Experience a week on the water in a stylish houseboat! Where? The best place is the 52-kilometers long Baťa canal. You can rent a houseboat in Veselí nad Moravou and set off on a wonderful cruise! Are you tempted to try? LP-Life.cz brings tips on the best houseboats, information about prices and other details.
The Baťa Canal was established in the first half of the 20th century to connect Otrokovice with Rohatec in southern Moravia. Nowadays, it especially tourists cannot say enough good about it. The canal is used mainly for water fun, but you can also ride on the amazing cycle path that leads along it. On the Baťa Canal, you can take a cruise ship, rent a boat or a houseboat. After the experience of sailing on a houseboat in Prague (see the article Life on the Vltava river: We're moving into a houseboat!), we were thrilled by this possibility.
We were surprised by all the possibilities that the Baťa canal offers. Many companies provide houseboat rental services here, so you have a lot to choose from - according to style, size or price. Our choice fell on the company Baťák houseboats, partly because they design and build their own vessels. That's why we decided for a stylish holiday "Made in Czech"!
The houseboats have sliding sides, enough space inside and outside, a stand for up to 8 wheels, interior height of 2 meters, sufficient storage space, an equipped kitchen, cozy interiors, space for outdoor seating and the company offers a closed parking lot, where you can leave your car for the duration of the cruise.
Nothing stops you from renting a houseboat with your partner or a friend, but the smallest type is designed for 5 people. The largest houseboats, on the other hand, can accommodate up to 12 people, which makes them ideal for a couple of families or a group of friends. And what's important - no permission is required to steer a houseboat on a canal!
Of course, it's best to spend the entire vacation on board and relax. But you might get bored with it. The surroundings of the Baťa canal offer a lot of culture and interesting trips. Visit the town of Uherský Ostroh with a beautiful castle, the English park in Veselí nad Moravou, the historical cellars under Stará Hora, the castle in Strážnice, the unique historical wine cellars in Petrov, the Slavic fort in Mikulčice, Ranch Kostelany, Kovozoo in Staré Město, or the beautiful castle in Kroměříž, where the famous Amadeus was filmed.
The houseboat season at "Baťák" lasts from May to September, and as is usual for all areas of tourism, prices are higher here in the holiday months.
Prices of a houseboat for 12 people for June - August: 16,000 CZK (Monday to Sunday). A refundable deposit of CZK 6,000 and a reservation deposit of 50 % are payable. Fuel is paid separately.
Prices of a houseboat for 5 people for July - August: CZK 10,000 (Monday to Sunday). A refundable deposit of CZK 4,000 and a reservation deposit of 50 % are payable. Fuel is paid separately.
Before you start looking forward to your cruise, check the availability of dates on the company's website and then you're free to head in the direction of the Mississippi River Ranch to Veselí nad Moravou. And if your date is booked out, try another company, there are so many that something will definitely work out for you!