KLM has cancelled its flights to Dubai, Riyadh, and Dammam until August 23, 2026, meaning anyone travelling to the Gulf this summer will need to rebook their tickets or claim a refund.
The Dutch carrier updated its travel advisory on July 21, citing the ongoing security risk in the region as a reason for the disruption.
If you’ve booked a KLM flight to (or transiting through) the Middle East, here’s what’s actually changing and what you can do about it.
Which flights are affected?
Flights to and from Dubai (DXB), Riyadh (RUH), and Dammam (DMM) are grounded up to and including August 23, 2026. KLM is also steering clear of the airspace over Iran, Iraq, Israel, and several neighbouring Gulf countries.
In addition to these destinations, existing flight disruptions also apply to Beirut (BEY) until August 16.
The airline says it can’t resume its normal schedule yet and is asking passengers to check its website regularly for updates.
What are your rebooking and refund options?
If you booked a flight to, from, or via Dubai, Riyadh, or Dammam during this time period, you’ve got three options:
Rebook to a new date for free, as long as the same travel class is available. Your new departure needs to be on or before September 13. You can sort this in My Trip or the KLM app.
Request a travel voucher, valid for one year. According to the carrier, these are usable for “all KLM, Air France, Delta, and Virgin Atlantic flights that are offered on the Air France KLM website.”
Request a full refund of your ticket and any extras if your flight was cancelled.
However, let op: According to KLM, these options only apply if your ticket was originally issued on or before July 16, 2026.
Here’s what to do if you’re stuck in the Middle East
KLM recommends registering with the Dutch government’s information service run by the foreign ministry for more safety updates (though be warned that the page is only in Dutch).
If you’re angling for a refund or rebooking, the good news is that the law is on your side. Under EU rules, passengers whose flights are cancelled are generally entitled to a refund or rerouting.
While many KLM flights to and from the region are grounded, it’s worth checking if other airlines have routes to get you where you need to go.
Have the flight cancellations affected your journey? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs has tightened its travel advisories for six Middle Eastern countries, with Bahrain now marked red (“do not travel”) and popular destinations like Qatar and Dubai downgraded to orange.
Since July 9, Iran has been carrying out regular attacks on military targets across the Gulf, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Due to the deteriorating situation in the region, the ministry was forced to revise its travel advisories for residents flying to the Middle East. Here’s what to know.
Which countries have now been flagged?
Bahrain is now red across the whole country. The ministry’s advice is blunt: “Whatever your situation, do not travel there. It is too dangerous. The Dutch embassy cannot assist you if you get into trouble.”
Qatar, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates all moved to orange, meaning only essential travel and no holidays. For the UAE, the islands of Abu Musa and Tunb remain red.
Kuwait shifted to orange two days earlier, on July 20. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is a patchwork; the strip along the Yemen border stays red, and the rest of the country has been bumped up to orange.
Here’s what to do if you’re in the region
If you’re already in the Gulf, register with the ministry’s Informatieservice, which sends alerts when an advisory changes and lets the government know where you are during a crisis.
If you’re travelling to Qatar, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, or the UAE, the ministry notes that they “will be less able to assist you if you get into trouble.” In case of an emergency, call the local number of the Dutch Embassy or the Dutch Consulate General.
Alternatively, you can use the NederlandWereldwijd contact centre telephone number +31 247247247 or +31 857737400 (WhatsApp).
Gulf airspace can also close at short notice, which means flights through hubs like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha can be cancelled or diverted. Check with your airline if you’re still booked to fly.
What do the colour codes mean?
The Netherlands uses four codes to rate how risky a destination is for international travel:
Green: Safe to travel.
Yellow: You can go, but there are specific safety risks to keep in mind.
Orange: Essential travel only, such as a family funeral. Holidays are discouraged, and embassy help is limited.
Red: Do not travel. It’s too dangerous, and the Dutch embassy can’t assist you.
Dutch travel advisories can also include multiple colour codes, depending on how dangerous certain regions of a country are.
Have the latest developments in the region affected your travel plans? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
If you’re travelling south of Rotterdam this week, there’ll be no trains from Rotterdam Centraal to Breda or Zwijndrecht, so you’ll need to arrange alternative transport.
According to ProRail, the disruption will span July 21 to Saturday, July 25, while engineers carry out scheduled maintenance on a stretch of track. During that window, no trains will run on the affected stretch.
Which trains are affected?
The closure primarily affects trains between Rotterdam Centraal and Zwijndrecht, which follow the route towards Dordrecht.
In addition, there’ll be no service between Rotterdam Centraal and Breda via the hogesnelheidslijn (the high-speed line, or HSL). In other words, both regular and high-speed journeys south are hit.
NS is currently arranging alternative transport for passengers travelling these routes, so check the NS journey planner before you set off to see exactly what changes for your commute.
If your daily route runs through this stretch, expect a longer journey for most of the week. Replacement buses and metros tend to take longer than direct trains, so factor that in your travel time.
Why are southbound trains cancelled?
