Bike and boat on Wadden sea - Mare Fan Fryslân 2026

Netherlands by bike on board the Mare Fan Fryslân

Enjoy a wonderful experience aboard a sailboat on the Wadden Sea, a unique way to discover the Netherlands by bike and boat. You set off to explore the polders, meadows, canals and mills as well as the islands of Texel and Terschelling.

This route with exceptional Dutch landscapes is accessible to all and will leave you with excellent memories of a bicycle trip in Europe.

Day 1: Arrival in Enhkuizen

Boarding is from 4:00 p.m., near the beautiful center of Enkhuizen and near the train station. Sit back and join the skipper for an aperitif before receiving a trip recap, details about the ship and the safety measures on board. In the evening, cycle through the historic center of Enkhuizen, a picturesque town that was the town of Dutch merchants during the Dutch Golden Age. Enjoy your first night in Enkhuizen on the western shore of Lake IJssel.

Day 2 : Enkhuizen - Medemblik (24 km or 37 km) | navigation between - Den Oever - Texel

The first part of the journey begins along the IJsselmeer coast through beautiful polder landscapes to Medemblik. After your bike tour, the boat will sail to Den Oever. Weather permitting, in the evening, the ship will weigh anchor to cross the Wadden Sea and reach the island of Texel.

Day 3 : Texel loop (43km or 49km)

The island of Texel is a cyclist’s dream destination with its varied landscapes, marked cycle paths and picturesque villages. Enjoy a round-trip bike ride to the largest Dutch island in the North Sea. Then follow the Thijsse road (40 km) which will take you through the villages of the “Ecomare” sanctuary and will show you a traditional beer brewery near the port of Oudeschild.

Day 4 : Texel - Terschelling 5 to 6 hours of navigation

Today, let yourself be carried by the sails of your boat to the island of Terschelling. As you cruise through the sandbanks of the Wadden Sea, you will be able to see the seals on the sandbanks.
In the afternoon, the ship arrives on the island of Terschelling which includes several picturesque villages situated between polders and sand dunes along its 30 km.
While sailing, you will enjoy a hearty lunch on board. No dinner will be served tonight to give you time to explore the island, but you can try one of the fine restaurants in Terschelling (not included).

Day  5: Terschelling loop, free distance

While the previous day was devoted to sailing, today return to your bike. Terschelling offers diverse assets to the cyclists: nature, culture, 70 km of cycle paths and 4 beautiful villages to visit. West Terschelling is the largest village on the island and has many shops and pubs. The 400th year old island's lighthouse is nicknamed the "old Brandaris lighthouse" and can be seen from far away. Boschplaat is a region of moors to be discovered for its beaches and dunes. You can spot ducks , black-winged stilts, large colonies of spoonbills and black-backed gulls After a day of cycling, you can relax in comfort once on board.
At the end of the afternoon, the ship will cross the Wadden Sea on its way to Harlingen, the most important port town in the province of Friesland with an original port housing old ships.

Day 6 : Harlingen - Franeker - Makkum (48 km / 58 km)

You discover Via Franeker and its famous planetarium of Eise Eisinga and then travel through the beautiful Frisian countryside past several rural villages to the small harbor of Makkum on the eastern shore of Lake IJsselmeer. If you take the long version of the route by bike, you will visit Bolsward, one of the eleven Frisian towns.

Day 7 : Makkum - Stavoren (32km / 49km) and navigation 

From Makkum you will pass to Stavoren. The short tour takes you through the ancient commercial town of Hindeloopen, home to the first Frisian Ice Skating Museum. The long circuit runs along several Frisian lakes and offers you varied landscapes. From Stavoren, the ship will leave to cross Lake IJssel and reach Enkhuizen in the late afternoon.

Day 8 : end of the tour after breakfast. Disembarkation until 9:30 am.

