Sneekermeer in Offingawier
The Sneekermeer is a 23 km² watersports lake between Sneek, Terherne and Goingarijp, with a free beach at De Potten, boat hire, more than 400 moorings and the Sneekweek sailing regatta.
Photo credits
Skûtsjes under sail on the Sneekermeer during the races.: Dominicus Johannes Bergsma · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answers
- Surface area
- 23 km²
- Starteiland
- Three harbours and a restaurant
- Sneekweek
- Largest event on a European inland water
- Hardzeildag
- Sailed since 1814
- Cycle route
- 65 km around the lake
- Contact
- 06 25 16 30 36
Sneekermeer agenda: upcoming events
Tonight, this week and the months ahead at this venue in Offingawier.
September 2027
- Sat25Sept
- Sat25Sept
- Sat25Sept
October 2027
- Sat16Oct
- Sat16Oct
Plan your visit to Sneekermeer
How big is the Sneekermeer?
The Sneekermeer covers 23 km² (2,300 hectares): slightly smaller than the Tjeukemeer and about one and a half times the Fluessen.
- Surface area
- 23 km² (2,300 ha)
- Tjeukemeer
- 23.42 km²
- Fluessen
- 15.16 km²
- Heegermeer
- 6.98 km²
For a lake, size is capacity. The Sneekermeer has 2,300 hectares of open water, compared with 2,342 for the Tjeukemeer, 1,516 for the Fluessen and 698 for the Heegermeer. That makes it the second-largest of this group and gives it room for large race fleets, dinghy sailing, motorboats and quiet nature reserves in the same water.
| Water | Area | Basis | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sneekermeer | 23 km² (2,300 ha) | Water area | Wikipedia: Sneekermeer |
| Tjeukemeer | 23.42 km² | Water area | Wikipedia: Tjeukemeer |
| Fluessen | 15.16 km² | Water area | Wikipedia: Fluessen |
| Heegermeer | 6.98 km² | Water area | Wikipedia: Heegermeer |
How many people fit on the Starteiland?
The Starteiland is the event hub: up to 5,000 people, three harbours with more than 400 berths and a harbour depth of about 1.90 m.
- Events
- Up to 5,000 people
- Berths
- More than 400
- Harbour depth
- About 1.90 m
The 5,000 is an event capacity, not a car park: visitors leave their vehicles on the mainland and cross by pont. The three KWS harbours add more than 400 berths at about 1.90 m depth, which makes the island the base for the race fleet.
| Facility | Capacity | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Events | Up to 5,000 people | Starteiland |
| Berths | More than 400 | KWS harbour page |
| Harbour depth | About 1.90 m | KWS harbour page |
Swimming at the Sneekermeer: the free Pottenstrand
Yes, you can swim at the Pottenstrand, the recognised swimming-water beach on the Offingawier shore. Access and parking are free.
The Pottenstrand is in De Potten day-recreation area on the Offingawier side. It has been a recognised swimming-water location since 2013 and was created from a former sand-extraction lake. Showers, toilets and bins are on site, and children have playground equipment.
This is a free beach with basic facilities rather than a full resort. Come with your own towels, food and shade, and keep an eye on children in the water. A campsite sits on the other side of the beach, and Beachclub Sneek is further along the shore at Paviljoenwei 6 for lunch.
Parking is free at the beach and along the Paviljoenweg. On warm summer days the lot fills early; the extra Pottenstrand field near the pont is the overflow at busy events.
- Swimming water since
- 2013
- Access and parking
- Free
- Facilities
- Showers, toilets, bins, playground
- Next to the beach
- A campsite
Eating at the Sneekermeer
Two restaurants sit on the water: Beachclub Sneek on the Paviljoenweg and Club Nautiq on the Starteiland. The Pottenstrand is the picnic side.
Beachclub Sneek at Paviljoenwei 6 is the shore-side option, right on the water, with a terrace and a menu for lunch and dinner. It is the easy choice before or after the pont, and the kids' menu and enclosed sandpit make it work for families.
On the island, Club Nautiq is the Starteiland's restaurant, a short walk from the pont, with a terrace and comfort food. It is the place to eat if you are spending the day watching the races.
