Water on both sides
The Veluwemeer is shallow and sheltered, which suits small boats, canoes and swimming. Harderwijk and Nunspeet lie on the far shore with a ferry between. If you want open water, the Markermeer and the IJsselmeer are within half an hour.
Polder and water on one side, the forests of the Veluwe ten minutes away on the other.
Near Lelystad are the Marker Wadden, an island group built up from 2016 onwards using silt dredged from the Markermeer. The aim was to make the lake liveable again for birds and fish, and it worked: dozens of species now breed there. Part of it is open to visitors, reached by ferry from Lelystad.
What there is to do
Walibi Holland is at Biddinghuizen, right beside the two parks. It has more roller coasters than any other Dutch theme park. The same site hosts Lowlands festival in August, which makes the area busy for that week.
Lelystad has the Bataviawerf, where a full-size replica of a 1628 Dutch East India Company ship was built by hand over ten years and can be boarded.
Tip
The Oostvaardersplassen between Lelystad and Almere began as industrial land that was never built on. It is now a reserve with konik horses, Heck cattle and red deer roaming without fences, and one of the most-discussed rewilding experiments in Europe. Walking routes with hides run through it; go early for the best chance of seeing animals.
Who Flevoland suits
- Families combining Walibi with a stay by the water
- Watersports on the Veluwemeer and the Markermeer
- Anyone visiting the Veluwe who would rather sleep by a lake
- Birdwatchers: the Oostvaardersplassen and Marker Wadden are close by
Less suitable if you are after old villages and landscapes that grew over centuries. Flevoland was designed, which makes it efficient rather than picturesque.
When to go
Summer is the season for the Veluwemeer, with warm shallow water. August brings Lowlands, so Biddinghuizen is busy that week. Spring and autumn are best for the Oostvaardersplassen and the Marker Wadden, when migration is underway. Winter here is open and windy.
