Baltrum is the smallest of the seven inhabited East Frisian Islands — just five kilometres long and barely a kilometre wide. Cars are banned entirely, and there is not even a paved road. Getting anywhere means walking, cycling, or hitching a ride on one of the electric carts that handle luggage and supplies. The result is an almost surreal quiet, broken only by wind, birdsong, and the occasional church bell.
The island has a single small village in the centre, with a handful of guesthouses, a bakery, a couple of restaurants, and a tiny church. The north beach is surprisingly generous for such a small island — broad sand stretching the full length — while the south side faces the Wadden Sea tidal flats. At low tide you can walk out a remarkable distance across the mudflats, though you should only do this with a guide.
Baltrum calls itself the Dornröschen der Nordsee (Sleeping Beauty of the North Sea), and the name fits. There is genuinely nothing to do here except walk, swim, read, and watch the tides — which is precisely the point. The island draws families and people who want a few days of enforced disconnection.
Ferries run from Neßmersiel on the mainland, with sailings timed to the tides (typically two to three per day). The crossing takes about 30 minutes.