Fortunately, the culprit isn’t yet another cable fire. Instead, scheduled maintenance work will bring Rotterdam’s southbound train traffic to a halt for much of the week.
The main job is at Rotterdam Stadion, where the track crosses the two high-speed line tracks. Fixed crossover switches there currently stop trains from running at full speed, so ProRail is removing them to let traffic move faster.
Engineers are also renewing and clearing switches, carrying out protective coating work, and laying cables and pipes.
Is this work related to the recent cable fire?
Some maintenance work will be carried out near the same stretch of track where a cable fire caused chaos a few weeks ago.
However, ProRail has made it clear that the two operations are unrelated. This week’s closure is part of the wider Rotterdam train safety system project, which is upgrading the network’s ageing signalling to keep trains running safely.
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Before you move to a new country, the Netherlands or otherwise, you are sure to be showered with tips, tricks, anecdotes, recommendations, and more than a few warnings.
When I announced I was moving to the Netherlands, it went a little something like this:
Needless to say, not all of these comments were correct, relevant, or necessary. I saw two windmills in my first months, not a single tulip, and I have yet to be invited onto a boat. ๐
Moreover, my host of advisors managed to leave out some key aspects of life on this sinking land.
1. The Netherlands is actually a kingdom
The Kingdom of the Netherlands is the official title given to the sovereign state of the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaรงao, and Sint Maarten by King Willem-Alexander.
Dutch king, I mean, who knew? Likely a great number of people, yet I was not one of them. ๐ค
The king and his family reside in the Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague. He is mostly a figurehead, but he is celebrated in true Dutch style* every April 27 on Kingโs Day.
The next step is to buy some lights, as yours are, without a doubt, broken, out of battery, or non-existent. Run to SoLow, Kruidvat, HEMA, or Action only to find empty shelves where bike lights should be.
But fear not; even without lights, you can survive the checkpoint. You can, of course, avoid the suspect streets. But if thatโs not an option, you have two more choices:
When you know the checkpoint is coming, hop off your bike and walk. Easy as pie!
If worst comes to the worst, throw yourself โ bike and all โ to the ground. In the chaos that follows, maybe, just maybe, your lack of lights will be forgotten.
Why in the world not? Iโm still reeling from the embarrassment and confusion I experienced during my first several visits to Albert Heijn (a Dutch supermarket).
Although no card means no drunken contactloos pinnen (contactless payments). And believe me, THAT is a good thing. ๐ฅด
But good news! The Dutch are finally starting to see the plus side of accepting and offering more debit and credit card services.
For example, many Dutch bank cards are now being switched to debit cards, which means these cards will become more widely accepted.
5. Dutch staircases are hella steep
The rest of the world refers to them as ladders. But here’s an image of how narrow and steep they usually are in the Netherlands.
Try getting down that after a few drinks. ๐ค Image: DutchReview
How more folks have not fallen and snapped their necks, I do not know! ๐ณ
6. Itโs not a party without balloons
Mention the word “Netherlands” anywhere outside of the Netherlands, and those around you will say one or all of the following: “weed!” “marijuana,” “roll a joint,” “420,” or “blaze it.”
And sure, thatโs all cool, but do you know what’s cooler? Balloons.
Not just any balloons, but balloons filled with nitrous oxide. Or, as it is more commonly known, lachgas (laughing gas).
The gas is a depressant-type drug that slows down the brain, leading to feelings of euphoria, difficulty in thinking straight, and fits of uncontrollable laughter.
In short, it gives you one heck of a high, even if it lasts only for a few short minutes.
You’ll often see lads with a canister, doing laughing gas straight on the street. While the government has banned the sale of laughing gas at clubs and pubs, this trend isnโt going away anytime soon.
7. The Dutch are a little cat crazy
The Dutch are cat people. Almost as much as they are bike people. Okay, maybe thatโs an exaggeration, but truly, there are a lot of cats here.
Okay, I kind of want one too, now. Image: Depositphotos
Even the University of Groningen has its own cat โ Professor Doerak, and yes, he has an Instagram fanbase.
8. People at home will only ask, “So, howโs life in Amsterdam then?“
When you tell people you are living in the Netherlands for the first time, you will likely share with them the name of the city you will be living in.
Let me tell you now, however, that you really shouldn’t have bothered. They will continue to assume you live in Amsterdam or, at best, that you live very close to Amsterdam.
9. You may just end up loving those Dutchies
Anyone can tell you thatthe Dutch are direct, blunt, and cut straight to the point.
But few told me about how nice Dutch people are! Waiters and shop assistants are always super friendly and make an effort to chat with customers.
You know what? That directness is kind of refreshing. Image: Freepik.
Every time the chain has fallen off my bike (many, many times), someone was always willing to help me or offer me a tissue for my oil-stained hands.
It warms your heart, which is great considering how cold it can be here. ๐ค
10. Dutch food is… different
Before moving to the Netherlands, I didn’t have the slightest idea of what Dutch cuisine could possibly be like. I expected a blend of European cuisines, featuring things like Schnitzels, sausages, baguettes, and so on.
