Red Light District, Amsterdam

With prostitution legal in Amsterdam, the city has a thriving red light district where the lights are red! Although normally one would avoid such neighbourhoods, in Amsterdam it has become a big tourist attraction - not prostitution, but rather the neighbourhood itself - where men and women walk around to see this unusual area and look at windows as they would in a shopping centre. The reason is that scantily clad women stand in these windows to try to attract customers, which is a rather unique approach to this trade. When I walked through the neighbourhood on the evening of 1st Jan 2015, there were so many people walking the streets that it didn't at all feel unsafe or uncomfortable. I also did not see a single person walk in or out of the shops (maybe I wasn't watching carefully), but most people were just window shopping. I must say, I was sad for these women in the windows, but I don't judge...

Amother bar in the Red Light District but rather tooked away down a narrow street is the 'hot or not' bar.Seems rather seedy at first with its dark interior but is actually a very friendly place to sit and relax and have a beer or two.Nice staff and a great selection of beers,wines and cocktails.Music videos and loud singing locals add to the lively atmosphere.

Dress Code: Casual

amsterdam!the whole place is great!i stayed in the red light district n every where i went was brilliant!i went wit my partner but we had a great time visiting the bars,cafes and shopping!the red light district was great!i stayed in a great hotel with a bar and restuarauny under neath!great services and staff very friendly!cafes and pubs were walkind distances n practically outside the door.the food was absolutley great and so many choices.i visited the hash and hemp musuem.if your intrested in smoking its a great place to visit!i plan on going back soon.

In Amsterdam, the opportunities are "fleur-de-lis" / whatever you desire, & if you are of the open-minded/"anything-goes" persuasion, this could be an interesting diversion.

At the Saow Thai cafe in the main red light district, it is possible to meet, pass the time & share a drink or nice dinner with (the food is very good there), and allegedly negotiate an evening out with some of the lovely Thai ladies who frequent this little place that sits on the west side of the Oudezijds Achterburgwal canal in the rld.

And at the climax of the evening, you might even get a little surprise.


Holly came from Miami, Fla.
Hitchhiked her way across the USA
Plucked her eyebrows on the way
Shaved her legs and then he was she - she said
Hey Babe, take a walk on the wild side...
© the great Lou Reed

Dress Code: Dress upscale and clean up, the "girls" are beautiful.

8/24/06 - update: bummer .... it appears saowthai has moved on to the great katoeyclub in the sky .... will advise after checking around ... anyone in A'Dam know??

VT meeting December 2004,
Don't take a pic like a certain VT member did, 2 girls threw water at us ....hehehe

On the picture one of the streets at "de Walletjes" at the 'Red District' zone.
My daughter and some Ukrainian friends of mine are on this picture.

Dress Code: whatever u like

When I went to Amsterdam I was about 15 years old maybe and traveling with my parents. I don't know if they had never seen the red light district, or if they thought they would be "cool" parents or what, but they decided it would be an interesting cultural thing to go to the red light district after dinner one night for a stroll. It was kind of traumatizing. The thing is, yes I was old enough and mature enough to see things and understand them and everything, but I'm not sure if I was old enough or mature enough to see those things with my parents. I didn't really know how to act and it was overall a VERY uncomfortable experience and kind of tainted that trip, which is pretty unfortunate. So make sure you take things like this into consideration.

Dress Code: n/a

This place has it all day and nite! you can do anything and i mean anything! during the day its well worth taking your time and checking out a few bars and of course exploring the red light district (if thats your scene!) because come dark everything seems to change and its easy to get lost (or stoned un-intentionaly!) on each side of the road theres loads of bars cafe's pot shops and tattoist's. A cool place to go is the bannana bar youll no why when you get there! Just watch out for the push bikes there every where and the scooter's are a law to themselves and keep to the cafe's and window girls it may sound stupid but there's some dodgy people there to.

Dress Code: dress code dosnt exsist here thats one of the best parts wear whatever you want no one cares and everyone chats to anyone!

It has to be seen to believe it. It s amasing and sad at the same time as some of the girls (or boys: dont get fooled) looked drugged and unhappy. It is not recommended to take any pictures, my one is only a manequin in one of the sex shops.

Ricks has always been my oasis in the Red Light District. Full bar (unusual for a coffeeshop)on ground floor, pool table in the loft upstairs, cool train seat booths up back , good, tastey music 90% of the time.

the coffieeshops are very nice
you can find one every 1 meter
it is very nice and relaxing to go to a cofeeshop and drink tea and have a nice little hashish cigaret
but be carful the drugs are very strong in amsterdam so smoke them sloly from the light ones to the heavy ones

Dress Code: ther is no dress code

For tourist value, go, see, conquer the Red Light District in Amsterdam. Its entertaining, a great place to watch people, and an interesting place to end the night.

If anything, it'll make for a good story later.

Dress Code: Whatever you want to wear.

When in Amsterdam you must take a walk through the Red Light District. It's very touristy during the day and early evening, and not as dangerous as you might think when the sun goes down. You will see lots of fellow tourists ranging from 18-80 taking it all in, it's something that you just won't see anywhere else. Take in a live sex show or just wander around and 'window shop' as they say. Ladies wait behind glass in various states of undress, some even bang on the glass to get your attention, the price? 30-50 Euros. Word of warning, don't take pictures unless you can run really really fast.

Dress Code: Don't leave your wallet hanging out of the back of your jeans. Use some common sense and you'll be alright.

The Red Light District is possibly the best known area in Amsterdam. Nealrly everyone who visits Amsterdam wants to see this area. I beleive Amsterdamer's sometimes are a little put out by this, as they consider there are many more interesting places to see. They're probably right. However it remains one of the most frequebnted areas in Amsterdam. Of course, not everybody who goes there indulges in the obvious commodity. Curiosity has a lot to do with it as well.
I find the area interesting and full of life.

Dress Code: Dress Code. That's a difficult one to answer.

hope some1 reads this as i came across site 2 late! Cool place- wish i had more time there, was surprised by how clean the whole place is,was accosted by several dodgy people and NO doesnt always work, try and avoid eye contact! But on the whole the people are really friendly. ladies in windows are pretty urgh! but i suppose its whatever takes your fancy. Dead cheap place to stay if u r only looking for a bed. But be prepared to spend loads- even if a sex show is only 2euros! wait to get food n drink- if you go to the first place you see you will be ripped off!!!

Dress Code: try not to look like a tourist- you will get attention ! be casual

There is nothing on the internet i can find about this place... so maybe when a "real" amsterdammer read this item, he / she has to fill me in. I havent got an idea what is going on inside here. But the posters on the outside tell more then maybe i have to find on the net???

Dress Code: Maybe nothing... but i still cant tell...