Netherlands: Sailing

The Netherlands is a wonderful place if you want to go sailing as both the sea and the inland waterways will provide you with a host of opportunities. You will find that most sailing takes place on the IJsselmeer, the Wadden Sea and the Frisian Islands, because these are all places with plenty of sand dunes, channels and historic beautiful ports.

There is no shortage of yachts available for hire in the Netherlands. IJsselmeer (Lake IJssel), is a very shallow lake located in the centre of the Netherlands, but it's also within easy reach of North Holland, Flevoland, and Friesland. The Wadden Sea is also a great place for a yachting holiday. It has a coastal wetland that extends from Den Helder to Germany's river estuaries-around 6,875 square miles (11,000 square kilometres).

There are several islands there that are uninhabited and that are bird sanctuaries and are well worth a visit . The Dutch salt marshes, at Bosplaat, Schorren, and Noord-Friesland Buitendijks, are well worth a visit too. Summer is the best time for sailing around the Frisian Islands, partly because some of the more remote islands are easier to get to than in winter. If you want to go sailing on some of the more far-flung islands, then it is best to drive, as public transport is scarce in these areas.