I guess, in some ways, I wasn’t too far off โ but nothing could have prepared me for the culture shock I had when I first found out about bitterballen.
But hey, don’t knock it till you try it! Who knows? Maybe you’ll love them all. ๐
11. The wind will blow your socks off โ literally
It makes sense that a flat, coastal country like the Netherlands gets some rough winds, right? Right, but I wasn’t really prepared for the sheer strength of them.
No wonder they have so many windmills! Image: Depositphotos
Will there be times when it feels like you can’t breathe because so much wind is flying into your face? Definitely.
Will pedalling your bike through it feel like the toughest workout you’ve ever done? Absolutely.
But will it make you feel alive? Hell yeah! ๐ฌ๏ธ
What have you found surprising since living in the Netherlands? Tell us in the comments below!
If youโre looking for a quiet getaway or a sporty weekend out, there are plenty of things to do in Texel. The island is a unique experience in its own right, known for its beautiful beaches and diverse wildlife.
Texel is the first and largest of five islands off the coast of the Netherlands, known as the Wadden Islands.
Young families, grandparents, and everyone in between will find something to do on this much-beloved island.
The Netherlands’ islands are for everyone to enjoy! Image: DepositPhotos.com
Whether youโre looking for a fun summer trip with your family, some waves to surf, or a calm nature excursion, here are our tips for the perfect adventure in Texel!
1. Enjoy an unbelievable view from the Eierland Lighthouse
Imagine the breathtaking views of a sunset from the top of the lighthouse. Image: DepositPhotos.com
Perhaps one of the most iconic attractions, visiting the Eierland Vuurtoren (lighthouse) is one of the best things you can do in Texel.
This gorgeous, red lighthouse is located on the northernmost beach of Texel, built back in 1863. Nowadays, you can climb the lighthouse up to the 6th floor and get the most gorgeous views of the island and sea below.
To avoid a holiday injury, we recommend you wear closed shoes when climbing the staircase (bye-bye, flip-flops and slides) and leave your dog on the ground floor.ย
๐ฐ Price: โฌ6.50, but free for children up to age 4 โฐ Opening hours: 10 AM to 5 PM daily (Thursdays until 9 PM in July and August) ๐ Location: Vuurtorenweg 184, 1795 LN De Cocksdorp (near the northernmost tip of the island!)
2. Admire the seals at Ecomare Nature Museum
Who wouldn’t want to watch some seals swim around? ๐ Image: DepositPhotos.com
If you love nature, want to look at cute animals, or just need to feel your heart melt in your chest, we highly suggest adding Ecomare Nature Museum to your list of things to do in Texel.
This one-of-a-kind museum and seal asylum is the perfect place to take your family (or just yourself). You can learn all about Texelโs wildlife and nature conservation and spot plenty of seals, birds, and fish!
We definitely recommend going around the seal feeding time, which takes place at 11 AM and 3:30 PM every day.
You can watch a little (Dutch) presentation given by the caretakers while they feed all the seals. Theyโre also happy to answer your questions in English!
๐ฐ Price: โฌ17 for adults, โฌ11.50 for children aged 4-12, and free for children up to age 4 โฐ Opening hours: 9:30 AM to 5 PM every day ๐ Location: Ruijslaan 92, 1796 AZ, De Koog
3. Marvel at the lost wonders of Shipwreck Museum Flora
An island in the middle of the sea is sure to have some interesting finds! In fact, Texel hosts its own shipwreck museum of all the fun bits and bobs that have washed up on the shores of the island.
If youโre curious about a bit of Texelโs history and want to see all the quirky oddments, we highly recommend Shipwreck Museum Flora as one of your stops in Texel.
From washed-up lighters and hard hats to beer crates and mannequins, itโs definitely a fun visit for kids and adults alike.
๐ฐ Price: โฌ8.50 for adults (12+), โฌ6.50 for children aged 4 to 11, and free for children under 4 โฐ Opening hours: Every day from 10 AM to 5 PM ๐ Location: Californiรซweg 1c, 1796 PA De Koog
4. Go โwadlopenโ in the Wadden Sea
You can see some of Texel’s flora and fauna up close! Image: DepositPhotos.com
Texel is one of the most biodiverse regions in the Netherlands. As a result, the island offers wadlopen tours (mudflat walking), the perfect unique experience for those of you who love nature and the outdoors.
How unique? Texelโs mudflats were once the bottom of the Wadden Sea! Populated by all kinds of plant and animal life, a walk across the mudflats makes a great nature excursion for the day.
Wadlopen can be super kid-friendly too, and your little ones can learn all about Texelโs ecosystems.
๐ฐ Price: โฌ12.50 for those over 12, โฌ8 for children 11 and under โฐ Opening hours: Depends on the tour guide’s availability ๐ Location: Kikkerstraat 26, 1795 AD De Cocksdorp
5. Take a lovely stroll down the Vuurtorenweg Beach
Perfect for a long walk down with your family or your dog. Image: DepositPhotos.com
Named after the famous lighthouse on its dunes, you can stroll along this beautiful beach right after you take a walk up the Eierland Lighthouse.