Observations: 
Boat and bike trips, especially sailing trips, are subject to change. Weather and sea conditions have a direct impact on your program. However, you will be informed of any changes and can participate in the decision-making process. In all cases, the crew will do their utmost to ensure that you enjoy a unique experience in complete safety.

General information :

• 8 days and 7 nights
• Comfort level of the barge : Comfort
• Spoken languages on board : English and notions of French
• Child prices : please contact us

2026 Dates:
Saturday Departures

• May 2, May 9, May 16, and May 23: Mid-season
• May 30, June 6, June 13, June 20, June 27, July 4, July 11, July 18, July 25, August 1, August 8, August 15, August 22, August 29, September 5, and September 12: High Season
• September 19: Mid-season
• September 26: Low Season

€300 discount per person on departures of September 12, 19, and 26*! Contact us to take advantage of this offer.

*Valid for all bookings made after September 1, 2026.

Included :

• Full board stay (except dinner on day 4)
• Tea and coffee on board
• Welcome drink
• Linen and towels
• Daily cabin cleaning
• Daily briefing
• Wifi
• Biodegradable water bottle
• Travel documents : we will provide you with the information relating to the progress of your stay as well as the itinerary upon validation of your reservation, subject to change.
• Non-guided loop tour

Not included :

• Dinner on day 4
• Transport to the place of departure
• Personal expenses
• Visits

Options :

• Bike rental
• Helmet
• Personal bike location (mandatory if no rented bike)
• Theft insurance for rented bikes
• Cancellation insurance

Level :

1 2 3 4 5 6

Ground :

Flat, very smooth roads and paths.

Weather :

Contrary to popular belief, the temperature in the Netherlands is similar to the temperature in France. Near the coast, the weather is sometimes windy.

Technicality :

0 to 56 km of cycling per day, or about 3 to 6 hours of cycling. Easy route. No difficulties, accessible for anyone.

Bibliography :

- Guide and maps about the Netherlands on cartovelo.fr

Participants :

On board, you will meet an international community of all ages, men, women, singles and couples with children. We offer boats with 41 places maximum in cabins of 2 and 3 people.

Accompaniment :

People responsible for your bike and boat holidays are : 
On board, the captain and his mate. They are responsible for the smooth running of the vacation on the boat, and bring the boat from stage to stage. The cook prepares the meals.
The tour is without a guide, a morning briefing on the tour will present you the route each day.

Meals :

Breakfast : on board, you will find a substantial and dutch breakfast.
Lunch : after the breakfast, you will prepare by yourself a “lunch” (sandwich, fruit, snack, drinks).
Snack : after the daily route, you will find, when you arrive on the boat, various drinks such as tea and coffee prepared for your return.
Dinner : at least three dishes. After dinner, you will have a choice of coffee and tea.
Other drinks, such as wine, beer, lemonade and mineral water, are not included but can be purchased on board at a reasonable price.

Bike :

At the beginning, a bike corresponding to your height, will be assigned to you. After a test ride, you will sign a receipt. The bike (21-speed bike) will be at your disposal all week. The bike will be fitted with panniers.
If you take your own bike, it cannot be insured against theft by our company, you will have to make the necessary arrangements with your usual insurer. Do not forget your bike lock. The return of your bike will be at your expense.

Transport : Geographic location

By train : the departure towns for the bike and boat tours are served by the railway.
Amsterdam and Enkhuizen train stations are very well connected : several trains daily run to and from France.
Thalys is faster to Amsterdam, and the equivalent of the TER will get you to Enkhuizen in an hour.
By plane : AMSTERDAM international airport.

Your vehicle : 

We strongly advise against parking cars on the streets of Amsterdam and Enkhuizen. Information on guarded parking lots in the city can be found on the following website : parkingcentrumoosterdok.nl.

Cancellation insurance :

In order to guarantee the refund of costs in the event of cancellation of your stay, you can take out cancellation insurance. To learn more, please click here.

Description : click here