There are 20 national parks in the Netherlands and National Park De Biesbosch is a truly magical one with unique flora and fauna. It is the perfect place to visit for a long weekend to escape the everyday stress and detox from the city life. This posts provides thorough information about how to plan you trip to this nature reserve so that you will have an unforgettable stay at De Biesbosch National Park.
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What is De Biesbosch?
De Biesbosch is a natural park located in the provinces North Brabant and South Holland. Its origins can be traced back to the St. Elizabeth’s flood in 1421 – one of the largest floods in the history of mankind. After the flood, the Dutch mastered their ways of building dikes, creating island, diverting rivers, changing landscapes and De Biesbosch is one of those Dutch creations where nature has been given the main role. De Biesbosch is one of the biggest freshwater tidal wetlands in Europe, a paradise for birds and birdwatchers. It’s also the home of the beaver in the Netherlands.
How to get to National Park De Biesbosch?
If you travel by car, you can access the park from Dordrecht, Drimmelen, Werkendam or Hank. You can’t cross De Biesbosch by car, so you have to plan your itinerary well in advance, as it might turn out that you have to drive all around it to get at your destination. There are a few car parks where you can leave you car in order to explore the park walking or biking.
A visit to De Biesbosch can be perfectly combined also with a city trip. If you are visiting Breda, ‘s-Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch) or Tilburg, you can opt for a day trip to this natural park. It takes only 20 minutes by car to reach the park from Breda, 30 minutes from Den Bosch and 25 from Tilburg.
Tip: Read this post about using the public transport in the Netherlands. It’s packed with tips that only a local knows!
On the map below you can find the places where you can park in the National Park, where you can rent a boat, the tourist offices and the hotels.
Facilities in National Park De Biesbosch
There are 3 tourist offices at the different ends of the National park, which offer various activities. They are also good starting point to explore De Biesbosch.
- Biesboschcentrum Drimmelen (Biesboschweg 4, 4924 BB Drimmelen) – café, bed & breakfast, boat rental services, midget golf, parking
- Biesboschcentrum Dordrecht (Baanhoekweg 53, 3313 LP Dordrecht) – museum, exhibitions, souvenir shop, boat rental, boat trips, café, parking
- Biesbosch MuseumEiland (Biesbosch Museum Island) – museum, exhibitions, café, boat trips, parking, bike rental
What to do in De Biesbosch National Park?
1. Do a boat trip
The best way to experience the National park is from the water. The tourist offices organize boat trips but you can also rent a boat or canoe and explore the labyrinth of small rivers and creeks by yourself. Here are the places where you can rent a boat:
- Jachthaven van Oversteeg – boat rental (including canoes & kayaks), café, cabin pod
- Diepstraten Botenverhuur – boat rental, café
- Biesbosch-Sloepen verhuur – boat rental
- Watersport Botenverhuur – boat rental (including canoes and kayaks)
- De Biesbosch In – boat rental (including fishing boats)
- Biesboschcentrum Dordrecht – museum, exhibitions, souvenir shop, boat rental, boat trips, café
2. Visit the Biesbosch Museum Island
I’m not often impressed by museums other than art ones, but the Biesbosch Museum Island really won me. It’s entertaining, it’s educative, it’s interactive and it’s made beautifully with a lot of taste. The building itself is an architectural jewel. It has been nominated for Building of the Year Award 2016 by the ArchDaily.
- Address: De Hilweg 2, 4251 MT Werkendam
- Entry fee: adults – 9.50 EUR, kids (aged 4 -12) – 6.50 EUR
- Opening times: Tuesday – Friday from 10:00 till 17:00, Saturday – Sunday from 11:00 till 17:00, Monday – closed
3. Go walking or biking in De Biesbosch
There are walking routes with different lengths that will take you to the most beautiful places in De Biesbosch. At the visitor’s centres you can take brochures with the routes.
4. Take tons of pictures
De Biesbosch is perfect for a photography trip, especially if you love photographing birds and nature.
5. Go canoeing in De Biesbosch
If you bring your own canoe, there are routes with various starting points: at the visitor’s centre in Dordrecht (here you can also rent a canoe), at Natuurpoort Vissershang, or at Drimmelen. This is a great way to discover the enchanting nature of De Biesbosch.
Where to stay in De Biesbosch?
There are quite a lot of B&B’s and hotels in the neighborhood, but if you really want to stay in De Biesbosch here is a selection of places to stay in the National Park:
Alternatively, you can stay in Dordrecht, Werkendam or in the neighbourhood of Geertruidenberg.