With sands that seem to stretch on forever, Vuurtorenweg Beach is the place to spend a chill afternoon.
You can eat at the nearby restaurants, fly kites, and get your feet wet on the shore (although itโs probably veel te koud (way too cold) for you to swim)!
Keep in mind the beach is on the North Sea side of the island. This means itโs usually quite windy and cold, even by summer standards, so donโt underestimate the power of an extra jacket.
๐ฐ Price: Gratis! (Free!) โฐ Opening hours: All day, all year ๐ Location: On the northernmost tip of the island where the Eierland Lighthouse is.ย
Have you ever dreamed about snuggling clouds and petting baby farm animals? Kill two birds with one stone (not literally) and visit the Texel Sheep Farm!
You can enjoy a solo trip or spend a day with kids at this sheep farm to cuddle some adorable lambs. Schattig!
While sheep are the main attraction, the Texel Sheep Farm hosts several other farm animals, from chickens to dogs and pigs.ย
๐ฐ Price: โฌ7.50 for everyone over age 12, โฌ6 for children aged 12 to 2, and free for children under age 2 โฐ Opening hours: 10 AM to 4 PM daily (from mid-February), with sheepdog demonstrations at 11 AM and 2 PM ๐ Location: Pontweg 77, 1791 LA Den Burg
7. Crack a cold one at the Texelse Brouwerij
Every Dutch region, city, and province has its own iconic beers to enjoy. Image: DepositPhotos.com
Dutchies love their beer, and itโs no different up in Texel. In fact, Texel has its own brewery and brand of beer!
You can enjoy a cold beer on their terrasje (terrace), book a few hours in their tasting room, and even stock up on a couple of beers to take back home and impress your friends.
๐ฐ Price: Depends on whether you go to a tasting room, buy the beers, or visit the cafรฉ โฐ Opening hours: Open daily (MonโFri 10 AMโ6 PM, Sat until 7:30 PM, Sun from noon), with shorter hours outside the summer season; check the brewery’s site before you go ๐ Location: Schilderweg 214 b, 1792 CK Oudeschild
8. Enjoy a bike ride along Texelโs bike trails
Feel the wind in your hair and the sun on your face. ๐ Image: DepositPhotos.com
If youโre feeling sporty, riding along Texelโs bike trails is one of the best ways to satisfy your endorphin cravings on the island.
If the thought of cycling in Amsterdam stresses you out, worry not! Bike rides in Texel are much more relaxing.
With no less than 140 kilometres of bicycle paths in Texel, thereโs more than enough space for everyone โ and the best part is you can enjoy a leisurely cycle through a variety of routes!
๐ฐ Price: Depends on if you rent a bicycle or bring one yourself. Youโll also have to pay for any potential maintenance on your bike.ย โฐ Opening hours: While thereโs no strict โtimeโ you can cycle, itโs safest in the daytime when thereโs light!ย ๐ Location: Island-wide
9. Taste authentic Texelse cheese at the Wezenspyk Cheese Farm
While visiting @Wezenspyk Cheese Farm in Texel, I learned that the island has been producing cheese from sheep's milk for more than 500 years. And I can tell you from experience – the cheese lives up to the hype! What's your favorite type of cheese? ๐ง #Texel#VVVTexelpic.twitter.com/eCfH2KJ95q
Any adventure in the Netherlands is incomplete without visiting a local cheese shop!
And the cheese farm, shop, and cafรฉ Wezenspyk is no exception! Texelse cheese is particularly special because of the grass that the cows (and sheep) graze on Texel, which gives a unique flavour to its cheese.
The Wezenspyk family has been making cheese since the late 19th century โ so not only are you getting a slice of cheese but also a slice of Dutch history.ย ย
๐ฐ Price: Depends on what you buy at the factory, cheese shop, or cafรฉ! โฐ Opening hours: 9:30 AM to 5 PM from Monday to Saturday and 11 AM to 5 PM on Sunday ๐ Location: Hoornderweg 29, 1791 PM Den Burg
10. Visit the picturesque village of De Cocksdorp
There’s never a shortage of pretty towns in the Netherlands. Image: DepositPhotos.com
A trip to a quaint town is one of the more touristy things to do in Texel, but we promise itโs not nearly as crowded as Amsterdam.
De Cocksdorp is a village on the northernmost point of Texel, closest to the Eierland Lighthouse.
This lovely town is perfect if you want to lounge at a cafรฉ in the sun, browse the shops, and take a walk down to the beaches.
๐ฐ Price: Free โฐ Opening hours: All day ๐ Location: De Cocksdorp, northern Texel
11. Hike through the dunes of Texel National Park
You’ll have endless paths to walk and enjoy! Image: DepositPhotos.com
Like much of the Dutch coast, Texel boasts some really beautiful dunes!
The National Park Dunes of Texel offer extensive areas of nature and wildlife that photographers and families alike can enjoy.
