We planned to visit Het Heijderbos several years ago, but Covid struck and our plans went out the window. As soon as we were able, we re-booked our holiday at this village, and found that it had been worth the wait. The village has all the same perks as our other favourite Center Parcs villages with the added bonus of the Jungle Dome – an indoor tropical adventure playground. The Jungle Dome really is fantastic, and a lot of fun for families with primary school-aged children. Adults wanting to relax are able to book a facial, massage and other pampering treatments at Arovite Wellness and Beauty, although there is no spa onsite.
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Just like the other Center Parcs villages in Netherlands, the area around the village is perfect for cycling if you feel like going offsite. Most of the roads have cycle lanes, making it pretty safe to ride your bike around. Het Heijderbos is very close to the German border. We enjoyed cycling over into Germany and back again just to say we’d done it! Back on this side of the border, the town of Gennep is a 17 minute bike ride or 10 minute drive away, and has several supermarkets which are perfect for stocking up on groceries.
The Aqua Mundo at Het Heijderbos is very good with a wave pool, hot tubs and lots of water slides. However, we found that the wild water rapids were extremely fast and not entirely safe. We were pretty battered and bruised by the end of the holiday, which wasn’t much fun. The rapids are usually one of the highlights of our Center Parcs holidays, and this was the only village where we have not enjoyed them. If your family loves the rapids more than anything else, I would recommend choosing a different village.
Theme park enthusiasts might be interested to know that Efteling Theme Park is just over an hour’s (60 mile) drive from Het Heijderbos. Efteling is one of the most popular Theme Parks in Europe, and is definitely worth a visit. Consider tagging a couple of nights at Efteling onto the end of your Center Parcs holiday to fully appreciate everything this incredible Theme Park has to offer. Big families are able to book hotel rooms with breakfast included for up to six people or self-catering houses for up to 24 people at Efteling. Tickets to the Park are included with every booking.
Top Tip: Taking little ones to Center Parcs? A bike trailer is the perfect way to transport them around the village.
Aqua Mundo at Het Heijderbos
Included with every booking:
- Children’s pool
- Hot tubs
- Outdoor pool
- Plunge pool
- Snorkelling pool with underwater fish tanks
- Water slides
- Wave pool
- Wild river rapids
Where to Stay at Het Heijderbos
Hotel Room
- Sleeps up to 2 people + 1 infant aged 0-2 years
- No reduced mobility option
- Beds made on arrival
- Daily housekeeping on request
- Coffee machine in room
- Mini-fridge in room
- Towels and toiletries provided
- Buffet breakfast included
Dog Cottage
- Sleeps up to 4 people + 2 infants aged 0-2 years
- No reduced mobility option
- Beds made on arrival
- TV in main bedroom
- Dog room with door gate
- Fenced garden
- Dog pillows provided
- Food and water bowls provided
- Kitchen package with tea towel, cleaning sponge, etc.
- Kitchen with dishwasher
- Towels not included
- Breakfast not included (can be purchased separately)
Adventure Cottage
- Sleeps up to 6 people + 2 infants aged 0-2 years
- No reduced mobility option
- Beds made on arrival
- TV in main bedroom
- Kitchen package with tea towel, cleaning sponge, etc.
- Kitchen with dishwasher
- Towels not included
- Breakfast not included (can be purchased separately)
Comfort Cottage
- Sleeps up to 6 people + 2 infants aged 0-2 years
- No reduced mobility option
- Bedding included, but beds not made up
- Kitchen with dishwasher
- Towels not included
- Breakfast not included (can be purchased separately)
VIP Cottage
- Sleeps up to 6 people + 2 infants aged 0-2 years
- No reduced mobility option
- Beds made on arrival
- TV in main bedroom
- Jacuzzi bath
- Sauna
- Kitchen package with tea towel, cleaning sponge, etc.
- Kitchen with dishwasher
- Towels and toiletries included
- Breakfast not included (can be purchased separately)
VIP Eden Cottage
- Sleeps up to 6 people + 2 infants aged 0-2 years
- No reduced mobility option
- Beds made on arrival
- TV in main bedroom
- Jacuzzi bath
- Sauna
- Kitchen package with tea towel, cleaning sponge, etc.
