Sunny Beach is where my story started back in 2016. However, the history of Sunny Beach goes back to the year 1958. It was created as a weekend getaway for Bulgarian families, and since then, grew and become the largest tourist and vacation spot in the country. Sunny Beach offers many sports activities to engage in as well as a rich nightlife.
The seaside resort has a tiny population that is there all year long. Once the summer months hit, thousands of tourists enjoy it. It’s like a never-ending party.
Let’s answer a few questions.
- Is it a good place for partying? Yes!
- Is it cheap? Yes!
Bulgaria is a vast country, but the good news is you do not have to fly into Sofia (the capital). There is an airport about 30 minutes away from the resort called Burgas Airport.
From here, you can take a bus or taxi to Sunny Beach. Be aware that many of the buses parked there are tourist buses for charter flights. Bus timetables change depending on the season (summer or winter).
I am sure the hotel where you will stay will have a shuttle bus ready for you.
There are over 800 hotels on the 5 km (about 3 miles) long resort. Even if you haven’t booked anything in advance, chances are you can find something (although not during peak summer times). The hotels vary from cheap to very expensive, and each offers its unique services.
We stayed in MPM Hotel Orel. It stands very close to the sandy beach while still connected to the boardwalk. We were lucky and got a room on the top floor with a fantastic view. Here we can’t complain.
The only issue was their slow elevator. I never was in a slower one my whole life. Sometimes you will have to wait up to twenty minutes for an elevator to arrive, so we took the stairs a lot.
Well, sometimes, the view comes at a cost.
The hotel offers everything you find in hotels. An animation team did various activities during the day, like dancing, competition, and so on. Our two guys were pleasant to talk to, and we played a lot of UNO with them.
The best part was the bars. There are four bars, each serving in specific hours, but very well adjusted. One of the four was located at the beach, meaning you could get a cold beer while sunbathing. It has its pros and cons. Refrain from expecting anything fancy, and some drinks we ordered had a very questionable color.
Food
The food at the hotel was terrible. We will be honest with you. The coffee, not even sure one can call it that. It was a brown substance that pretended to be coffee. We drank it for three days before buying a coffee at McDonald’s down the street.
The rest of the food is also a no. It was not tasty, and some of it was not even fresh. The strange part was also the “control patrol” when you entered the restaurant. First, we had to leave any bags we had with the employees at the entrance (I wonder if they feared we would stuff our bags with the terrible food).
The style of serving was a buffet; eat what you can. However, with the food quality, the less, the better.
In these kinds of hotels, it’s fun to observe the people around you. Some stuff their plates as full as possible but only manage to eat some. What a waste! One thing eatable was desserts.
Of course, Sunny Beach is such a vast resort that you can find restaurants and fast food stands outside your hotel. We tried a few, and they didn’t disappoint. Whatever we found and tried was marvelous.
Sunny Beach Boardwalk
The boardwalk offers it all. Really all. From shops, supermarkets, fast food stands, restaurants, amusement rides, shopping, and more. It reminds me a little bit of Las Vegas. Especially at night, it is a mixture of lights, colors, and drunks trying their luck at the games. It is fascinating to walk around.
Read also about Maria Pia Beach in Alghero
The beach
Sunny Beach is the place to be if you are looking for a long beach. As mentioned, you can walk along a five-kilometer (about three miles) long sandy beach. You can even waddle around barefoot. The sea is crystal blue and enjoyable.
Walking all the way, you will notice that some areas belong to the hotels (our hotel also had such a part) where you can put down your blanket. There are also free areas that are not cleaned, though.
Seagulls are everywhere, but they are not annoying you.
We took a walk around the whole area and found out that we were lucky to have a clean beach. Some other parts were covered in seaweed.
The overall trip was nice, and we found some hidden gems. Sunny Beach is for everyone who wants to party and likes it a little wild. There are also a lot of families here for vacation, so it’s a place for everyone.