You can get your blood pumping with an early morning bike ride or take a leisurely afternoon stroll, and birdwatch to your heartโs content.ย
From lush fields of purple heathers to endless hiking and cycling paths, youโre sure to fall in love with the flora and fauna of Texelโs dunes.
๐ฐ Price: Free โฐ Opening hours: During the daytime ๐ Location: Ruijslaan 92, 1796 AZ De Koog (Ecomare), Kikkertstraat 42, 1795 AE De Cocksdorp (Bird Information Texel)
12. Learn all about Dutch maritime history at Museum Kaap Skil
Find out all about Texel’s military and naval history at this local museum! Image: Museum Kaap Skil/Wikimedia Commons/CC4.0
Museum Kaap Skil makes for a fun day out in Texel, especially if youโre a naval and military history nerd.
Located in the small fishing town of Oudeschild, adults and children alike will enjoy this open-air museum.
You can learn all about merchant ships, whalers, and warships from the 16th and 17th centuries and hang out in the reconstructed model of an Oudeschild street from the 20th century.
๐ฐ Price: โฌ13 for adults, โฌ9 for children aged 4 to 12, โฌ11 for students, and free for children 3 and under โฐ Opening hours: 10 AM to 5 PM daily from April to October; Tuesday to Sunday (closed Monday) from November to March ๐ Location: Heemskerckstraat 9, 1792 AA Oudeschild
Skydiving is one of the coolest things Texel offers for all our thrill-seeking risk-takers!
Whether youโre a veteran parachutist or skydiving for the first time, Paracentrum Texel provides the perfect course for your skill level.
Youโll be floating in the wind (starting 3 kilometres above the ground), and youโll have a beautiful view of the island as you make your descent.
๐ฐ Price: From โฌ189 for a low-altitude jump (weekdays only), โฌ224.50 for a standard tandem, and โฌ314.50 for the extreme 13,000ft jump; weekend rates and photo/video packages cost more โฐ Opening hours: 9 AM to 6 PM every day ๐ Location: Postweg 128, 1795 JS De Cocksdorp
14. Visit the historical Fort de Schans
Fort de Schans is like a huge time capsule for Texel’s history! Image: Agaath/Wikimedia Commons/CC4.0
Hereโs another one for the history nerds! Take a peek into the past and visit Fort de Schans to learn all about the French occupation and the general military history of the island.
You can join a guided tour or take a solo walk and soak up the nature and history of this beautiful fort.
The fort is freely accessible to walkers and runners, and you might just pass through the fort if youโre cycling through the dunes.
๐ฐ Price: Free โฐ Opening hours: 8 AM to 6 PM every day ๐ Location: Schansweg, Oudeschild
15. Enjoy a day at the Texel Zoo
Fun for the whole family! Image: Otter/Wikimedia Commons/CC4.0
Thereโs nothing like a zoo to bring out your inner child! From a butterfly garden to reptile exhibits and an oasis-like garden, a trip to the Texel Zoo will make some lasting family memories.ย
Youโll find plenty of adorable animals at the Texel Zoo, including prairie dogs, meerkats, lory birds, and more.
๐ฐ Price: โฌ10.50 for those over 11, โฌ8.50 for children aged 4 to 11, free for children under 4 โฐ Opening hours: 10 AM to 5 PM daily (birds-of-prey shows Tuesday to Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2 PM) ๐ Location: Schorrenweg 20, 1794 HG Oosterend
16. Find some thrifty deals at Den Burgโs market
You can find some delicious, fresh produce and all your other needs right in Den Burg’s market. Image: Magnific
Calling in all bargain champs! Head over to Den Burg for their weekly goods market on Mondays at the Groeneplaats (the green place).
What sort of goods? Here, you can do your usual grocery shopping, from fresh veggies to meats or buy some locally sourced goods as souvenirs like honey, jam, pottery, and care products.
๐ฐ Price: Depends on what you buy โฐ Opening hours: 8 AM to 1:30 PM every Monday ๐ Location: Den Burg, Texel
17. Try some water sports at Texelโs beaches
Surf’s up! Who’s down for a dip in the water? Image: Magnific
Last but not least, we wouldnโt miss out on trying out some of the many water sports offered on Texel. From surfing to sailing, kayaking and swimming, the skyโs the limit! (Or is it the sea? ๐ค)
You can try out all kinds of water sports and activities, with or without kids, all over the island! Let op, however! The water probably isnโt as warm as youโd think.
๐ฐ Price: Various prices โฐ Opening hours: During the daytime ๐ Location: Various locations
With all kinds of adventurous, exciting, and relaxing things to do, youโre sure to enjoy a trip to this lovely place in the Netherlands.
Have you been to Texel before? What do you recommend for visitors? Tell us in the comments!
Landing in the Netherlands without a working phone is a special kind of stress, and Jetpac’s travel eSIMs promise to fix that for a few euros before you even board.
If youโre a fellow international, youโre probably familiar with the struggle. You get through immigration at Schiphol and weave your way through hundreds of tired, sweaty travellers, desperately trying to get your mobile to connect to the public Wi-Fi.
