
Ladies usually take away cosmetics based on rose oil from the resort. In jewelry, silver is in special demand – here it is cheaper than in Russia. On the streets of the city you can often meet knitting grandmothers. They create their masterpieces – tablecloths and napkins – and immediately sell them, laying them out right on the pavement covered with cloth. Such souvenirs cost a lot, but each item is exclusive. Cheaper will cost products made of wood and ceramics.
For inexpensive products, it is better to go to the Mladost supermarket – prices are significantly lower than in other resort stores. Cheap vegetables and fruits can be found in the market.
Of the edible, honey is often brought from here. It is better to buy it at the festival, which takes place at the end of August in neighboring Nessebar. As a gift for connoisseurs of good alcohol, you can grab vodka brandy, tincture “mastic” or Bulgarian wine.
Cuisine and restaurants in Sunny Beach
The resort has restaurants of local, European, Oriental, Indian, Italian, Russian and British cuisines. Bulgarians have a lot of grilled vegetables, meat and fish on their menu. In addition, dairy products are a must-try here. In almost every institution, guests will be offered first courses. In summer, “tarator” is in demand – a cold soup made with sour milk with garlic, cucumbers and walnuts. Other traditional dishes are moussaka (potato casserole with minced meat and sauce) and catino meze (chopped pork with onions and mushrooms). For those with a sweet tooth, they serve a wide variety of delicacies – preserves, jams, pumpkin baked in honey, halva and other oriental sweets.
Those who would like to see the national flavor will be disappointed by the almost complete absence of mehans.
You can taste fresh pastries with fragrant coffee for breakfast in local confectioneries – “sweet boxes”. For quick snacks, the embankment is full of fast food establishments – cafes and pizzerias, there are also international chains – KFC and McDonald’s. All this is suitable for budget tourists – a meal costs 15-35 BGN per person. To have a budget lunch, you need to look for restaurants away from the embankment and the center of the resort, where it is quite possible to meet 35-60 BGN for two. Dinner for two in a popular establishment, like the “Khan’s Tent” or the Santa Clara stylized as a ship, will cost 70-100 BGN.
Entertainment and attractions
Sunny Beach is a relatively young resort – there are no museums and ancient sights here. However, the city has many opportunities for outdoor activities and entertainment, so you won’t be bored. And those who cannot imagine their vacation without excursions can go to Old Nessebar or Sozopol located a little further.
Travel agencies in Sunny Beach organize trips to Sofia, Istanbul, Balchik, Veliko Turnovo and other cities.
In the northern part of the embankment there are several mini-golf courses. You can ride a jeep, quad bike or amphibious all-terrain vehicle in the picturesque surroundings of the city. For outdoor enthusiasts, there are football and volleyball fields on the beach, and tennis courts nearby. Those who are tired of the heat can visit a bowling alley or immerse themselves in a fictional reality in 5D cinemas, while fans of gambling can visit the Platinum Casino. On the outskirts of the resort there is a go-kart track and a paintball court.
At night, the main street is full of establishments – from nightclubs with trendy DJs for young people to luxurious restaurants with shows for older people.
On the beaches, vacationers will also not be allowed to idly lie on sun loungers, now and then offering interesting and even extreme entertainment – hang-gliding, water skiing, boats, bananas, jets and parachuting. The waves off the coast are not as strong as in the ocean, but those who want to conquer them can still try their hand at surfing. For girls there is a mini-spa – aquariums with Garra Rufa fish, and for men – fishing on a boat with an instructor who knows everything about the fish on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast.
Sunny Beach for children
There are many attractions for young travelers on the beach. You can look at the surroundings from the height of the Ferris wheel, go to heaven on the Slingshot, jump on the trampoline or slide down the hill on the Giant Slalom.
For those who need more than a few small hotel slides, the resort has a large Action water park (off site). On an area of 24 thousand square meters. m housed 13 adult slides, including extreme “Kamikaze”, “Ex-trim” and “Free Fall”. The children’s area is equipped with a large swimming pool with a complex of slopes and a multi-level construction “Adventure Island” with fountains, waterfalls and tunnels.
Not far from the South Beach, the Sunny Beach amusement park is open, where there are attractions for children and adults. It will be interesting for kids to ride on trains and carousels, and for parents and older children – on extreme “Booster” and “Disco”, roller coasters and others. There is also a shooting range and a room of fear.
Weather
The climate is temperate continental, close to the Mediterranean. The weather is clear and sunny almost all year round. The high season falls on the summer months, but swimming here begins in mid-May, and ends at the end of October. In the first half of autumn, the resort is cooler than in July-August, but the water is still warm.
Although there is no snow, in winter it is cold and dank. From November to March, it rains more often, and there are practically no tourists here. The exception is those who came to see Old Nessebar. But for excursions, it is still better to choose April or October – the resort is quite warm and sunny, and there are few people.
