On one side, kilometre-long sandy beaches; on the other, shallow surfing waters – Poland’s Hel Peninsula, often called the “Tail of Poland,” offers both lively resorts and quiet campsites, all just a short distance from Gdańsk.

The Hel Peninsula is a geographical curiosity: a long, narrow sandspit stretching 35 kilometres into the Baltic Sea, so slim that in places you can glimpse the water glinting on both sides at once. It is like Finland’s Hanko Peninsula, only turned east–west. The peninsula’s distinctive shape has earned it the nickname “Poland’s Tail,” and its name “Hel” comes from an old Polish word meaning “empty” or “exposed place.” Today this windswept spit is anything but empty – it has become one of the country’s most beloved summer destinations.

Cheap train connections and seasonal ferries from Gdańsk, Sopot and Gdynia also make it easily accessible to international travellers. Buying a train ticket is simple via a mobile app, which saves queueing at the station – not trivial, since on summer Saturdays the queues can be considerable. At least in summer 2025, not all residents of Gdańsk had yet made the digital leap to buy tickets on their phones.

Trains, Ferries and Affordability

The most atmospheric way to arrive is surely by boat. In summer, ferries operated by Żegluga Gdańska cross Gdańsk Bay in under two hours – a relaxed journey that takes passengers straight into Hel’s harbour. Tickets are reasonably priced – children under four travel free – although private catamaran cruises marketed to tourists can be far more expensive. For budget travellers like me, the train is still unbeatable and easy. Near the Baltic coast, before entering the peninsula, you can spot Poland’s green transition in the form of wind turbines. The Reda–Hel line runs right across the sandy spit, with frequent service in July and August. Tickets cost a little over five euros, and the scenery – pine forest on one side, flashes of bay water on the other – is an experience in itself. At Chałupy, for example, you can rent e-scooters or tourist bikes via a phone app.

Villages: From Surf Shacks to Cocktail Bars

Each village on the peninsula has its own character. On this trip I only had time for Chałupy, so for the others I rely on online accounts.

  • Chałupy is a surfers’ village, a youthful strip of beach bars, fluttering kites and campsites where you can park your camper van just a few metres from the water. The shallow waters of Puck Bay are perfect for windsurfing and kitesurfing, with several schools offering lessons in English.
  • Jastarnia is busier and more family-friendly, with playgrounds, a fishing harbour and town streets full of ice-cream kiosks, bike rentals and fish restaurants.
  • Jurata, once favoured by Poland’s interwar elite, remains the most stylish spot. Its long pier and boutique hotels attract a more refined crowd; it’s a place for sunset cocktails and evening strolls.
  • Hel town, at the tip of the spit, combines holiday atmosphere with history. Alongside broad sandy beaches and fish taverns you’ll find a seal sanctuary and a coastal defence museum, where remnants of the peninsula’s military past lie among the dunes.
Surfers in Chałupy, Poland. (July 2025)

Campsites and Spa Hotels

Camping is still the backbone of the peninsula. Camping Maszoperia and Camping Tramp offer sports fields and restaurants, while smaller, forest-sheltered sites like Camping Leśny provide peace and simplicity. For more comfort, Jurata and Hel town offer apartments and spa hotels. Even in Chałupy there was at least one upscale hotel right by the surf spot. From outside it was easy to peek at the beachside Chałupy campsite on the mainland-facing shore – in late July it was packed to the brim, especially with caravans.

The Buzz of Summer

What sets Hel apart from other Polish summer destinations, according to tourist guides, is its variety. On one side, the sometimes stormy Baltic; on the other, the calm bay waters full of sails and boards. Between them: sandy paths, pine and birch woods, and the buzz of summer. There’s something of Hanko’s peninsula in Finland here, or of Punkaharju’s ridges, with a long beach reminiscent of Yyteri.

The Hel Peninsula feels at once deeply Polish and universally maritime: cheap train tickets, surf schools, families in tents and camper vans, couples sipping drinks in Jurata – and Poland’s largest officially recognised nude beach, established in the 1960s, near the village of Chałupy. At a beach shop selling swim rings and sunglasses I found another reminder that the Poles are a cultured nation: every wall of the little shack was lined with new and second-hand books – you could buy swimwear and holiday reading in one go. There was even a shelf dedicated to religious literature, though plenty of sinful titles on the others. Few European coasts pack so much quirk and variety into such a narrow strip of land.

A warm-sanded recommendation!

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