For boat hire, Sail-a-way at Paviljoenwei 4 rents sailing boats and sloops from the shore and takes bookings online. For a cheaper day, the Pottenstrand has free access, showers and toilets, and playground equipment for children.
- On the water
- Beachclub Sneek, Paviljoenwei 6
- On the island
- Club Nautiq, Starteiland
- Boat hire
- Sail-a-way, Paviljoenwei 4
Where to stay around the Sneekermeer
Stay on the water at Landal Waterpark Sneekermeer in Terherne, at the campsite beside the Pottenstrand, or on the Starteiland in a camper or tent during KWS events.
Landal Waterpark Sneekermeer (Jongebuorren 5, Terherne) is the big holiday park, with check-in from 16:00 and check-out by 10:30. A campsite sits next to the Pottenstrand, and the Starteiland has 10 camper pitches with power and water plus tent camping for participants in KWS events.
The Starteiland camper pitch costs €23.50 per camper plus €2.50 per person per night; a tent pitch is €12.50 plus €2.50 per person. Non-residents of Súdwest-Fryslân pay €2.00 tourist tax per person per night. The pitches are for KWS event participants; book through the harbour master.
For boat visitors there are more than 400 berths in three harbours at about 1.90 m depth, at €1.85 per metre per night including power, environmental levy and VAT. The harbour building has showers and a launderette.
- Holiday park
- Landal Waterpark Sneekermeer, Terherne
- Check-in / out
- 16:00 / 10:30
- Camper pitch
- €23.50 + €2.50 pp
- Tent pitch
- €12.50 + €2.50 pp
- Harbour berth
- €1.85 per metre per night
| Stay | Where | What it costs |
|---|---|---|
| Landal Waterpark Sneekermeer | Jongebuorren 5, Terherne | Holiday homes; check-in 16:00, check-out 10:30 |
| Campsite at De Potten | Beside the Pottenstrand | Campsite next to the beach |
| Starteiland camper pitch | Starteiland, by pont | €23.50 per camper + €2.50 pp |
| Starteiland tent pitch | Starteiland, by pont | €12.50 per tent + €2.50 pp |
| Harbour berth | Starteiland harbours | €1.85 per metre per night |
Accessibility at the Starteiland
The pedestrian pont takes up to 12 people and is suitable for wheelchair users; the harbour building has an accessible shower and a family room.
You cross to the Starteiland by pont. The passenger boat Kolmeersland carries up to 12 people and is suitable for wheelchair users; the Sweagen is the roll-on/roll-off boat for cars, campers, boat trailers and bikes. Ask the crew which boat is loading if you need the ramp.
In the harbour building there is a wheelchair-accessible shower and a family/baby room, alongside the other sanitary facilities and the launderette. The harbour office is in the same building and is open daily from 08:00 to 22:00 in the week before and during Sneekweek.
The Pottenstrand has showers and toilets, but the pages read for this guide do not describe adapted changing facilities there. If you need one, check the current swimming-water information before you travel.
- Pedestrian pont
- Max 12 people, wheelchair accessible
- Harbour building
- Accessible shower, family room
Getting to the Sneekermeer and the Starteiland
Sneek station is the nearest station. From there it is 15–20 minutes by bike to the pont at Offingawier, and the pont crosses to the Starteiland.
Trains run to Sneek station. The simplest approach is the bike: the ride over the Grienedyk/Groenedijk takes about 15 minutes to the pont, or 20 minutes to the Paviljoen, and there is bike storage at the pont. In Sneekweek the Sneekermeerbuzz runs at least twice an hour from the station to the Starteiland for €2.60 a single.
By car, take the Groenedijk roundabout and follow the Sneekermeer signs; it is about 8 minutes to the Paviljoenweg car parks. Parking is free, and the pont takes you across. The Sweagen is a roll-on/roll-off ferry, so it also carries bikes, cars, campers and boat trailers; the pedestrian pont takes up to 12 people.
Outside Sneekweek the pont follows a seasonal timetable, roughly 10:00 to 22:00 in summer and with later starts and earlier finishes in spring and autumn; during Sneekweek it starts around 08:00 and runs until 02:00. Check the exact first and last crossing before you travel. The 2026 KWS tariff is €3.00 for an adult return, free for children under 12, €1 for a bike, €6.50 for a boat or trailer and €20 for a car or camper. Check KWS for the current rate.
