Golden Sands is a magnificent resort located on the Black Sea coast in Bulgaria. Named from an old pirate legend, the Golden Sands resort is 18 km north of the city of Varna and near the Golden Sands National Park. Richly wooded hills, white golden beach and clear blue sea combine with leisure activities including a casino, many bars, mini golf playground, horse-carriages and attractive carts, water slides, good conditions and equipment for practising all kinds of water sports. It is a paradise for children and restful holiday for parents with a lot of famous and ancient mineral water springs. Golden Sands Resort offers 61 hotels and 10 luxury villas and there are numerous first-class restaurants, folk-style taverns, snack-bars and cafeterias scattered all over the resort and along the coastline. The transport between Golden Sands and the big city of Varna is well organised. An interesting place to visit near Golden Sands is the Alaja rock monastery with beautiful preserved frescoes and nestled on a high steep rock. The monastery is declared a cultural sight and houses a small museum.