A travel eSIM claims to avoid that hassle, offering you speedier, hassle-free connectivity. But how accurate is that claim, really?
To decide, we took a closer look at Jetpac, a Singapore-based eSIM provider that’s been gaining traction with travellers heading to (or through) Europe, to see if it lives up to the hype.
What’s a travel eSIM?
First things first: letโs dive into what an eSIM actually is and why itโs a fast favourite of many international travellers.
An eSIM (also known as an embedded SIM) is a digital SIM card built directly into your phone’s software, rather than a physical chip you pop in and out.
You install it by scanning a QR code or downloading it through an app, and, for many providers, it connects to a local network the moment you land.
Travel eSIMs are far more convenient than scouring airports for half-hidden SIM kiosks. Image: Magnific
That means no more hunting down airport SIM kiosks and no more fumbling with tiny plastic SIM cards (potentially losing your regular SIM card in the process).
As a team of internationals who are familiar with the mad rush at Schiphol, weโve found eSIMs a genuinely useful upgrade.
Why we opted for Jetpac’s travel eSIMs
While Jetpac is a relatively new face in the eSIM space, it’s grown fast thanks to one standout feature: free airport lounge access if your flight gets delayed.
In addition to covering 200+ destinations worldwide, Jetpacโs plans also include a 33-country European regional plan that covers the Netherlands.
Plans start from as little as USD 1 (you can think of it as a little taster pack!), making them super accessible for anyone visiting Amsterdam for a long weekend or hopping between several European countries on one trip.
We wanted to see how Jetpacโs Netherlands eSIMs hold up in practice, especially for the kind of internationals and short-stay visitors who make up a big chunk of our readership.
Here’s what Jetpac gets right for travellers
Free lounge access when your flight’s delayed
Weโre pleasantly surprised that plans come with a nifty feature called Smart Delay.
Register your flight in the Jetpac app before departure, and if it’s delayed by an hour or more, you get a free lounge voucher for you and up to five travel companions, delivered straight to the app.
Your key apps keep working, even after your data runs out
Once you’ve burned through your data allowance, most eSIMs simply cut you off.
However, Jetpac keeps a handful of essential apps, including WhatsApp, Google Maps, and Uber, running for free even at zero balance.
You’ll pay very little for short trips
One of Jetpac’s most accessible plans starts at around USD 7 for 3GB over four days. Itโs perfect for a long weekend, especially if the Netherlands is just one stop on your travel itinerary.
Prefer a regional plan for Europe instead? While a 30-day plan starts from just USD 16 for 5GB, you can also double up and buy two 7-day plans starting at USD 12 each โ perfect if your itinerary runs shorter than a month.
You can easily share data with your travel partners
eSIM providers can be nitpicky about who you share your data with (and how many GBs they use!), but Jetpac keeps things refreshingly simple.
With unlimited hotspots, your Jetpac travel eSIM can easily connect to your laptop โ or your travel partner’s device. Image: Magnific
Youโve got access to unlimited hotspot and tethering with no extra fees, so you can freely share your connection with a secondary device or your travel companion’s mobile phone.
You can actually make voice calls, too
Data-only eSIMs are greatโฆ until you need to ring your hotel or cab, and they donโt have a WhatsApp number.
Jetpac sells separate prepaid voice packs, starting at USD 1.99 for five minutes of talk time, valid for 30 days and 50+ countries. You dial straight from the app using a temporary number, so you don’t need a data plan to use it.
And here are some sticking points
You won’t get texts or a real phone number
Like many travel eSIMs, Jetpacโs plans are data-only for the Netherlands and Europe. If someone needs to reach you by traditional call or SMS, you’ll need to rely on apps like WhatsApp or iMessage instead.
However, if youโre in a pinch,ย Jetpac does offer calling bundles in their app. Theyโre valid for outgoing calls to 50+ countries, starting from just USD 1.99 for 5 minutes.
Your phone has to be eSIM-compatible
Sadly, not every device supports eSIM technology.
Thankfully, Jetpac offers a compatibility check before you buy. Just insert the name of your device in the field, and the website will tell you if your mobile is eSIM-compatible.
You can use Jetpac’s compatibility check to ensure your mobile can carry eSIMs. Image: Magnific
So, are Jetpac’s travel eSIMs worth it?
For short trips to the Netherlands or through Europe, Jetpac is a solid, low-cost option.
We also quite like the peace of mind that comes with SmartDelay and connectivity for essentials like WhatsApp and Google Maps โ even when your data bundle has run dry.
While Jetpac may not replace a traditional SIM card for calling or getting a local number, itโs an excellent travel eSIM for browsing, navigation, and staying in touch.
Have you tried Jetpac before? Share your experience in the comments below.
A stack of seven giant green rocks is coming to Rotterdam-Zuid, after Dutch architecture firm MVRDV won an international competition to design a โฌ240 million sustainability landmark on the south bank of the Maas.
The winning design is called Rotterdam Rocks!, and it looks less like a building and more like something that grew there. MVRDV describes it as a stacked landscape of living rocks: rocks that breathe.