- Kitchen with dishwasher
- Towels and toiletries included
- Breakfast not included (can be purchased separately)
Premium Cottage
- Sleeps up to 10 people + 2 infants aged 0-2 years
- No reduced mobility option
- Beds made on arrival
- TV in up to two bedrooms in cottages for 4 + people
- Kitchen package with tea towel, cleaning sponge, etc.
- Kitchen with dishwasher
- Towels not included
- Breakfast not included (can be purchased separately)
Where to Eat at Het Heijderbos
- Evergreenz Buffet Restaurant – serving a buffet breakfast and dinner
- Grabber Joe’s Lunch Café Aqua Mundo – serving sandwiches, paninis and ice-creams poolside
- Grand Café – serving international food and drinks
- Frites Affairs – fast food restaurant serving burgers, fries and ice creams
- Fuego Grill Restaurant – serving burgers, meat skewers and fish dishes
- Nonna’s Italian Restaurant – serving pizzas and pasta
- Pancake House – serving sweet crêpe style pancakes
Supermarkets Near Het Heijderbos
- Onsite Supermarket inside Market Dome
- Aldi in Gennep – 4 miles
- Lidl in Gennep – 4 miles
- Lidl in Boxmeer – 6 miles
How Can I Get to Het Heijdebos?
Eurotunnel from Folkestone
| Route | Crossing Time | Onward Distance to Village | Onward Journey Time to Village |
|---|---|---|---|
| Folkestone – Calais | 35 minutes | 244 miles | 4¼ hours |
Ferry from UK Port
| Route | Crossing Time | Onward Distance to Village | Onward Journey Time to Village |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dover – Calais | 1½ hours | 221 miles | 3¾ hours |
| Dover – Dunkirk | 2 hours | 206 miles | 3¾ hours |
| Folkestone to Calais | 1½ hours | 221 miles | 3¾ hours |
| Harwich – Hook of Holland | from 6½ hour day or night crossing | 109 miles | 2 hours |
| Hull – Rotterdam | 11½ hour night crossing | 90 miles | 1½ hours |
| Newcastle – Amsterdam Ijmuiden | 15¾ hour night crossing | 110 miles | 2 hours |
| Newhaven – Dieppe | 4 hours | 321 miles – adjust Google Maps route to avoid Lille ULEZ zone | 5½ hours |
| Poole – Cherbourg | 4½ hours | 487 miles – adjust Google Maps route to avoid Lille ULEZ zone | 7¾ hours |
| Portsmouth – Caen | 5¾ hours | 417 miles – adjust Google Maps route to avoid Lille ULEZ zone | 6½ hours |
| Portsmouth – Cherbourg | from 4¾ hours | 487 miles – adjust Google Maps route to avoid Lille ULEZ zone | 7¾ hours |
| Portsmouth – Le Havre | from 6 hours | 366 miles – adjust Google Maps route to avoid Lille ULEZ zone | 5¾ hours |
| Portsmouth – St. Malo | from 10 hours | 515 miles – adjust Google Maps route to avoid Lille ULEZ zone | 8½ hours |
Eurostar from London St. Pancras International Station
- I wouldn’t recommend taking the Eurostar as all onward journeys include several transfers.
Flying From UK Airport
- I wouldn’t recommend flying as there as all onward routes from the nearest airport include several changes and walking transfers.
Want to compare Het Heijderbos Village with the other Dutch villages? Check out De Eemhof Village in the North, and De Kempervennen Village in the South.
Useful Resources When Driving in France, Belgium and Netherlands
All distances have been taken from Google Maps. Journey times will vary depending on the time/day you travel and any unforeseen events such as accidents or roadworks. Whether you opt for planes, trains or ferries, remember to allow 1-2 hours for check-in and boarding each way.
Many countries are bringing in more and more ULEZ zones, which can make journeys difficult if your big old family car is non-compliant. Even cars that are compliant have to be registered to be allowed in these zones. This all gets pretty complicated, so it’s best to just avoid the relevant areas. Google Maps will often take you straight through a ULEZ zone without offering an alternative route, so make adjustments to your route before you set off if necessary. Visit drive2.city for up-to-date information on ULEZ zones in the UK and the rest of Europe.
