Profile photo for Bas Naus
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active 9 hours ago

Bas Naus

Like any person in the Netherlands, I started riding my bike soon after I learned how to walk and I ate cheese almost every day. But during my childhood, we would always drive straight to the mountains for every single family holiday we had. So I was introduced to the joy of travelling at early age, but it was only later that I really discovered the rich heritage, culture and beauty of my home country. When I went to college in the Netherlands, I finally started to explore my own ‘backyard’. Instantly, I fell in love with the charm of the Dutch towns and cities, the mesmerising beauty of our coast, and the relaxed culture of our people. And till today, I get excited about discovering new places in my little home country below the sea level!

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"The Netherlands is a very small country, so it is easy to travel from one side of the country to the other. So we offer trips all over the Netherlands and we organise a variety of experiences: round trips, cycling holidays, multi-activity tours or special interest trips about art, food, water-works or anything else that is special about Holland! Instead of driving you around from one place to another, we always try to make the travelling itself experiential as well: enjoy a fast and easy train ride to your next hotel, bike along lakes, cows and windmills to the next town, smell the sea from a fishing boat… There is a lot to explore and the possibilities are endless!"

How did you get involved in travel?

"After completing my studies I went on a long holiday to the Himalaya. After spending a year in Nepal, India and Tibet, I decided I wanted to come back there as often as possible so I started working as a tour leader for Dutch trekking groups. During these trips I discovered that besides all the beautiful places we went to, the thing that satisfied me the most was connecting with my guests and seeing the joy and happiness in their eyes. And this is what still motivates me working in tourism: creating experiences for people that truly inspire them and stay with them forever.
"

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"When I was a student in the late nineties, I would go to Amsterdam regularly to visit friends who studied there. After exploring the nightlife in the evening, most of the times I would wonder around the city the next morning. At that time there were very little tourists in Amsterdam. I would often visit the Van Gogh museum and sometimes I would be the only visitor in the entire building. I remember sitting in front of his paintings for hours in complete awe. This truly awakened my appreciation for our own culture and history. And still, I never miss an opportunity to see a Van Gogh!
"

Bas is part of the following groups: Luxembourg Travel Agents, Belgium Travel Agents, The Netherlands Travel Agents
Top itineraries and travel advice
Cycling Tour of the Netherlands & Belgium - 14 Days
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Grand Tour of the Netherlands & Belgium - 14 Days
Castles, cathedrals, windmills, canals: this two-week itinerary takes you through highlights of the Netherlands and Belgium. Starting in the vibrant Dutch capital of Amsterdam...
Highlights of Belgium & the Netherlands - 10 Days
Join this 10-day adventure to discover three fascinating cities in both the Netherlands and Belgium: starting with Amsterdam, The Hague, and Rotterdam, then crossing the border...
Family itineraries
Family Tour of the Netherlands - 7 Days
Filled with outdoor adventures and colorful sights, this weeklong trip around the Netherlands is fun for the whole family. Cruise around the canals of Amsterdam on a private...
Family Tour of the Netherlands - 10 Days
Welcome to the perfect family destination — Holland! On this 10-day adventure, you'll explore the canals of Amsterdam on a private boat, see the windmills of Kinderdijk and...

Recent trip reviews for Bas

Book Bas for Belgium!
Belgium | Oct 13 - Oct 18, 2023

Annette
Annette F.
New Zealand | Reviewed on Oct 19, 2023
We had a wonderful 5 days in Belgium . BAs arranged excellent accommodation in Antwerp and Brussels that had perfect locations for walking to attractions and food and drinks.
Our guide in Antwerp, Dave, was knowledgeable, friendly and really loves his city. Even though it poured with rain during most of our tour he persevered and we didn’t feel that we had been short changed at all. He was also our guide the next morning when the sun was out and showed us some more of his beautiful... Read more

We had a wonderful 5 days in Belgium . BAs arranged excellent accommodation in Antwerp and Brussels that had perfect locations for walking to attractions and food and drinks.
Our guide in Antwerp, Dave, was knowledgeable, friendly and really loves his city. Even though it poured with rain during most of our tour he persevered and we didn’t feel that we had been short changed at all. He was also our guide the next morning when the sun was out and showed us some more of his beautiful town.
Janne was our lovely guide in Ghent for the morning and we thoroughly enjoyed her view of her city. Very knowledgeable and funny and such a good guide, we learnt a lot about Ghent and its place in the old world.
We had a couple of easy tours on our own one to a chocolate factory and museum and another to a beer brewery.
The whole experience dealing with kimkim agents has been only positive and we’ve already booked our 3rd one for next year.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel FranQ
Antwerp

