The most fun zoo in the Netherlands

What is the best zoo in the Netherlands? That is of course different for everyone. If you ask my kids, it’s Blijdorp Zoo in Rotterdam. But that’s partly because of Bokito, the indoor playground and the fact that we visited regularly as season ticket holders.

Many beautiful, large zoos

But there are many other great zoos in the Netherlands, all with their own special features. At Ouwehands Dierenpark , for example, you can visit the giant pandas Wu Wen and Xing Ya with their panda cubs and go on a wildlife safari at Beekse Bergen. And of course, we all know Wildlands in Emmen and Artis in Amsterdam.

But the Netherlands has many more great zoos, from large to small. For example, are you already familiar with AquaZoo in Leeuwarden? Here you can see penguins, sea lions, sloths, monkeys, turtles, polar bears and many more beautiful animals. Also in Nuenen at Dierenrijk you can admire a lot of animals up close, attend feeding presentations and in between play in the different playgrounds.

Theme Animal Parks

Besides the general animal parks, there are also several parks that focus on a specific group of animals. For example, the Apenheul in Apeldoorn is of course known for its monkeys running loose, you can admire the most beautiful birds during the spectacular bird show in Avifauna in Alphen aan den Rijn and you can take your children back to prehistory in the Dinopark of Dierenpark Amersfoort.

Not really a zoo, but seal center Pieterburen is also well worth a visit. Here you will learn all about seals, the Wadden Sea and the plastic soup. By reservation, you can even attend the release of seals into the wild!

Small zoos

Not only the big zoos of the Netherlands are fun to visit. At Reptile House The Earth Breda you can learn all about reptiles such as snakes, lizards and crocodiles. Mondo Verde in Landgraaf and Plaswijckpark in Rotterdam combine playing and learning with not only an amusement park, but also an animal park where you will find many different land, air and water animals. You can admire the most beautiful tropical plants and butterflies at the Orchideeënhoeve in Luttelgeest and Vlindertuin Klein Costa Rica in Someren.

Of course, there are many more small zoos in the Netherlands. Our blogger Sonja has already discovered several and written about them in her blog Visit a small zoo.

What do you think is the best zoo in the Netherlands? If you have a favorite that we have not yet discovered, we would love to hear from you. We’ll be sure to investigate!

Credits photos: Canva.com