The Netherlands is only about the size of Maryland but it is full of people, which actually makes it one of the most densely populated nations in the world. At one time almost half of it was under water, but these days it is full of canals. The landscape is mostly flat. Even though the Netherlands is quite small, each town is very unique from the next and you can actually find many kinds of dialects and accents. Most people in the Netherlands speak English.

When most people think of the Netherlands they think of Amsterdam, but it is not the only cool place to see. Luckily getting around the country is quite easy thanks to a well connected public transportation system that is easy to use.

Amsterdam is of course the capital of the Netherlands, and has a rich historical history as well as being a popular urban town. Places of historical significance that you might want to check out include the house that Anne Frank hid out in during the World War II Nazi occupation, as well as the Van Gogh museum which has the largest collection of his work in the world. Amsterdam also have a busy restaurant and bar scene that it full of locals and tourists alike.

Outside of Amsterdam there are plenty of other towns worth seeing as well. Most of the people in the Netherlands actually live in an area called Zuid-Holland, where there is a grouping of towns referred to as Randstad or “rim town”. The towns have some interesting modern architecture, as well as some older, medieval style buildings. The Keukenhof gardens are a must see, as they have the largest bulb field display in the country. There are seven million flowers in the garden, many of which are the tulips that we associate with the country. Along the coast there are also plenty of smaller towns that retain their authentic undisturbed feel.

To really get a feel for the nature in the Netherlands, head to Hoge Veluwe national park. The park offers free bicycles that you can use if you want to cover a lot of land. There are both dunes and woodland in the park and you can see many of the animals there in their natural element. The Netherlands is basically entirely flat so there are really bike paths all over the place that are easy to use. There are also long distance routes that you can follow into the countryside when you want to see a lot of the country from the fresh air perspective.

The Netherlands is pretty unique in its architecture as well. In addition to interesting bridges and buildings, the eastern docklands of Amsterdam are a must see. They are newly developed over the water and it is some of the most cutting edge architecture in the country.

Interestingly the Netherlands has amazing Indonesian food, which most say is the best outside of Indonesia itself. It’s those unexpected details that make the Netherlands so interesting.