Car & Van Hire - De Haan

De Haan in Belgium is perhaps most famous for the quality of its beaches, which are one of the main attractions drawing visitors to the area. Beach De Haan is a child-friendly beach which offers beautiful white sand and pleasant views, along with beachfront shops, food and drinks.

Film lovers can enjoy a sense of nostalgia at Cinema Rio, which is an independently-owned, traditional neighbourhood cinema with clear vintage appeal. Despite this, the cinema screens the latest releases, as well as some old classics.

De Haan is famously associated with one of the world's greatest physicists, Albert Einstein, who lived in the town for a period after leaving Nazi Germany in 1933. There are two key attractions that are linked to Einstein's stay in the area; the villa that he lived in, Villa Savoyarde at Shakespearelaan 3, and the Einstein Statue, which sits on a public bench near the beach, allowing visitors to easily take photographs alongside it.

For sports enthusiasts, the Royal Ostend Golf Club is home to one of Belgium's most historic and highly-regarded golf courses, an 18-hole links course that offers spectacular views of the coastline. If you are more interested in spectating, De Haan is also home to one of Belgium's elite women's volleyball teams, Volley De Haan, and the team plays home matches at Haneveld.

A number of play areas are available for younger children, including 'La Potinière', which offers a great playground. Adults can enjoy a coffee, soft drink or alcoholic drink, and the complex also hosts music performances and other events throughout the year. Meanwhile, nature lovers may enjoy a stroll in 'Duinbossen', otherwise known as the dune forests, with trees and plantlife spread over a total area of more than 150 hectares.

De Haan has shops in the central area and along the beachfront, while there are plenty of restaurants where you can sample traditional Belgian food, as well as global favourites. Many visitors simply enjoy exploring the town because it offers unique architecture and a formal policy of no high-rise buildings. This policy is in place in order to preserve the traditional skyline and prevent the coastal area from becoming too built up.

Throughout Belgium, drivers must be at least 18 years old, but car and van hire in De Haan requires the driver to be 21 or older. Drivers must possess a valid international driving licence recognised under the terms of the Vienna and Geneva Conventions or under a bilateral agreement between the issuing country and Belgium or the European Union.

Seatbelts are mandatory for all people within a vehicle, and children under 135 cm tall must be seated in an appropriate child or booster seat at all times. Drivers are also required to keep a reflective jacket in the vehicle, and this should be put on in the event of a breakdown or accident to make you more visible. Vehicles drive on the right side of the road, and overtaking should always be performed on the left.

The speed limits in and around De Haan are broadly in line with the rest of Belgium. In residential areas, the speed limit is typically 20 km/h, while built-up areas will usually have a speed limit of 50 km/h. A speed limit of 30 km/h is in place around all schools, regardless of the time of day, while motorways have a 120 km/h limit. It should also be noted that motorways have a minimum speed limit of 70 km/h, so you must always be above this.

Speed limits are enforced by speed cameras, as well as by police on the roads. Punishments for breaking the speed limit will usually amount to a fine, although more severe punishments may be handed out for serious violations. Police have the authority to issue on-the-spot fines for speeding, but serious offences may result in a court hearing. Driving under the influence of alcohol is illegal if your blood alcohol content exceeds 0.05%.

The Coast Tram public transport service runs through De Haan and stretches across much of the Belgian coastline. This is notable for drivers because trams have priority over all other road users. So, for example, if a tram stops on the road ahead of you, you are required to stop behind it and wait for it to start moving again.

The Koninklijke Baan (N34) is one of the most important roads in the area. It spans much of the Belgian coastline, connecting De Haan to other coastal settlements, including Ostend and Zeebrugge. Furthermore, road N307 leads onto road N9, and this route connects De Haan to the city of Bruges.