Rederij Paping

Paap’s tours are somewhat of a legend here in Amsterdam. I’ve met so many people that are connected by and through him and his boat. When people mention going on a boat tour and are very excited about it, 9 out of 10 time it’s Paap’s boat. Why people love him so much? This dude has such a laidback personality with such a vast knowledge of the city, it’s fair to say he’s somewhat of an embodiment of the city.
The best way to enjoy and sightsee Amsterdam is by boat. The best boat to go through Amsterdam is a quiet one with a packed refrigerator. Both of which are what Paap has to offer. So it’s fair to say; if you live in Amsterdam or plan on going here, join this tour and create an everlasting memory of this beautiful city.

We literally just got off the boat and can’t say enough about how perfect it was. Mark is wonderful and informative. We highly recommend Mark for a nice relaxing canal tour.

There’s a couple things about being on a boat in Amsterdam, especially when taking a tour.
–You want the captain (or at least someone on the boat) to know things about Amsterdam to share. CHECK! Paap was great. He knew tidbits about so many different things and was more than happy to share.
–You want them to know how to navigate the canals easily and how to handle the big boats that bully the small ones. They are on a tight schedule you know! CHECK! While respecting the right of way he was still able to get us through the crowded spots with ease.
–They should be friendly. CHECK! I felt like I was on a friend’s boat.
–Be comfortable. CHECK! With blankets ready and a canopy up for the protection from rain, we were ready to go. He left the sides down so we could have a clear view though.
We went on the Light Festival Tour and because it’s during the coldest season, hot chocolate and tradition Oliebollen we served. What a perfect treat for a chilly night!
Oh, and it’s a smaller boat, so you can get to know the others if it’s a public cruising and get all the info you can from Paap or Carla (his wife). But I believe you can also rent the whole boat if desired.

Definitely not your typical tour boat — one of the best experiences of the whole trip! Paap was extremely responsive via email, even with us booking the tour only 2 days before. We spent an hour going around the canals of Amsterdam on a private tour for a very reasonable price. There were 5 of us and the boat was nice (and included a retractable cover in case of rain). Our skipper was laid back, knowledgable, honest, hilarious. He even spent an extra 20 minutes with us for free because he wanted to show us another area. They’re very flexible and let you eat and drink on the boat (BYOB). We passed a lot of fully enclosed, giant tour boats and were so thankful we chose to go with Rederij Paping.