The Dutch are famous for being super tall, which is hard to miss when there are so many towering people around you — they even have something called Klub Lange Mensen, or Tall People’s Club.
Tips and guides about visiting the Netherlands are aplenty: where to go, what to see, and what to eat. But I have yet to see a simple guide to help short people navigate this wonderfully tiny country inhabited by tall people. 📏
It’s a very serious issue that deserves our collective attention, especially my attention since I stand at a towering 5’3” (160cm). On a good day, I’m 5’3″ and 1/4.
According to 2025’s World Population Review, the Netherlands is the world’s tallest nation, with the average height being 184 cm for men and 170 cm for women.
I know the plight of being a short person all too well; therefore, I fancy myself an expert on the subject. So gather ’round, short people, I present to you the short person’s guide to the Netherlands.
Make friends with shorter people
What better way to feel a little less short than making friends with people who you stand level with? You won’t have trouble shaking hands or seeing eye-to-eye, so to speak.
Try joining expat/international hangouts where you’ll surely meet people who come from countries that aren’t as vertically blessed as the Dutch — we short people have to stick together!
Conquer your bike
Make sure you practice climbing those Dutch roadster bikes. For the inexperienced, these bikes roll with large wheels and daunting, tall seats.
But there’s a way to get on that two-wheeler and ride like a pro. The trick is to position the pedal so that you can step on it, lift yourself onto the seat, and start pedalling. 🚲
READ MORE | Cycling like a Dutchie? First, you have to pass their bike exam!
Buying a kid’s bike (like I did) is always an option — it’s a shame-free zone here!
Give yourself a boost
I noticed during my time in the Netherlands that everything is placed a little higher, which makes sense — like when I realised I couldn’t reach the top shelves in a Dutch kitchen.
So I suggest keeping a step ladder in your home and wearing platform or high-heeled shoes. 👠
Without these boosts, your legs will probably start to give out after too much standing on your toes to see through the peephole in your door.
I generally did a lot of tiptoeing and jumping up and down, like when I could only see my forehead and the top of my head in the bathroom mirror, until I got an extra one.
On the bright side, my legs certainly got a nice workout.
Exercise those neck muscles
The Dutch are people you can look up to, literally. If you’re going to socialise with the Dutch, whether it be in a relaxed, social setting or the workplace, expect to look up to the skies pretty often.
READ MORE | Why are the Dutch so tall? Four possible answers
Those neck muscles are going to get a good workout, so you’d better practice at home. Try it in the mirror; you’ll want to practice doing this with style and elegance.
If you still find yourself fumbling with door handles or feel that your legs just can’t take any more tiptoeing, then it’s time to hop on a train and go to Belgium. 😆
Are you a short person living in this land of very, very tall people with tips to add to our guide? Tell us in the comments below!
Loved it! And people here are indeed sometimes freakingly tall 🙂
Thanks! I wish I was a little bit taller, being tall certainly has its benefits! Although being smaller does too haha
So funny when you told about the bathroom mirror and kitchen! Because i’m a 6.2 ft Dutch women and still i find myself bending over to see into a mirror or standing with my legs spread apart at the kitchen countertop to avoid back aches in my very own Country! 🙂 So to me it feels like, although we have the tallest people, my country doesn’t really keep us tall people in mind very often. 🙂
Haha really? I guess it’s hard to accommodate people ranging from 5’3″ to 6’2″!
I laughed out loud, because just about everything here is my reality. I’m not quite 5’2″ – I barely see my forehead in the bathroom mirror, the convection oven door opens over my head (this has led to some interesting moments in cooking), and I have to contort my body to wash the dishes since the counter comes up to my sternum. Even the stairs are steeper to accommodate those longer legs – walking upstairs is like scaling a mountain. I’ve started telling people that I live in the land of giants. Thanks for posting this, it was a hoot.
Hahaha, this has got to be my favourite piece on DutchReview! I love it, it resonates with me like it’s nobody’s business :p
Especially now that I’m dating a (freakishly tall) Dutch guy, I feel even smaller than normal.
And bringing a stepstool into the bathroom so I don’t swing my legs while on the toilet. “Hovering” is not possible at 5feet 1.
don’t go to concerts in Holland… the only thing you gonna see will be butts.
When I go to the supermarket and want something from the last shelf, I no longer care, I just shamelessly step onto the first shelf (or “in” the fridge) to reach the contents of the last 😉
(and by “last” I meant “top” 🙂 )
I am 1.51m! I always have to find a tall person in the supermarket to get something off the top shelf. 🙈
not everyone in the Netherlands is tall I am 1m65 and that is quite small for a man
The difference between my Dutch husband and me is 40cm. There is a step-up in the kitchen so that `i can use the worktop to prepare and cook. When we walk together, my husband puts his arm on my shoulder as a walking stick for him. We can hardly walk the same pace, thus hardly hold hands while walking, unless I want to be seen being pulled by him. It is convenient though when we go to supermarkets, he always reaches the farthest stuff for me.
Love this article! I am under 5 feet. I’ll never feel like the forests are far away when walking among the incredibly tall Dutch!!