Awesome places for WATER SPORTS

213 Sailing On Slotermeer

Balk

Friesland

214 Kitesurfing In Ijmuiden

IJmuiden

North Holland

Slotermeer connects the Frisian lakes with the Gaasterland nature area. The calm and clear water make this an excellent place for a swim. You’ll sometimes run into some boats or surfers here too. Balk has several boat rental companies, where you can rent a valk or an optimist. Sloten, one of the Frisian Eleven Cities, is a lovely village and definitely worth visiting.

Kitesurfing or kiteboarding is much easier to learn than surfing or windsurfing and is great fun from the minute you start. The kite propels you across the water on your board allowing you to achieve amazing speeds. IJmuiden has a wide beach and the sea is always within hand’s reach. The water is relatively shallow here and because IJmuiden is located at the mouth of the North Sea Canal it’s a good place to kitesurf in any wind. There are different kitesurfing schools for beginners and people who want to rent equipment.

215 Surfing Near

WIJK

Aan Zee

Noordpier

North Holland

Wijk aan Zee has the best waves in the Netherlands, which is why it is a hotspot for surfers. Surfschool Ozlines, near the Timboektoe beach pavilion, organises classes, including for children, or group sessions for families.

216 Canoeing In The Weerribbenwieden

The Weerribben-Wieden National Park is a large peat bog in the province of Overijssel. Here you can sail across open lakes, past dense reed belts and along channels that are almost hidden from view because of the bankside growth. You can rent a canoe in Kalenberg, Ossenzijl and Giethoorn (the ‘Venice of the Low Countries’). Spending the night in the park can also be a lot of fun. There are special canoe campsites, which are allocated by Natuurmonumenten, as well as ‘ordinary’ campsites. You can download various canoe routes from the website.

217 Suping In Leeuwarden

Stand-up paddle boarding means using a paddle to speed through the water on a long board. It’s a deliciously relaxing activity, which gives you a completely different perspective on the city. SUP is becoming increasingly popular in the Netherlands. You can rent a board, take a class or join a tour at SUP Skool Leeuwarden.

218 Diving In The Oosterschelde

Squid, seahorses, North Sea crabs, large cod and seals: you can see all of the above and more if you go diving in the Oosterschelde, which is the Netherlands’ most diverse diving location. If you decide to dive at Plompe Toren near BurghHaamstede, you will even see the remnants of the drowned village of Koudekerke underwater. The Duiken in Zeeland diving school will give you more information about the various diving locations and organises guided dives.