Bootverhuur Giethoorn, Overijssel Province, The Netherlands

5simono1958 5:00 PM May 27, 2017

Loved it and here's an indepth guide to Giethoorn boating in thanks.
Summary • Highly photogenic • Narrow timber-edged canals lined with attractive gardens, trees, houses and other buildings • No cars near core areas of village; best accessed by foot or boat • Narrow footpath following the canal and changing sides periodically • Quaint footbridges • Many boats for hire • Without tourists, provides an opportunity for a tranquil experience. • With tourists, provides lots of people watching opportunities and fun akin to a waterpark ride • Waterside restaurants Although this definitely is a class destination to rival sights like the Cambridge backs or Cotswold villages, describing this as the ‘Venice of the north’ is perhaps a little aspirational. Similarly if you come hoping to see a rural idyll with locals ferrying their daily needs and wares by boat or local girls travelling to their weddings in a canal bridal procession you may be disappointed given the difficulties of such rural life being compatible with the hundreds of thousands of fascinated tourists (particularly Chinese) who want to see the Giethoorn that, following a well-organised local campaign a few years ago, now figures on an International Monopoly (tm) board. For the tourist though, no visit here would seem complete without a trip in a boat, hired from one of the operators. At the time of writing the going rate throughout the village appears to be €15 an hour for a smaller boat with the full day rate €75. Boats vary in design, some controlled by a small wheel and some by angling the direction of the propeller with a handle. The former is less tiring and more intuitive, the latter requires some twisting around. Some boats have limited throttle settings which can be a further challenge in moving smoothly at slow speed. It also possible that on windier days lower powered boats may struggle against head or crosswinds on the lakes. Most boats also have controls at the stern which may make it a little difficult to see quite where you are going if the boat is full. The electric boats claim an all-day battery and are quieter, ‘green’ and avoid fumes. A one-way system for boats operates in the village core and so part of any circular route including the village will mean crossing a lake as well. To this main route can be added nearby village, additional lake or nature reserve extensions. The core route is the most sought-after though and the ‘speciality’ attraction as a result of which at peak times boat traffic can become congested with a flow rate varying from 0 to 10 boats a minute, i.e. either stationary, very slowly or like a conveyor belt. On busy days, however, it is less congested before ten o’clock and after four. The same day on a May weekend can thus provide contrasting experiences: a tranquil and stress-free glide; or a hybrid between a flume-ride and dodgems requiring good humour, but also providing numerous amusing sights for walkers as novice boaters collide with each other and the banks or as a private pontoon of wassailing lads chunters through. Note that the village extension to the north is arguably less scenic apart from Molengaat lake and involves some early head-ducking to get under bridges along Dorpsgracht. In the less touristy areas north and south sometimes boaters may be startled by guard dogs. Novice boaters may be advised to keep off the main navigation waterway (kanaal) to the west and should avoid areas of weed or water lilies given the potential hazards from big boats and clogged propellers respectively. The decision of how long to hire a boat for will therefore be a combination of budget, interest, boat type, weather and levels of congestion. An alternative to boat hire is to take a guided trip in a ‘rondvaartboot’ perhaps shared with thirty others. For those able to moor, along the main village spine there are a few shops, perhaps the most notable those specialising in rocks and crystals, and several bars and restaurants (many bearing the same family name). Away from the spine near the main road (Beularkaweg) walkers and drivers can find a VVV (tourist information) next to a sizeable Spar supermarket. In the other direction, out on the lake and reached by a short causeway, is a popular restaurant. There are some cultural facilities including a church, museums (geology and local history). The gardens and buildings are typically well-maintained and photogenic. A few include sculpture and a few sport tall poles bearing herons’ nests. The WaterReijk Weeribben Wieden Giethoorn map (plattegrond) is a very useful Dutch only resource to locate the main visitor attractions although unfortunately not easy to obtain cheaply in advance via post and there is currently little information on the Internet. Note too that this printed map could mislead pedestrians used to cartographers’ conventions; while it is always necessary for map makers to show features on maps larger or wider that if scaled accurately this version in particular may give the impression of a compact village. Lengths of straight sections on the map may also not always seem quite as short, or long, in reality. The map particularly needs to be used with care if navigating canals. Although a better size than some it does not cover the extension routes referred to earlier or show minor features useful for orientation or deciding where to turn round. Even the A4 sheets maps typically handed out by boat operators may also be difficult to follow but a telephone number is likely to be provided in the case of delay or difficulties. One wonders why, as with the Cambridge ‘backs’ there are not more students willing to display for a fee their prowess with navigation and story-telling. To get to Giethoorn the normal options would appear to be either by car or coach tour to Giethoorn or by train to Steenwijk, followed by one of: the hourly No. 70 bus and a walk; a taxi for €25-35; or a hired bicycle. Staying there is an option and enables the village to be experienced without other tourists. If arriving with luggage establishing the accessibility of your accommodation beforehand may reduce stress. Please note that there are several boat hire companies and I am reviewing the experience not any company. The company I used, De Kruumte, does not currently have a listing under attractions it seems. (I retain copyright in this article in case I want to reproduce it.)

4Martin St Ander 5:00 PM Jul 8, 2018

1 Hour is enough.
Do not waste time and money on a 2-3 hour trip on a boat. a 1 hour trip is fine, or maybe 2x1 hour trips. Fact is, the nature reserve part is a waste. Once you have seen a reed, the others will pale in comparison. So take the short trip, then do a walk around, and then go do another short trip if you must. The town is absolutely beautifull and worth a visit. A sunny day would also be a nice to have, as it can get chilly on the open water.