While you may not be basing your decisions on vacation solely around the sexual opportunities that may be available, it potentially a factor in determining the kind of holiday that you’re planning on having.

Whether that’s a naked beach, a gay resort, or a city that is known to have quality bathhouses or a rocking nightlife – all these factors are likely to add some weight as to whether a destination makes it onto your travel planning mood-board.

But don’t forget about cruising! Most of us have some level of gay public sex kink, and cruising is the ideal way to connect with some local guys in an anonymous, no-strings-attached kind of way, right?

The challenge with exploring the cruising options while you’re visiting somewhere new is that you might not know what the local laws and regulations are. While this might add to a heightened sense of risk and excitement, your travel insurance company may not be so thrilled if you start trying to claim for legal expenses associated with a run-in with the law.

That’s why we’re talking about Amsterdam – possibly one of the world’s best destinations for lots of reasons, but also because it’s a city that actively encourages and enables man-on-man cruising and sexual encounters!

What is gay park cruising?

Cruising is when guys make sexual connections with each other in public spaces. There’s a lot of body-language, eye contact, and not much talk.

Locations that tend to facilitate cruising opportunities include public toilets, truck stops, and parks.

Parks and wooded areas are popular because there’s plenty of natural coverage, and you can discreetly wander around without it looking totally obvious that you’re on the hunt for a bit of action.

The outdoor and semi-public aspect of cruising in parks is also part of the appeal. We’ve previously written about the caught masturbating in public trend and why it is dominating porn. We’ve also looked at the gay park cruising hotspots in the US.

But when it comes to cruising in parks, it’s the Netherlands that is really setting the standard as to how it should be done.

Is it legal to have gay public sex in the Netherlands?

The Netherlands has a long history of being a part of the world that is progressive and socially liberal.

When it comes to sex in public, that’s totally fine but there are a couple of provisos.
Having sex in a public space is not illegal, as long as it doesn’t cause a disturbance and it doesn’t offend anyone.

While that kind of libertarian, practical, and sensible approach is really helpful, the Netherlands goes that extra step to make it a welcoming destination to guys who enjoy cruising for sex.

According to Reddit users, many parks – such as Park de Oeverlanden – have dedicated cruising areas, with signage. This not only makes it clear for the men who are looking to hook up with other dudes, but also helps to reduce the potential for anyone to complain that what’s going on is causing a disturbance or causing offence.

How can I find gay public sex spots in the Netherlands?

If you’re in a park in the Netherlands and wondering whether it includes a dedicated cruising section, the sign that you’re looking for will say “Cruisegebied” and will probably feature rainbow colours.

That’s the bit of the park where you can hook up with dudes without any worries about getting arrested.

Most of these cruising zones in parks are open all hours, but it would be sensible to avoid going out in the dark. Don’t forget your travel gay essentials, including your phone or a power bank and minimal cash or cards. It’s easy to let your dick do the thinking but try and exercise a bit of caution.

What is Park de Oeverlanden in the Netherlands?

Park de Oeverlanden is one of the best known cruising parks in Amsterdam. It’s located along the Nieuwe Meer Lake in Amsterdam.

The park is a big space with a bit of forest and meadows. You can get naked, swim, work on your all-over tan, cruise, and fuck. Sounds kind of perfect, right?

It’s pretty easy to get to – you’ll find it on Google Maps and there’s a bus stop. The rainbow signage is prominent so you’ll be confident that you’re in the right area for getting naked and getting it on.

How can I maximise my gay park cruising experience as a sex tourist?

Similar to gay bathroom cruising, when you’re looking to connect with another guy while you’re out and about in a park, it’s all about eye contact, body language and picking up certain cruising signals that confirm that you’re both on the same page.

But if you’re in Amsterdam, in an area of a park that is designated for gay cruising, obviously a lot of the hard work is already done for you. Everyone knows what you’re there for – no one has wandered into this area by accident.

However, the basic principles of cruising apply and all of that body-language and eye-contact is part of what makes the whole experience so fucking sexy. Obviously, you’ve also still got to navigate consent – you can’t just jump on every guy that you see.

Make eye contact with guys you like. You don’t need to be discrete about this – a bit of eye-fucking will send a pretty clear signal about what you’re looking for. This is not a time to be shy. Be bold – but also be prepared that you may not be what he is looking for.

You don’t necessarily need to be an exhibitionist to enjoy some quality cruising, but obviously you’re outdoors in a park. If you’re getting it on in the cruisegebied, what you get up to probably won’t be offending anyone but it might attract some interested onlookers who want to enjoy the show or maybe join in.

If you’re into the idea of making your Amsterdam vacation an ultimate gay group sex adventure, then that’s cool. If you’re not, you’ll need to figure out how to navigate any unwelcome attention. What you can’t be is a prude. You can’t be upset that people are looking at you. If that feels uncomfortable for you, pack it up and head back to your hotel room.

What Kind of Guys Cruise Nieuw Meer Lake and Park de Oeverlanden?

It used to be a bit of a general rule that guys that were into cruising were either young guys just starting to explore stuff, or older guys who know what they want.

The emergence of online hook-up apps has made the demographics of cruising a bit unpredictable – it’s now more about which guys connect with the turn-on of cruising, and that really can be any age-range.

Get out there and put those cruising skills to work!

Written by Gareth Johnson