Eco Boats Amsterdam

Amsterdam Light Festival: 30 November 2023 – 21 January 2024

In 2023, the Amsterdam Light Festival will kick off for the 12th time! From 30 November 2023 until 21 January 2024, there will again be numerous beautiful works of art to admire, characterised by the use of different light effects. The theme of 2023 is Technology & AI. The creators of all artworks want to make you question what you are really seeing! Am I really seeing this or is this an optical illusion? Does what I see now speak to my imagination or can it really be true?

Cruise past 20 works of art

From hundreds of entries, the jury has chosen several works of art. The 20 chosen artworks may finally be exhibited to the general public in December after months of preparations. The artworks can be seen via a walking route but naturally shine brightest when approached from the water. The water will add some extra sparkle to the artworks with Amsterdam’s canals as background. The lights of all artworks will be on from 17.00 to 23.00 and open for visitors. The Amsterdam Light Festival is a widely supported festival open to all!

Rent a boat for the Amsterdam Light Festival

At Eco Boats Amsterdam, we can’t get enough of this festival. Clients as well as ourselves return from this festival every year in amazement. From our 8- or 12-seater boat, this festival is a true pleasure to watch. You go silently past all the beautiful light effects, which are often combined with the architecture of Amsterdam’s canals. The festival also gives the opportunity to purchase a digital route map via their website for only 7.50 euros. Here you can see all the artworks including background information and various boating routes.

Rent a boat with Eco Boats Amsterdam and experience a magical evening on the water! The light route is highly recommended!

Why do customers choose Eco Boats Amsterdam

Where can you find us?

Have a question?

We offer three options:
  1. Rent an electric boat that you may sail yourself, no boating license required.
  2. Rent a private canal boat with a captain and space for 30 people, including additional packages like catering and open bar.
  3. Purchase a ticket for our classic canal cruise starting from Amsterdam Centre and cruise through Amsterdam Center in 1 hour.

Certainly! You can hire a boat with us during various events, such as King's Day, Gay Pride, and the Amsterdam Light Festival. The rental usually starts 4 to 6 months in advance. So, make sure to book in advance to secure a boat.

Available boats

  • Small boats that you can sail yourself
  • Private canal boats with a captain and space for 30 people
  • Tickets for our public canal cruise

Do you need to sail yourself or is there a captain?

Please note: on King's Day, you always rent a boat with a captain. You can rent both the small boats and the large private canal cruise boat with space for 30 people. On other holidays/events, you are allowed to sail yourself.

Food and drinks

Regarding food and drinks on King's Day and Gay Pride: On the small boats where you are the captain, you may bring your own food and drinks. On the large boats (30-person boats), it's only allowed to bring your own food. We will arrange the drinks for you.

We are open every day, all year round.
  • Monday: 10:00 - 21:00
  • Tuesday: 10:00 - 21:00
  • Wednesday: 10:00 - 21:00
  • Thursday: 10:00 - 21:00
  • Friday: 10:00 - 21:00
  • Saturday: 10:00 - 21:00
  • Sunday: 10:00 - 21:00

Certainly! You can hire a private large boat, including a captain and catering and/or activities. The IJdok boat accommodates 30 people, ensuring exclusivity for your group. Or you can rent multiple smaller boats that you can sail yourself. This means you are the captain. No boating licence needed! You can choose between different boats.  

In addition to the regular boat rental fee, we are obliged to charge tourist tax at €2.50 per person. This applies to all boat rentals in Amsterdam.

The rates vary per boat. We offer 4 different self-drive boats. You rent a boat for a minimum of 2 hours, and pay a low amount per hour for any additional time.

This depends on the boat. This way, you can choose which boats fits your needs.

When you rent a boat with us, you can go plastic fishing for free. We provide all the necessary equipment on board, including nets and garbage bags, allowing you to fish for plastic during your canal cruise. Not only is it a fun activity, but it's also environmentally friendly! Learn more about plastic fishing. This can be booked at no extra cost for both self-piloted boats and private canal cruises. It's important to notify us in advance. You can do this by including 'plastic fishing' in the comments when making a reservation.

You can rent a self-drive boat from us at two locations. Where you pick up the boat, you must also return the boat.
  • Location Centre: Zandhoek 22 1013 KT Amsterdam. Check the directions to this location.
  • Location East: Daniël Goedkoopstraat 11096 BD Amsterdam. Check the directions to this location.
Read all frequently asked questions

Or contact us

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Opening hours

Mon till sun: 10:00 – 21:00

+31 (0) 6 216 171 11