Behind it all is Shift, a social enterprise led by entrepreneur Don Ritzen. Ambitious? Absolutely. But this is Rotterdam, a city never once accused of thinking small.
What exactly is being built?
Image: MVRDV/Press Release
Seven stacked, porous volumes are organised into two interconnected towers, sculpted into rock-like forms with voids that pull daylight, greenery and public routes deep inside. Visitors will wander through caves and raised terraces, with trees, water and animal habitats built in.
There’s a giant exhibition space showcasing global success stories in nature, energy, travel and circularity. Add a hotel, education spaces, venues for community events, restaurants and an observation deck.
According to the AD, the complex covers 20,000 square metres and includes a 5,000 square metre experience centre called Elysium.
The building is its own experiment
Winy Maas of MVRDV calls the project a scale-up lab for the latest low-carbon construction innovations. Reused steel, lower-carbon concrete and bio-based materials all get tested here, alongside components designed to be taken apart and reused later.
Energy production, water cycles and biodiversity will be monitored in real time and shown to visitors, so the building’s own performance becomes part of the exhibition.
Why Rotterdam-Zuid?
Image: MVRDV/Press Release
The site sits in Waterkant, a new “nature-positive” neighbourhood with almost 4,000 homes planned, plus schools and maker spaces, overlooking a new tidal park.
A jury including actress Carice van Houten praised the design for bringing joy, discovery and surprise into architecture, saying it should encourage people to rethink everyday habits.
But can a building change your habits? That’s Ritzen’s bet. He points to IPCC research suggesting 40 to 70% of climate change is driven by behaviour, and toldย Positive Newsย that people need places where they feel hopeful and empowered rather than lectured.
Readers of the AD seem to like this hopeful vision, with more than 4,000 voters, 59% picked the rocky design.
When can you visit?
Image: MVRDV/Press Release
The plans now go to public consultation before permits are sought. Ritzen is aiming for a 2032 opening, with construction expected to take around three years.
The city that gave us the Markthal and the Cube Houses is adding a breathing mountain to its already fearless skyline. Entirely on brand.
Would you climb a giant green rock for the sake of the planet? Tell us in the comments!
Already settled in the Netherlands with a Dutch bank account, but tempted by a better savings rate somewhere else? You’re not alone, and it’s not a bad idea.
But opening a savings account in another country while living here comes with a few wrinkles worth knowing about first.
Whether you’re eyeing a German platform, a Baltic bank, or just curious whether it’s worth the hassle, here’s what you actually need to know.
1. The Belastingdienst wants to know about it
Opening a savings account abroad doesn’t take it off the Dutch tax radar.
As a Dutch tax resident, you’re generally required to declare worldwide assets, including any foreign savings account, in Box 3 of your income tax return.
No matter where the account is, the Belastingdienst needs to know about it. Image: Magnific
This applies regardless of which country the account is in, or whether you’ve ever moved money from your Dutch account into it.
The Belastingdienst (Dutch Tax Authority) taxes wealth, not just income. A foreign account doesn’t get you out of it.
2. Sometimes a foreign account really does pay more
The Dutch have figured out a lot of things nicely, but high interest rates arenโt one of them: (traditional) Dutch banks have historically been slow to offer competitive savings rates.
ABN AMRO, for example, has hovered at around 1.25% for years, while banks and platforms elsewhere in Europe often compete far more aggressively for savers’ cash.
So chasing a higher rate outside the Netherlands isn’t irrational. It can pay off.
The trade-off is everything else on this list: tax declarations, currency exposure, and a deposit guarantee scheme that follows a different country’s rules.
If you want a better rate without the hassle, Trade Republic is worth a look. It’s currently offering new customers a Dutch IBAN and 3% interest per year on cash up to โฌ50,000. Cash above โฌ50,000 will receive the current interest rate. You get a rate that beats most Dutch banks, in euros, without adding a foreign account to your tax paperwork.
So, letโs talk about currency. If the account you’re eyeing pays out in pounds, dollars, or any non-euro currency, you’re taking on exchange rate risk on top of the interest rate.
A tempting 4% return abroad can vanish if that currency drops 6% against the euro over the same period.
If your life and spending are euro-based, it’s usually safest to stick to euro-denominated accounts, even foreign ones.
4. Deposit protection doesn’t automatically follow you
Most EU and EEA countries protect savings up to โฌ100,000 per person, per bank, through their national deposit guarantee scheme.
Always look into whether you’re covered by the Deposit Guarantee Scheme. Image: Magnific
Itโs important to remember that this protection is tied to where the bank is licensed, not where you live.
So a foreign account might still be protected, but the scheme, the currency of compensation, and the claims process will follow that country’s rules, not the Netherlands’.
5. Getting money there (and back) isn’t always free
Moving money into a foreign savings account can involve international transfer fees, unfavourable exchange rates, or both, especially if your Dutch bank isn’t set up for cheap cross-border transfers.
If you’re planning to move money back and forth regularly, it’s worth comparing transfer costs before committing, not after.