Fabulous staff, great location, clean and very welcoming

Authenticity & Character
It’s a little bit quirky in its interior design and very comfortable. Some of the original features are still in place
Location
Really close to lots of historical sites and excellent bars and eateries
Staff
Would have to be one of the best assets of this hotel. Very welcoming and helpful always
Cleanliness & Comfort
The best bed!
Hotel des Galeries
Brussels

The location is great for wandering around the older parts of the city and through the Galleries passages. The rooms are clean and surprisingly large by European standards.

Authenticity & Character
In some ways it’s a very simple hotel with a few quirks. All good quirks though
Location
Perfect for wandering around, very safe and lots of beautiful Belgian chocolate shops close by.
Staff
The staff really make this place special, really helpful with tips on where to eat and drink away from the tourist traps. Always friendly and willing to help sort any problems out
Cleanliness & Comfort
Very clean and comfortable but I found it odd that the room didn’t contain a small fridge of any kind. Coffee and tea were provided but no milk or creamer, and no way of keeping milk cold. There was also no electric jug in the room making tea. Staff were always willing to bring a teapot of hot water or a jug of milk to the room but it was a bit odd.
Activity Reviews
Antwerp - Private guided Evening walking tour
Antwerp

Dave is a passionate and lovely guide, we immediately felt comfortable with him. And we felt really sorry for him because it rained quite heavily on our tour but he was such a trooper that we kept going! The next day was a lot better and we had a really good tour of old town. We tried amazing chocolate s and a really smooth liqueur. He showed us covered canals and all sorts of things that we would never have found on our own or maybe missed by being part of a larger group

Quality of Experience
Antwerp - Private guided walking tour
Antwerp - Private guided walking tour
Belgium

Dave also took us on this tour and I can’t recommend him enough.

Quality of Experience
Antwerp - De Koninck Beer Brewery Tour
Antwerp - De Koninck Beer Brewery Tour
Belgium

Well worth a visit but the entry process is a bit of a shambles. One person selling tickets, pouring beers and checking those ticket holders who purchased on line. The whole place felt a little understaffed

Quality of Experience
Local specialist: Bas Naus
Photo taken by Annette F
Bas
Bas Naus
Local specialist in Nijmegen, Netherlands | Replied on Oct 25, 2023

Dear Annette, delighted to hear you had a great time during your stay in Belgium and that you appreciated our help in hosting this trip. Glad to hear also tha you already booked a new kimkim trip for next year. Enjoy! Warm regards, Bas.

Read all Belgium reviews

We had a wonderful 2-week trip to the low countries in Europe
Belgium | Sep 29 - Oct 12, 2023

R
Robert H.
Paradise, NV | Reviewed on Oct 15, 2023

We had a wonderful 2-week trip to Belgium and The Netherlands. We worked with Bas and Mieke. They were thorough and provided us with a wealth of knowledge. During the planning process and throughout our trip, Mieke was amazingly responsive, day and night!

We enjoyed the flexbility in travel style we had with them. Our trip was a mix of self- led and private guided travel. We used public transportation extensively. The detailed instructions on all forms of public transportation was much appreciated.

Local specialist: Bas Naus
Read all Belgium reviews

The ideal itinerary (and trip) that fit us perfectly.
The Netherlands | Aug 16 - Aug 24, 2023

David
David R.
Berkeley, CA | Reviewed on Aug 28, 2023
We were thrilled with the trip that was planned and supported by our Kim Kim guide, Bas. Based on our very specific interests, and the way we like to travel, Bas planned a perfect itinerary. The plan included a nice balance of self-led activities and guide-led activities. It included guided walking tours, boat tours, and cycling tours as well as a self-led cycling activity. We had some input on the Bas' initial plan, and he was happy to make accommodations to fit our requests. Bas was... Read more

We were thrilled with the trip that was planned and supported by our Kim Kim guide, Bas. Based on our very specific interests, and the way we like to travel, Bas planned a perfect itinerary. The plan included a nice balance of self-led activities and guide-led activities. It included guided walking tours, boat tours, and cycling tours as well as a self-led cycling activity. We had some input on the Bas' initial plan, and he was happy to make accommodations to fit our requests. Bas was also available to make some changes during the trip. For example, when a cancelled flight at the outset of the trip forced us to change some of our planned activities, he moved things around to make it work. We were able to get hard-to-secure tickets to the Anne Frank museum, and we had the pleasure of having tremendous, friendly, and fun guides for four of the activities. We weren't sure what to expect as this was our first full Kim Kim itinerary, but we couldn't have been happier with the trip.

