Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
By Boat
▲▲▲ Canal Boat Tours
These long, low, tourist-laden boats leave continually from several docks around town for
a relaxing, if uninspiring, one-hour introduction to the city (with recorded headphone com-
mentary). Select a boat tour based on convenience of its starting point, or whether it's in-
cludedwithyourIamsterdamCard(whichcoversBlueBoatCompanyandHollandInterna-
tional boats). Tip: Boats leave only when full, so jump on a full boat to avoid waiting at the
dock. No fishing allowed—but bring your camera. Some prefer to cruise at night, when the
bridges are illuminated.
Choose from one of these three companies:
Rederij P. Kooij is cheapest (€9, 3/hour in summer 10:00-22:00, 2/hour in winter
10:00-17:00, at corner of Spui and Rokin streets, about 10 minutes from Dam Square, tel.
020/623-3810, www.rederijkooij.nl ) .
Blue Boat Company 's boats depart from near Leidseplein (€14; every half-hour April-
Sept 10:00-18:00, also at 19:00; hourly Oct-March 10:00-17:00; 1.25 hours, Stadhouder-
skade 30, tel. 020/679-1370, www.blueboat.nl ). Their 1.5-hour evening cruise has a live
English-speaking guide (€17.50, nightly at 20:00, April-Sept also at 21:00 and 22:00, reser-
vations required).
Holland International offers a standard one-hour trip and a variety of longer tours
from the docks opposite Central Station (€14, 1-hour “100 Highlights” tour with recorded
commentary, 4/hour daily 9:00-18:00, 2/hour 18:00-22:00; Prins Hendrikkade 33a, tel. 020/
625-3035, www.hir.nl ).
Hop-On, Hop-Off Canal Boats
Small,12-personelectricCanalHopperboatsleaveevery20-30minuteswithlivecomment-
ary on two different hop-on, hop-off routes (€24 day pass, €17 round-trip ticket, July-Aug
daily 10:00-17:00, Sept-June Fri-Sun only, “yellow” west route runs 2/hour and stops near
Anne Frank House and Rijksmuseum, “orange” east route runs 3/hour and stops near Red
Light District and Damrak, tel. 020/626-5574, www.canal.nl ) .
Wetlands Safari, Nature Canoe Tours near Amsterdam
If you want some exercise and a dose of village life, consider this five-hour tour. Majel
Tromp, a friendly villager who speaks great English, takes groups limited to 15 people. The
program: Meet at the bus stops behind Central Station (leave the station from the west cor-
ridor and take the escalator up to the buses) at 9:30, catch a public bus, stop for coffee,
take a 3.5-hour canoe trip (2-3 people per canoe) with several stops, tour a village by ca-
noe, munch a rural canalside picnic lunch (included), then canoe and bus back into Amster-
Search WWH ::




Custom Search