6. You don’t need to close your Dutch account
There’s no requirement to close or restrict your Dutch account before opening a savings account elsewhere.
Plenty of people in the Netherlands run a Dutch current account alongside one or more foreign savings accounts.
You can keep a Dutch account and a foreign one. Image: Magnific
The key is just making sure everything gets declared properly and that the rate you’re chasing is actually worth the extra admin.
If all this sounds like more hassle than it’s worth, Trade Republic gives new customers 3% interest on cash up to โฌ50,000(and the ECB rate for money past this amount).
With a Dutch IBAN, no subscription fees, and interest paid monthly, itโs a straightforward way to get a competitive rate.
7. Not every provider wants a Dutch resident
Some foreign banks are picky about who they’ll take on.
A few require a local address or local tax residency; others restrict online account access for people living abroad, and some simply won’t onboard non-residents at all.
It’s worth checking a provider’s policy on Dutch residents before you go through the sign-up process, not after you hit a wall.
A foreign savings account isn’t off the table just because you live in the Netherlands. Sometimes the rate really is worth it.
Just go in with your eyes open about the tax declarations, currency risk, and paperwork that come along with it.
Have you opened a savings account outside the Netherlands to chase a better rate? Let us know about your experience in the comments!
A student team in Eindhoven is unveiling “Stella Juva” today, an ambulance designed to run entirely on solar energy while also powering all the medical equipment on board.
The brains behind the operation belong to Solar Team Eindhoven, a self-described “team of 23 enthusiastic and ambitious students from the Eindhoven University of Technology.”
Stella Juva is built for remote areas where poor roads and a shortage of fuel or electricity limit access to healthcare.
What makes this ambulance different?
Of course, hybrid and electric ambulances already exist.
The difference with Stella Juva is that the same solar energy that drives the ambulance also powers the medical equipment, so no separate power source is needed to keep the appliances running. On a sunny day, the team expects a maximum range of around 715 kilometres.
And this isn’t Solar Team Eindhoven’s first foray into solar-powered cars, either โ having developed and tested Stella Terra and Stella Vita previously.
It’s a hospital on wheels
Plus, unlike traditional ambulances, which primarily exist to deliver a patient to the hospital, Stella Juva is the hospital.
Healthcare workers can use it as a treatment space to run blood tests, screen for tuberculosis and malaria, administer vaccinations, and perform pregnancy ultrasounds.
“For millions of people, good healthcare remains out of reach. Access to care shouldn’t depend on whether there’s access to electricity or fuel,” says Femke Maurits, partnerships manager of Amref Health Africa in the Netherlands, in a press release. “In remote areas, healthcare workers sometimes travel great distances by bicycle, and reliable energy is not a given.”
“We hope to improve healthcare access and make it more sustainable,โ echoes Yarno Basten, partnerships manager of Solar Team Eindhoven.
Bringing healthcare to those who need it. Image: STE / Bart van Overbeeke
Kenya is the real test
The team heads there next month with two field locations lined up, where healthcare scenarios including tuberculosis treatment will be simulated.
They also plan to cover hundreds of kilometres on solar power alone, which will prove whether that 715 kilometre figure holds up under real-world conditions.
Prospects seem bright, given that Amref Health Africa, formerly the Flying Doctors, helped develop it. As Maurits states, the organisation is “proud to explore together with Solar Team Eindhoven how solar-powered innovation can bring healthcare closer to people who currently have almost no access to it.”
Would you trust a solar-powered ambulance to turn up when you needed one? Let us know in the comments below!
At this point, almost everyone in the world knows who Erling Haaland is. The Norwegian footballer took the world by storm with his impressive goals and unique gait. So of course, when Dutch content creators decided to do an impression of him, the video quickly went viral.
Regardless of whether you watched the World Cup or not, your algorithm has probably been flooded with clips of the Norwegian viking footballer.
Maxime and Sophie saw an opportunity and they took it.
The iconic walk
One of Haaland’s many viral moments is a clip of him walking what can only be described as “face first.”
The Dutch creators saw this as one of many perfect moments to recreate, partially because of Maxime’s strangely flexible neck, they tell AD. “Itโs a recurring joke that I have a long neck and can throw it in any direction,โ she tells them.
The result? A bizarrely accurate impression of the footballer:
The video has gone insanely viral, amassing no less than 102 million views on Instagram and 21.1 million views on TikTok.
The video went so viral that a London taxi driver even recognised Maxime. “He thought I was Haaland’s sister,” she tells AD.
Haters gonna hate
Of course, with every video that goes viral, there’s going to be plenty of hate.
People online claim that the video wasn’t completely accurate because Haaland wasn’t wearing a shirt when he did the iconic strut. Maxime was quick to point out that the reason for her shirt was obvious.
Some also believed the exaggerated walk was insulting to Haaland, but the creators defended the video, saying the good-natured footballer has responded positively to memes about him.
“I think Haaland would love it,” Maxime tells AD. “He has said that he finds memes about himself funny. When you make humorous videos on the internet, you often exaggerate things. That’s part of the deal.”
What do you think of the video? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.