Local specialist: Bas Naus
Bas
Bas Naus
Local specialist in Nijmegen, Netherlands | Replied on Aug 29, 2023

Dear David and Carla,
Delighted to hear you truly enjoyed your visit to the Netherlands and that you appreciated our help in planning and organizing this! It is a great pleasure to host a trip for positive-minded and enthusiastic guests like you. Thanks for visiting and I hope you will cherish your memories from the lowlands for a long time!
See you again and with warm regards,
Bas.

Read all The Netherlands reviews

Great trip
Austria | May 20 - May 26, 2023

Debbie
Debbie W.
Australia | Reviewed on Jun 03, 2023

Bas did a tremendous job on planning our trip, we loved every minute.

Local specialist: Bas Naus
Read all Austria reviews

Mother/Daughter art Tour of the Netherlands
The Netherlands | May 20 - May 27, 2023

Patti
Patti S.
Rock Hill, SC | Reviewed on May 29, 2023
My daughter and I did an art tour of the Netherlands. Bas from Beat The Dutch did such a great job matching expectations to our budget. I didn't know what to expect, having never used KimKim before, but overall, it was really great - we were comfortable, safe, and were able to move between cities and sites with ease on public transport, thanks to pre-loaded OV chip cards Beat The Dutch provided. Everybody involved did a wonderful job. Read more

My daughter and I did an art tour of the Netherlands. Bas from Beat The Dutch did such a great job matching expectations to our budget. I didn't know what to expect, having never used KimKim before, but overall, it was really great - we were comfortable, safe, and were able to move between cities and sites with ease on public transport, thanks to pre-loaded OV chip cards Beat The Dutch provided. Everybody involved did a wonderful job.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Light
Rotterdam

Super Budget Hotel Friendly and helpful staff, good a/c, good breakfast, very basic amenities, easy access to public transport Make sure you have all your toiletries on hand, as none are provided except for hand soap.

Authenticity & Character
very basic accommodations with no other amenities except hand soap
Location
Staff
Very helpful, ordered an early morning taxi the previous night to bring us to the train station
Cleanliness & Comfort
Room and bathroom were clean
Steenhof Suites
Leiden

Beautiful hotel and rooms/ very helpful staff

Authenticity & Character
beautifully appointed, great old restored building
Location
right in the center of Leiden, public transport, walking distance to town center
Staff
very kind and accommodating
Cleanliness & Comfort
beds were super comfortable, spacious room and bathroom nicely appointed, had all the amenities and toiletries . Great overall stay
Hotel ML
Haarlem

Beautiful room and hotel, terrific breakfast

Authenticity & Character
in a beautifully restored old building
Location
Right in the heart of the center of old Haarlem across the street from the GroteKerk; within walking distance of everything.
Staff
Very accommodating and friendly/helpful
Cleanliness & Comfort
no real heat or a/c due to the age of the building. Open the windows, ask for a floor fan, fall asleep listening to the bells of the Grote Kerk
Hotel des Arts
Amsterdam-Centrum

Restored old building, lots of flights of narrow stairs, rooms clean and comfortable

Authenticity & Character
beautifully restored building-
Location
close to all public transport
Staff
very accommodating and helpful with any questions you may have. Lisa was so kind and helpful
Cleanliness & Comfort
Rooms were clean, modern and comfy. Make sure you have all your toiletries as only hand soap and shampoo are provided
Local specialist: Bas Naus
Bas
Bas Naus
Local specialist in Nijmegen, Netherlands | Replied on May 30, 2023

Dear Patti,
It was a great pleasure for us to host your trip, and we are delighted to hear that you had an enjoyable holiday! Glad to hear our services made your trip comfortable and safe. Thanks for choosing kimkim and Beat the Dutch Travel!
Kind regards,
Bas.

