Fishing boat charter in Netherlands

You can find fishing boats available to rent either with or without a skipper across the Netherlands on the Nautal website.  Flexible cancellation or date changes up to 15 days before check-in is allowed on selected boats.  We have no doubt that you will fall in love with the picturesque landscapes the Netherlands has to offer, from the green open spaces, to the traditional gabled houses and windmills that are sure to make you feel as though you have just stepped into the past.  This is definitely one of the best places in the world to escape the stress of everyday life, with a wide range of rural and urban areas to explore.

One thing is definite though, you won’t be bored renting a fishing boat in the Netherlands.

The cost of renting a fishing boat in any location varies based on several factors, including the model, dimensions and technical specifications of the boat, as well as where you want to charter your fishing boat.  Fishing boat hire prices in the Netherlands typically stay consistent year round.

Currently in the Netherlands, we have fishing boats in a number of different locations.  Below you can find a list of prices.

In North Holland, prices will typically start at around €183 for half a day, €244 for a full day and 1218 for a week.

In Amsterdam, you can expect to pay a bit more for your fishing boat rental, with prices starting at €1096 per half day, €2193 per day and €15349 per week.

In South Holland, you will pay around €183 per day and €487 per week.

If you want to hire a fishing boat in Drachten, you will have to request the price directly from the owner.

Yes! It is possible to rent a fishing boat with or without a skipper in the Netherlands but if you choose to rent without a skipper, you must make sure to follow these regulations regarding licences:

If the boat is smaller than 15 meters and does not exceed a speed of 10.8 knots (20 kmph/12.4 mph), you don’t need a license.

If the boat can travel at more than 10.8 knots (20 kmph/12.4 mph) on rivers, canals and lakes, you need the “Klein Vaarbewijs 1” license.

"Small Vaarbewijs 2" is the license required for boats sailing in the open sea, as well as on large inland water basins such as the Oosterschelde and Westerschade estuaries, the IJsselmeer and the Waddenzee.

The Netherlands has a temperate climate, offering cool summers and cold winters.  The weather will usually be cool, cloudy and humid all year round, with some snow in the winter and temperatures will range from 5-14.4°C (41-57.9°F).  The average high temperatures in the summer are usually between 20-25°C (68-77°F), while the average lows in the winter range from 0-4.4°C (32-39.9°F).

The average annual rainfall typically ranges from 73.66 and 83.82 cm (29-33 inches).

The best time to go on a boating holiday in the Netherlands depends on many different factors.  In order to benefit fully from your experience, you must correctly choose the time of year when you want to sail, so that unpleasant weather conditions don’t compromise your enjoyment.

We would typically encourage people to go during the summer period, as during this time the higher temperatures and sunny days are perfect for navigation.  However, the spring and autumn also offer pleasant sailing conditions.  While there may be fewer sunny days coupled with a higher chance of rain, there will also be fewer people and consequently better deals on boats.

It is generally agreed that you should try to plan your visit between May and September, as although rain is still fairly frequent, the temperatures will be more pleasant.  You can also expect up to 16.5 hours of sunlight during these months, as well as more bearable humidity levels.  Flower lovers should visit in May and June to see the tulips bloom.  During the summer, you should take your fishing boat charter to the beach, where you can enjoy swimming in a sea with a temperature of around 15.6°C (60.1°F) and over, as well as numerous unique fishing opportunities.  The only drawback of this period is the higher boat prices, a normal consequence of an increased number of people.

You should try where possible to avoid a fishing boat charter in the Netherlands from December until February, as during these months, it can be very dark and snowy, and the humidity can become unbearable.  There is also a higher probability that you will experience storms and strong winds in the winter, as well as less than favourable swimming conditions.  The sea during the winter months rarely rises above a temperature of 5°C (41°F).

It can be difficult to compile just a short list of fantastic sailing areas in the Netherlands as there are so many.  However, here are a few personal favourites.

For somewhere a little off the beaten track, you should undoubtedly visit Friesland in the north of the Netherlands.  Here, there are so many breathtaking areas to explore that you will feel as though you are becoming one with the Vermeer landscape, immersing yourself in large expanses of canals, green meadows, dunes, woods, and typical dutch windmills, as well as ancient cities.

Another great area worth visiting is Zeeland, home of the Oosterschelde national park, which displays a wide range of habitats from marshes to drylands.  Twice a day, the tide transforms the entire landscape, filling the park with 800 billion litres of water.