The Sneekermeerbuzz only runs during Sneekweek. Outside it, the bike is the easy option from Sneek, with bike storage at the pont.
Parking at the Sneekermeer: free on the shore
Parking is free on the Paviljoenweg at Offingawier, 2–5 minutes from the pont. The Starteiland is reached on foot or by bike; at busy events, event parking on the mainland takes the overflow.
Leave the car on the shore and walk to the jetty. The car parks along the Paviljoenweg are free and about 2–5 minutes from the pont; at busy events an extra field at Het Pottenstrand, roughly 100 m before the pont, takes the overflow. Parking is on the mainland; the pont then takes you across to the Starteiland.
Do not park outside the marked bays. During Sneekweek the police enforce this. For the pont and the mainland car parks, use Kolmarslân 1, 8626 GD Offingawier in the sat nav.
If you are bringing a boat trailer or camper, the Sweagen crossing costs €20 for a car or camper and €6.50 for a boat or trailer; park on the shore first if you only need the pedestrian pont.
| Car park | Address | Walk to pont | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paviljoenweg car parks | Paviljoenweg, 8626 GD Offingawier | 2–5 min | Free |
| Extra Pottenstrand field | Paviljoenweg, about 100 m before the pont | 1–2 min | Free |
| Mainland event parking | Near the pont, Offingawier (sat nav: Kolmarslân 1) | 1 min | Not stated |
- Paviljoenweg car parks
- Free
- Walk to pont
- 2–5 min
- Extra field
- Pottenstrand, at busy times
- Pont with car
- €20 return
Contact and addresses
The Starteiland is reached by pont from the mainland jetty at Kolmarslân 1, 8626 GD Offingawier; that is the sat-nav address for the crossing and the car parks, not a street address on the island. The KWS has a correspondence address in Sneek; the pont, Beachclub Sneek and Sail-a-way are on the Offingawier shore.
What kind of place is the Sneekermeer?
It is a large, open sailing lake with a beach and watersports shore, not a fenced attraction: you can drive to the edge, park free and take the pont to the island hub.
The lake sits between Sneek, Terherne, Goingarijp and Offingawier, with the Prinses Margrietkanaal running through it. Its 2,300 hectares make it one of the bigger Frisian lakes, and the open water is dotted with the Starteiland, Greate Griene and Lytse Griene.
The shore is the practical side: the free Pottenstrand beach and De Potten recreation area, Beachclub Sneek, boat hire at Paviljoenwei, and the car parks from which the pont crosses to the Starteiland. The island itself has the three KWS harbours, Club Nautiq and the event field.
Sailing is the reason most people know the lake. The KWS race calendar runs from spring to autumn and peaks in the Sneekweek, a week of racing and festivities in Sneek. The rest of the year the lake is a quiet place for walking, cycling and messing about in boats.
Sneekweek and the sailing calendar
The lake is above all a racing venue: the KWS runs club races from spring to autumn and the Sneekweek in late July or early August, the biggest inland-water sailing event in Europe.
The KWS race calendar is the thing to check before you go. It runs from the Paasevenement in March through the spring and summer club races to the Sluitingswedstrijden at the end of September and the Roekoepolle Race in October. The official agenda links the 2027 calendar as a download; individual start times are not listed there.
The Sneekweek is the high point: a week of racing in late July or early August, held since 1934, with thousands of visitors and the Hardzeildag, which dates from 1814. The Starteiland, with its three harbours and Club Nautiq, is where the races start and where you watch them from the shore.
The island can hold events for up to 5,000 people. During Sneekweek the pont runs from about 08:00 to 02:00 and the harbour office is open daily from 08:00 to 22:00. Outside events the crossing follows a seasonal timetable; in summer it is roughly 10:00 to 22:00, while spring and autumn start later and finish earlier. Check the KWS timetable for your day.