Better Than We Could Have Ever Imagined!
The Netherlands | Apr 18 - Apr 25, 2023

Karla
Karla V.
Sunnyvale, CA | Reviewed on May 04, 2023
My husband and I had an amazing 8 days in the Netherlands! I initially tried to book our trip with US agents, but because we wanted to visit the Vermeer Collection and attend other specific events, they were unable to provide what we were looking for. Bas and his team, however, provided exactly what we were hoping for and more! We enjoyed walking tours with very knowledgeable guides like Jelte in Amsterdam and biking through tulip fields and the sand dunes on our own near The Hague. Our... Read more

My husband and I had an amazing 8 days in the Netherlands! I initially tried to book our trip with US agents, but because we wanted to visit the Vermeer Collection and attend other specific events, they were unable to provide what we were looking for. Bas and his team, however, provided exactly what we were hoping for and more! We enjoyed walking tours with very knowledgeable guides like Jelte in Amsterdam and biking through tulip fields and the sand dunes on our own near The Hague. Our schedule was a perfect balance of scheduled events and free time for our own interests. It was especially helpful to have Bas and his team available while we were in country to help with any questions we had. From the beginning to the end of this process, Bas has been easy to contact and quick to respond. This was our first time traveling in Europe and, although we were certain it would be wonderful, Bas created what we consider a perfect experience for us!

Activity Reviews
Zaanse Schans visit
Zaanse Schans visit
The Netherlands

Having a background in farming and engineering, my husband particularly enjoyed our visit to the windmills because he was able to discuss specifics about the inner workings of the mechanics and processes. This is not to be missed!

Quality of Experience
Public Transport Pass Amsterdam
Public Transport Pass Amsterdam
The Netherlands

Having the OV-Chip card made our travel much easier.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Museum Card Netherlands
Museum Card Netherlands
The Netherlands

This was great to have included in our trip documents! We went to many museums, even the Panorama in The Hague, which our hotel receptionist recommended. It was unbelievable— and free! because we had this pass!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Bas Naus
Bas
Bas Naus
Local specialist in Nijmegen, Netherlands | Replied on May 09, 2023

Dear Karla,
Thank you very much for your kind words. It was a pleasure to host your trip to the lowlands for you and your husband. Very glad you had a great trip, and that you enjoyed our personalized services. All the best to you and see you again!
Bas.

My incredible trip to The Netherlands and Belgium
The Netherlands | Dec 26 - Jan 9, 2023

R
Roudha L.
the United Arab Emirates | Reviewed on Mar 22, 2023

Our trip advisor was bas and he was incredible to work with and easy to communicate our needs and wants for the trip my mother and I took for the first time in the Netherlands and Belgium. Kimkim is such a great trip advisor website that makes everything super easy and efficient. I would definitely 100000% use Kimkim again for another trip hopefully.

Local specialist: Bas Naus
Bas
Bas Naus
Local specialist in Nijmegen, Netherlands | Replied on Mar 22, 2023

Dear Roudha, Thank you very much for your kind words! We are delighted to hear you enjoyed your stay in the Netherlands and Belgium and that you appreciated our services. All the best to you and see you again!
Kind regards,
Bas.

The Netherlands and Belgium
The Netherlands | May 29 - Jun 9, 2022

Cindy
Cindy w.
Canada | Reviewed on Jun 10, 2022
We had an absolutely amazing time traveling to The Netherlands and Belgium thanks to Bas from Beat the Dutch Travel who we met through kimkim. Throughout the planning process, Bas was exceptionally helpful; he asked us good questions to get a sense of our interests, needs, budget etc. and always responded to our messages in a timely manner. Early in the process he provided a potential itinerary which was sufficiently detailed to give us a sense of what our trip might look like and then... Read more

We had an absolutely amazing time traveling to The Netherlands and Belgium thanks to Bas from Beat the Dutch Travel who we met through kimkim.

