Summer is here, so going to the seaside for some fun, sun, sand and a swim is no longer a whim – it is a necessity! But where should you go? If you do not want to join the thousands of Bulgarians and Romanians heading to the border crossings with Greece, then Bulgaria is the obvious answer. Although the hectic overdevelopment that has plagued the Bulgarian Black Sea coast since the 2000s continues, there are a handful of beaches that still offer a sense of freedom, clean sand and an alluring sea.

In this and the next issue, we will present the best sunbathing spots along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. We will start in the north, a lesser known and less crowded area stretching from the Romanian border to Cape Emine, where the Stara Planina mountain range plunges into the Black Sea. Due to the region's geography and climate, summers here are shorter and the waters are cooler, but do not let this put you off – Bulgaria's northern beaches more than make up for this with their beautiful setting.

Durankulak  

The last village at the Bulgarian Black Sea coast before the border with Romania has three beaches. Few people visit. The Romanians who enter Bulgaria from the nearby checkpoint are in a hurry to the famed Aegean, and for most Bulgarians, Durankulak is too far to bother about.

Durankulak's north beach stretches all the way to the frontier. The seabed here is very steep and deep, so be cautious when swimming. The south beach is over 6 km long and reaches as far as Krapets village. The two are divided by the beach of the Kosmos camping site, a preferred spot for parking one's RV and enjoying the sea and sand.

The waters in all three beaches are rather cold and unpredictable. Winds can appear out of the blue. For a group of people, this is not an inconvenience, but a blessing – lovers of kite surfing frequent Durankulak.

The main obstacle to camping here are the mosquitoes in the nearby Durankulak Lake – a marshy area inhabited by rare and endangered local and migrating fowl. On one of its islands are the unremarkable, but historically important remains of a fortified prehistoric settlement and an ancient temple to Cybele.

Еzerets  

About a mile of sand between the villages of Krapets and Ezerets remains unpopulated even in high summer, though in recent years it has become increasingly popular with Romanian tourists who just like to camp wild in the nearby grove. 

A Second World War bunker built by the Germans remains on the beach, a poignant reminder of the area's turbulent history.

Shabla

Most people know Shabla, the last town before the border with Romania, for its distinctive red-and-white lighthouse, built in the 19th century by the Ottomans. 

By it rust the remains of another infrastructure facility with less luck – a pier built in the 1960s for Soviet ships that were supposed to arrive here to load... crude oil. Yes, this is right – in the 1960s oil and natural gas deposits were discovered at Shabla. However, they were so meagre that large-scale extraction never started. Only the pier remained.

Shabla's beach is less popular but in good weather is a real pleasure with its fine sand and gentle slope towards the sea. It is by two lakes, one of which is salty and dries in summer, leaving a thick layer of supposedly healing mud. Whatever the real or supposed health benefits, covering yourself in a thick layer of black mud is fun, and makes some good photos.

Bolata

Bolata is often described as one of the most beautiful beaches in Bulgaria. While beauty might be in the eyes of the beach goer, the natural settings of this sand crescent are really remarkable.

Rising red cliffs surround the tiny strip of sand just north from the stunning Kaliakra Cape and its medieval fortress. A narrow river gorge ending with a lush marshland is the only way to reach the beach. This rare combination of land, marshland and sea habitats is the home of many rare plant and animal species, hence the area's protected status.

This has not stopped a growing number of people from visiting Bolata in the summer. Some of them just enjoy the sun and the sand, others climb the steep cliffs, dive or try to navigate the treacherous waters around in boats.

Chernomorets  

The mile-long strip of sand dotted with rocks that stretches by the Rakitnika holiday area and a fishermen settlement called Fichoza was for years the escape plan for people from Varna seeking refuge from the summer crowds in their city. 

Chernomorets was wild and free, a place where you could swim, dive and sunbathe even naked, if you wanted to.

Chernomorets has still preserved that spirit, mainly because it is far from good roads.

River Kamchiya estuary  

When the Kamchiya river hits the Black Sea it is just a tiny stream, and it is difficult to believe that several dams upriver provide the drinking water to Burgas and Varna, with a combined population of over half a million. 

The area around the river estuary is densely forested and has been a resort for many years. Most recently a Russian development, including a school and a holiday site for Russians, has dominated the area. The Kamchiya beach is so large that it can never get crowded. And it has the added benefit of having a few good places to eat within walking distance.

The fact that you are in a nature reserve preserving Bulgaria's largest floodplain forest is a plus.

Shkorpilovtsi

This is Bulgaria's longest beach – a strip of sand that is 12 kms long and at some places is 100 m wide. This means a variety of holiday experiences, from run-of-the-mill facilities close to the village to wilder places and spots for camping. 

A 300-metre peer that belongs to an ichthyological research station is a picturesque addition to the settings. The beach is windy and the sea often gets choppy. This might be unpleasant to the regular beach goer, but fans of sea sports love Shkorpilovtsi precisely because of this. The remains of a submerged bridge are of some interest to divers.

Karadere  

One of the last truly wild Black Sea beaches Karadere is difficult to get to. Unless you want to go for a long trek, you will need a high clearance 4WD to negotiate the long, winding and confusing dirt roads. 

Situated just north of Byala, whose 2000s and 2o10s urban sprawls rivals that of Sozopol minus the few 19th century houses remaining in the Old Town, Karadere was threatened by large-scale development in its immediate vicinity. Designed in part by none lesser than Lord Norman Foster the project, which involved the construction of five separate holiday villages with a total of 15,400 beds, remains in blueprint. All the people who prefer pristine nature to luxurious holiday-making are jubilant. Do go before the concrete mixers arrive.

Irakli  

In the 2000s, Irakli became the centre of a construction dispute. The developers prevailed over the environmentalists and a luxury resort has now sprung up at the northern end of the beach. 

Still, what remains of it south of the tiny River Vaya is as wild as it can get. Above it are the last reaches of the Stara Planina mountain range before they disappear into the Black Sea. As you enjoy what remains of pristine Irakli, bear in mind that just a few miles to the south, on the south side of Cape Emine, Sunny Beach starts. For all its worth it could have been light years away.