Neptune, or, Neptun as it’s written in Romanian is a resort on the shoreline of the Black Sea. Now, most likely, many of you know that Romania has a coastline, but most of you probably only heard of Mamaia, Costinesti, or Vama Veche when it comes to resorts.
Well, to get a little context, Mamaia is considered to be the most luxurious of them. Certainly the prices there are luxurious, but, from my point of view, it’s mostly unjustified. Mamaia is that kind of resort where celebrities and wealthy people go to. I mean, the prices there compete with the ones in Ibiza from what I’ve heard. I can’t say for sure since I never went to Ibiza so far. Eh, maybe one day, but I’m not actually very keen on it, to be honest.
But, if you’re into non-stop partying, spending thousands of whatever currency on champagne bottles, paying for a three-stars hotel room the price of a five-stars one in most other places, or if you like Botox inflated and silicone-enhanced wannabe models, then that’s the perfect place for you. Just have in mind that your bank account is in for some serious bleeding. Not my cup of tea by far, but who am I to judge?
Costinesti, on the other hand, is known to be a student resort. Or, at least, it used to be. When I was in high school, that’s where we’d always go to for summer vacation. Meanwhile, the prices went through the roof there too, so I don’t know what kind of students afford to go there anymore.
Vama Veche, the most open-minded resort of them all. That used to be the perfect place to set your tent directly on the sand and just chill out, listening to the sounds of seagulls and waves, while having a cold beer, or a joint, or whatever makes you tick. It used to be the place where you’d see a random guy playing his guitar near a campfire on the beach and where people were just having free and pure fun. Then, hotels happened! What was one a hippie friendly, rock-loving community, soon turned to the second most expensive resort in Romania, just a little behind the aforementioned, Mamaia.
Now, finally, Neptun! This resort is considered by “the cool people” a place for the elderly. While it is true that you won’t find any giant clubs like in Mamaia or Costinesti, there are plenty of bars where you can enjoy live music until, or even a little past midnight. I think of Neptun as the perfect place to recharge your batteries. It still has in some parts the so-called wild beaches, untouched by any terraces, or lounge chairs for which you have to pay a daily rent. You can just stroll alongside the coastline or put your towel on the sand and enjoy the Sun.
It’s a quiet place that allows you to take a nap on the beach, just listening to the waves. Or you can read a book without constantly being interrupted by noisy people everywhere. As I said, it’s the ideal place to find some peace and take the time to put your thoughts in order. And that is valid, especially in the off-season. I went there in the first week of September and it was awesome. The weather then is still good enough to get a nice tan, the water is still warm and the prices are 20-30% lower than the week before. Regarding the financial aspect, Neptun is way cheaper than the other resorts I mentioned. Like 40, or even 50% cheaper.
Unfortunately, when it comes to the quality of services, all the Romanian resorts still have a lot to learn and you have to be pretty careful where you eat if you don’t want to get a nice portion of food poisoning. I recommend going wherever you see the longest queue. That usually means that the food is fresh. Also, there are a lot of street vendors. Now, most of them have decent products, but, as a tip, the shrimps found in the Black Sea are grey. The common orange ones are imported. So, don’t get fooled if they say that they are freshly fished, unless they are the grey kind.
In terms of mobility, the beauty of it is that even if you have a room booked in one resort, you can easily go to any other one by car or by train. It’s no more than an hour drive but take into consideration that it can get pretty nasty in traffic in certain periods. But, if you want to chill for 7 days, and in one night you feel like going out, you can simply take a train to another resort and party there and just return to your hotel room in the morning. That’s a really nice feature if you ask me!
All in all, Neptun is a great place to go to if you just want to chill and recharge. It’s cheap, it’s clean, it’s cosy, and, most importantly, it’s on the seaside!
See you on the sand, Adventurers!
Hai să merem! 