Throughout the planning process, Bas was exceptionally helpful; he asked us good questions to get a sense of our interests, needs, budget etc. and always responded to our messages in a timely manner. Early in the process he provided a potential itinerary which was sufficiently detailed to give us a sense of what our trip might look like and then refined it after our review. In addition to activities that were booked for us, Bas, and his colleague Mieke, also provided us with a curated list of restaurants and sights we might like to consider during unplanned times. All tickets for transit and for sights were purchased for us, which took the stress out of our travel planning. Having a local specialist make suggestions with regard to sights to see meant that we were able to take in the "must-sees" as well as some that were less likely to be visited by tourists. The accommodations that we selected, based on Bas' recommendations were all unique and interesting and suited our needs well.

During our trip we had private tours booked in Amsterdam, Nijmegen and Antwerp which helped us to get an appreciation for each of these cities from the perspective of and with the expertise of a local guide. One particular highlight of our trip, one for which we are particularly grateful was the opportunity to meet Bas when he acted as our driver so that we could visit 'The Crossing Bridge', the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, and Vrijheidsmuseum (Freedom Museum), which would have been difficult for us to visit via public transport. In addition to meeting a very practical need in terms of transport, we deeply appreciated the opportunity to learn about life in The Netherlands through is eyes.

Both Bas and Mieke were very responsive to our questions and concerns both before we traveled and then while we were on the trip. We are very grateful to them for making our trip to The Netherlands and Belgium stress free and highly memorable. Thanks to them we can't wait to plan our next trip!

Hotel Reviews
Amstelzicht
Amsterdam

We loved staying at the Amstelzicht Hotel. It is small (with only 14 rooms) and quaint with a great location. The staff were friendly and helpful. We had a lovely view of the canal and the hotel is a very short walk from Rembrandt Square. Transit from the hotel is very easy. The rooms are comfortable and clean.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Opoe Sientje B&B
Nijmegen

This was a very unique place to stay. We stayed in the the Deckhouse apartment. Our "room" on the boat was cozy with an outer room (including a kitchenette, dining table, and sofas) and a small bedroom. It has a great view of harbour and the bridge over the river Waal. We took a very peaceful walk around the premises in the early morning. Since we only stayed one night we didn't get to enjoy all of what Opoe Sientje has to offer. Breakfast, served in the Hold, was delicious.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel New York
Rotterdam

The hotel is very interesting and historic with a wonderful location. The rooms are bright with lots of windows and high ceilings. The staff were friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
De Keyser Hotel
Antwerp

This hotel is located about a 5 minute walk from the train station and in the heart of the city. The room was small but met our needs.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Atlas B&B
Ghent

We loved this B&B. Our room was very spacious and had a lot of character. The staff were very friendly and helpful. Our only complaint was that our washroom (although private - just ours) was outside of our room and down 12 stairs. Otherwise, we had a lovely stay. Breakfast, served in a small dining room was delicious.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Our room was very comfortable and clean. We give only 4 stars since our washroom was outside of our room.
Activity Reviews
Public Transport Pass Amsterdam
Public Transport Pass Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Amsterdam - Private canal cruise to Rijksmuseum
Amsterdam - Private canal cruise to Rijksmuseum
The Netherlands

This canal cruise was one of the highlights of our trip. The captain of the boat was very knowledgeable and shared with us interesting information and stories about Amsterdam. Our cruise was scheduled in the morning. It was very peaceful and quiet. Seeing the city from the canal is a must!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
World War II excursion Westerbork & Veluwe
World War II excursion Westerbork & Veluwe
Amsterdam

We were really grateful to be able to visit Het Verscholen Dorp (the Secret Village). Although it has such a troubling history as a hideout for Dutch Jews, it was fascinating to see.

Amsterdam - Westerbork - Veluwe - Arnhem/Nijmegen
The Netherlands

We will be talking about this experience for years to come! It was so sobering to come to this place where Dutch Jews, Roma, and other prisoners were brought during WWII but helped us to visualize history.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Bas Naus
Bas
Bas Naus
Local specialist in Nijmegen, Netherlands | Replied on Jun 15, 2022

Dear Cindy and Clyve,
Thank you so much for this wonderful review! I am delighted to hear you had a pleasant trip in the Netherlands & Belgium, and that you appreciated our help here! Personally, I can also say the 2 full days we spent together when I was your driver/guide, were very nice. I really enjoyed your company, getting to know you and learning about your life in Canada, and talking about life here in the Netherlands. Thanks for the good times we had together!
All the best to you and see you again sometime in Nijmegen ;-)
Warm regards,
Bas.