In the south of the Netherlands you can explore the aptly nicknamed Dutch “Green Heart”.  This is a large arena which stretches between the cities of The Hague, Haarlem, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Amsterdam, and Zoetermeer.  The landscapes in this area are completely unique in comparison to the rest of Europe, and sports lovers will also have a great time, with plenty of opportunities to enjoy cycling, hiking and a wide range of watersports.

The Netherlands, which has a canal system to rival that of Venice, has so many things to do and see that there is no way you could possibly get bored.  This vibrant hub of culture and history has so many things to offer that you will definitely want to return for a second trip, maybe even to try out a different type of boat.

One thing that everyone wants to see when they travel to the Netherlands, is a traditional Dutch windmill.  The best places to do this are Kinderdijk and Zaanse Schans.  Zaanse Schans is an area about 15 km to the north of Amsterdam, which offers a window into a Netherlands of the past.  Furthermore, as a fishing village, what place could be better to visit on a fishing boat than this charming place?  You can also visit another fishing village, Volendam, while you’re there, for the chance to catch plenty of herring that you can then eat for dinner.

If you want to learn more about the Dutch culture, you can visit some of the many museums in the Netherlands.  Those who love art will be enthralled by the Rijkmuseum, which has a most spectacular collection of art and antiques, as well as a library with about 35000 books.  Art lovers will also love the Van Gogh museum, which houses the largest collection of his works in the world, and the Mauritshuis, which although relatively small, is home to some pieces of great cultural significance, such as the Girl with a pearl earring by Johannes Vermeer.

If you like to visit museums with a more nautical theme, you simply must visit the Houseboat museum.  One of a kind, this museum is actually situated on a houseboat and serves to give an overview of houseboat life over the years and demonstrate how houseboat life has changed.  However, the must-see attraction in the Netherlands, being not just one of the most famous of the Amsterdam attractions, but also one of the most poignant, is the Anne Frank museum.  This museum was once the home of Anne Frank and if you visit, you can see the attic in which she hid with her family.  Although it has been restored at various points over the years, this attic remains unchanged.

However, the Netherlands also has many open spaces and national parks where you can go to be at one with nature, such as Keukenhof and Hoge Veluwe.  Keukenhof is also known as the Garden of Europe, and with so many colourful flowers stretching out as far as the eye can see, it’s not hard to see why.  There are many tulips here, which just so happen to be the signature flower of the Netherlands.  Hoge Veluwe is 800 acres of vast woodland habitats and contains within a sculpture park, many species of deer and a variety of bird species nesting in the trees.

For the opportunity to meet plenty of locals, you should definitely visit Marken, located a conveniently close distance from Ijsselmeer Lake.  If you’re going to visit this beautiful town, you should go in the summer when lots of festivals occur, during which the residents dress up in traditional clothes.  You can also watch demonstrations of many traditional crafts while these festivals are occurring, including clog making.

If you like looking at old buildings, the best places to visit are Grote Kerk and Valkenburg.  Grote Kerk, an old church in the Hague and an excellent example of Gothic architecture, is particularly significant in the Netherlands due to the many members of the Dutch royal family who have been baptised there.  Valkenburg is a town located in the Geul Valley and the only location with a hilltop castle in the Netherlands.  It also offers unique opportunities to explore caves, even having a Christmas market inside the Velvet Caves in November and December where you can buy souvenirs for yourself and gifts for your friends and family.

If you like theme parks, Effeling is a definite must while visiting the Netherlands.  Effeling is one of the oldest amusement parks in the world, having opened in 1952, and is also the biggest in the Netherlands.  It is divided up into different realms, each of which centres around a different ancient myth or legend.

What if you want to see lots of the different areas in the Netherlands but are only staying for a short amount of time?  Don’t worry, even if this is the case, the Netherlands has a wonderful compromise to actually travelling to the real life versions of these places - Madurodam.  Madurodam is a scale model version of the Netherlands, and an excellent opportunity to tick off multiple spectacular buildings and cities in one go without traveling too far.

The quickest and easiest way to get to the Netherlands is, of course, by plane.  There are direct flights available to most of the airports across the country, especially Amsterdam’s Schipol airport.  This airport receives flights from many countries, including Canada, Norway, the USA, Ireland and many airports across the UK, including most of the London airports.  You can also travel there by train, long distance bus, car, and ferry.  There really is a travel method to suit everyone.