- Biggest event
- Sneekweek, since 1934
- Event capacity
- Up to 5,000 people
- Race calendar
- March to October 2027
- Harbour office in Sneekweek
- 08:00–22:00
Photos
Photo credits
Skûtsjes under sail on the Sneekermeer during the races.: Dominicus Johannes Bergsma · CC BY-SA 4.0
A live performance at an event on the Starteiland.: Starteiland · Venue website
The waterfront terrace at the Starteiland.: Starteiland · Venue website
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Frequently asked questions about the Sneekermeer
Can you swim in the Sneekermeer?
Yes. The Pottenstrand on the Offingawier shore has been a recognised swimming-water site since 2013. Access and parking are free, and there are showers, toilets and bins.
Where is the free beach at the Sneekermeer?
The Pottenstrand, in the De Potten recreation area on the Offingawier side. It is a former sand-extraction lake, now a day-recreation park with a beach, playground and free parking.
How do I get to the Starteiland?
Only by pont from the Paviljoenweg jetty at Offingawier. For the mainland jetty and car parks, use Kolmarslân 1, 8626 GD Offingawier in the sat nav; the island itself has no street address. The crossing is short, and the 2026 return is €3.00 for adults and free for children under 12.
What time does the pont run?
Outside Sneekweek the pont runs to a seasonal timetable: roughly 10:00 to 22:00 in summer, and often from about 11:00 or 12:00 to 21:00 or 23:00 in spring and autumn. The exact first and last crossing changes by day, so check the KWS timetable.
How much does the pont cost?
The 2026 KWS tariff is €3.00 for an adult return, free for children under 12, €1 for a bike, €6.50 for a boat or trailer, and €20 for a car or camper. Check KWS for the current rate.
How big is the Sneekermeer?
23 km² (2,300 hectares). That is slightly smaller than the Tjeukemeer (23.42 km²) and about one and a half times the Fluessen (15.16 km²).
How deep is the Sneekermeer?
The harbours are about 1.90 m deep. The lake also has a sand ridge, the Gravinneweg, so a current water map is useful if you are sailing or motoring outside the marked routes.
When is the Sneekweek?
Every year in late July or early August. It has been held since 1934 and is the largest inland-water sailing event in Europe, with thousands of visitors and racing on the lake.
Can I hire a boat on the Sneekermeer?
Yes. Sail-a-way at Paviljoenwei 4 rents sailing boats and sloops from the shore and takes bookings online.
Where can I eat at the Sneekermeer?
Beachclub Sneek at Paviljoenwei 6 serves lunch and dinner on the water, and Club Nautiq is the restaurant on the Starteiland. For a beach day, the Pottenstrand has free access, showers and toilets.
Where can I park at the Sneekermeer?
Free on the Paviljoenweg car parks at Offingawier, 2–5 minutes from the pont. An extra field at Het Pottenstrand opens at busy times. Do not park outside the bays: the police enforce this during Sneekweek.
Can I camp or stay overnight?
Landal Waterpark Sneekermeer at Terherne has holiday homes, a campsite sits next to the Pottenstrand, and the Starteiland has 10 camper pitches (€23.50 + €2.50 pp) and tent pitches (€12.50 + €2.50 pp) for KWS event participants.
Is the Starteiland accessible for wheelchair users?
The pedestrian pont carries up to 12 people and is suitable for wheelchair users. The harbour building has an accessible shower and a family/baby room.
How do I get there from Sneek station?
By bike over the Grienedyk/Groenedijk, 15–20 minutes, with bike storage at the pont. During Sneekweek the Sneekermeerbuzz runs at least twice an hour from the station to the Starteiland for €2.60.
Do I need a boat to visit the Sneekermeer?
No. The pont takes foot passengers to the Starteiland, and the beach, beach club and boat hire are on the shore. A boat helps you see the lake, but it is not needed for a day out.
Sources: Wikipedia: Sneekermeer (October 30, 2026) · Starteiland: event capacity (October 30, 2026) · Mooi Friesland: Pottenstrand (October 30, 2026) · Waterland van Friesland: Sneekermeer (October 30, 2026) · KWS: pont, parking and rates (October 30, 2026) · Starteiland: parking and access (October 30, 2026) · Beachclub Sneek (October 30, 2026) · KWS: camper pitches and camping (October 30, 2026) · KWS: harbour and facilities (October 30, 2026)
