Camping in the Netherlands means staying on a campsite: wild camping is not allowed, and the network of legal pole-camping spots has shrunk. In return there is a dense choice of sites, from large holiday parks with pools to small farm campsites with a dozen pitches, and most are within cycling distance of a village or town.
Types of campsite
- Large campsites and holiday parks. Full-service sites with pitches, chalets and mobile homes, shops, restaurants and often a pool. Common on the North Sea coast, in Zeeland, on the Veluwe and in Limburg.
- Minicampings and farm campsites (boerencampings). Small sites, often on a working farm, with a limited number of pitches and basic but clean facilities. They suit people who want quiet.
- Nature campsites (natuurkampeerterreinen). More than 150 sites in attractive natural settings run under the Stichting Natuurkampeerterreinen umbrella. You need their annual Natuurkampeerkaart to stay.
- SVR sites. The Stichting Vrije Recreatie is a membership organisation for small campsites, mostly on farms; members get access to its sites.
- Trekkershutten and camping cabins. Simple wooden huts with beds and basic furniture, popular with cyclists and walkers who do not want to carry a tent.
- Glamping. Furnished safari tents and lodges, now offered by many regular campsites.
Many campsites also keep a separate trekkersveld, a small field reserved for walkers and cyclists arriving without a car, which is useful if you are touring by bike and booking day to day.
Wild camping and pole camping
Pitching a tent outside a campsite is prohibited in the Netherlands. Municipal by-laws and nature protection rules forbid it in forests, dunes and on beaches, and enforcement officers do fine people.
The legal alternative used to be paalkamperen (pole camping): free spots in nature areas marked by a pole, where you could stay briefly with a small tent. The state forestry service, Staatsbosbeheer, closed all 17 of its pole-camping sites in 2020 after problems with litter, fires and overcrowding. A smaller number of pole-camping spots run by other managers and local initiatives still exist, mainly in the east of the country, with strict rules on group size, length of stay and fires. Check the current situation locally before relying on one.
Where to camp
| Area | Landscape | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Zeeland and the South Holland coast | Beaches, dunes and dykes | Beach holidays, cycling |
| North Holland dunes and Texel | Dunes and wide beaches | Families, cycling |
| Wadden Islands | Island villages, dunes, mudflats | Cycling, birdwatching, walking |
| Veluwe (Gelderland) | Forest and heath | Walking, cycling, Hoge Veluwe National Park |
| Drenthe | Forest, heath, small villages | Quiet camping, cycling |
| South Limburg | Rolling hills and valleys | Walking, Maastricht day trips |
| Friesland | Lakes and waterways | Sailing, canoeing |
Facilities, costs and memberships
Dutch campsites are generally well equipped. Expect clean toilet and shower blocks, washing-up areas and electricity hook-ups on most pitches. Some sites charge for hot showers with a token, card or app, and electricity may be metered or charged per day. Wi-Fi is common but not universal on small sites. Electric hook-ups use the blue CEE camping plug standard across Europe, so bring an adapter cable if your equipment has a different plug, and check the amperage if you run a heater or cooking appliance.
Prices vary a lot by season and location; coastal sites in July and August are the most expensive. Points to know:
- Tourist tax is charged per person per night by most municipalities and is usually added to the pitch price.
- VAT. Since 1 January 2026, VAT on hotels, holiday homes, chalets and furnished tents rose to 21%, but camping pitches stayed at the lower 9% rate. A tent pitch is now taxed less than a cabin on the same site.
- ACSI CampingCard gives fixed low-season prices at participating campsites across Europe, including many in the Netherlands.
- Natuurkampeerkaart and SVR membership are needed for those networks' sites.
Booking and timing
The season at most campsites runs from around Easter to October, with some sites open all year. Book ahead for:
- July and August, especially on the coast, in Zeeland and on the islands.
- Long weekends in spring: Easter, King's Day (27 April), Ascension Day and Whitsun are busy with Dutch campers.
Outside these periods, many small sites have space for walk-ins, particularly for cyclists with a small tent. On the Wadden Islands, plan the ferry together with the campsite: Texel is served from Den Helder by TESO, and Vlieland and Terschelling from Harlingen by Rederij Doeksen.
Getting there without a car
Many campsites are reachable by public transport and bike. Trains, buses and trams all accept contactless bank cards through OVpay. Folding bikes travel free on Dutch trains; a full-size bike needs a bike ticket and is not allowed during weekday rush hours. NS rents OV-fiets bikes at many stations, but they require a personal OV-chipkaart linked to an NS account, which is impractical for most short-term visitors, so they usually rent from local bike shops instead. The numbered cycling junction network (knooppunten) links campsites across the country.
Weather, gear and site rules
- Rain and wind are normal in any month. Bring a tent rated for wind, extra pegs for sandy or soft ground, and full rain gear.
- Coastal pitches can be exposed; sites in the dunes or with hedges offer more shelter.
- Quiet hours are strictly observed, typically from late evening until morning, and many sites close the gate to cars at night.
- Open fires are generally not allowed; barbecues are often permitted but can be banned in dry periods when the wildfire risk is high.
- Waste separation is standard, with separate bins for glass, paper and general waste.
