The situation is not entirely clear, although there are also clear regulations and instructions from the Dutch government. Tourism is officially not permitted, and this also applies to leisure activities on the water, although this is not prohibited in principle.
Small boats can still move around quite freely, but there are clear rules for larger yachts, which are sometimes interpreted differently by the individual provinces. The law says that families with their own boats are allowed on board, as are small groups of up to three people, regardless of nationality.
However, the provinces of Zeeland, the Rotterdam region, Hoek van Holland, Rockanje, Ouddorp and Haringvliet prohibit overnight stays on board, while others have no problem with this.
Smooth travel on the waterways and canals, with the exception of the inland seas and sea waterways, is hardly possible anyway, as there are various barriers that prevent traffic from flowing smoothly. For example, depending on the province, locks and bridges are either completely closed and only open for rush hour traffic, or ...
