Outdoor Swimming

This post examines all the many ways one can swim outdoors in The Netherlands, and how to do it safely.

Outdoor Pools

To start off small and simple, there are plenty of outdoor swimming pools across The Netherlands, 28 of which can be found here. The simplest way to find one close to you is to search online “openluchtzwembad + [your location]” and you are almost certainly guaranteed to find something close-by.

Outdoor pools, generally, have the advantage of having lifeguard and can be a more controlled, safer environment for those with children looking to enjoy good weather.

Campsites often have extensive outdoor pools full with slides and other attractions, which can be a major draw when having a holiday in The Netherlands. Especially useful in 2021 and Coronatimes.

Waterparks

What would outdoor pools be without mentioning water parks? Known as “aquaparks” there are several across the country, a list of some can be found here. Of course, maybe the weather is not great and you still want to take your kids to an aquapark? Well, the country also has several “subtropical aquaparks” that are inside. A full list can be found here.

Lakes

We now move onto swimming in natural water, and where better to start than a lake! The trouble is, there are so many bodies of water across the country, how do you know which ones are safe to swim in and which to avoid? Not all the lakes in the country are natural but that does not mean you can’t swim in them.

Thankfully, there is a comprehensive list of openwater swimming locations, complete with map on zwemwater.nl. It is kept up to date on water quality and warnings are show in case of risks to health, such as outbreaks of blue algae.

Rivers

Swimming in rivers is, generally, not done in The Netherlands. At least not in the major rivers. There is simply too much shipping so it is too dangerous. Swimming in smaller rivers can be done, but that is also not without its own risks. The zwemwater.nl website also lists places where it is possible to swim in rivers. However, you should be aware of the following bans. It is forbidden to swim:

• In shipping channels
• by bridges, locks, and sluice gates
• in ports, docks, havens, and marinas.

Here you can find a pdf download of a flyer in several languages explaining where it is forbidden to swim

Sea

The Netherlands has a large North Sea coast, so naturally people flock here every summer to enjoy the sun, sea and sand. Again, zwemwater.nl lists all the beaches that are open for swimming.

Swimming in the sea, is not without its own risks and it is important to know what the flags mean.

The Orange windsock means you may bathe and swim but the use of inflatables (dinghies, air mattrasses etc) is forbidden due to the risk of drifting.

The yellow flag means it is dangerous to bathe or swim, usually because of the weather. Floating objects are forbidden.

The red flag means it is forbidden to bathe or swim.

The red/yellow flags mean the area between the two flags is a supervised bathing area. Lifeguards supervise this area. Water sports are prohibited in this zone.

Black and white chequered flags mean in the zone between the two flags you are allowed to participate in permitted water sports.

Dangers

Swimming outdoors is a fantastic thing to do, especially as a way to cool off on hot summer days. Always be aware of the risks that are involved. Know what the weather will do. Know your own limits. I hope to cover the dangers in another post, but until then this site covers everything very well and it is worth a read.