Its midnight at Central Station Amsterdam and you've just arrived in town. You've got a backpack and a tourist guide and you hope the Dutch speak English. There's a wide plaza and a stretch of water between Central and the city streets. It's all a bit disorienting; you'll wander left or right around the water, over a bridge and find yourself staring at a block of hotels. I recommend the Prince Hendrick for your first night in town; it's a three star hotel, not the cheapest in Amsterdam but far from the most expensive. That first night, fresh off the train, you will appreciate an en suite shower and a decent toilet. Relax, watch TV, and listen to the sounds of Amsterdam outside as you drift off in a nice double bed. Tomorrow, you'll be trekking the streets looking for a cheap place you can afford for the rest of your stay.
If you're the sort who plans ahead, you'll have booked a hotel room or hostel for the first night at least. If you're more adventurous, you'll just rock up with a bag and your savings. If you're the trusting kind, you'll have left the reservations to a mate. Your mate will mess up and you'll be stuck looking for a room anyway; whatever happens, be prepared to wander the streets of Amsterdam with little or no idea where you're going to sleep that night. Do not worry, this is normal; there are plenty of hotels and unless you are really unlucky or totally skint, you will eventually find somewhere. The streets of Amsterdam are generally safe, even at night, provided you remember two rules; Never buy weed offered to you on the street and never take photos or brandish cameras in the Red Light District. There are no legitimate dealers on the streets of Amsterdam; if you came for green shopping, use only licensed bars and cafes. Anyone offering a deal on the street is a mugger; decline and walk on by. Photography in the RLD is a serious faux pas that will see offenders thrown in the nearest canal; avoid upsetting the locals and restrain your holiday snaps to the tourist district, neighboring the RLD.
Amsterdam is a very friendly place; so long as you have money, there will always be someone willing to talk to you. If you're out alone, there are lots of other tourists about and its easy to join a wandering party. If you're with friends, be aware that your group is likely if not certain to get separated during your stay; make sure that everyone knows their way to certain major landmarks; Dam Square and Central. Central is where you came into town, assuming you arrived by train. Most of the cash points in the tourist area are at Central, so you'll be returning here at least once a day until you return home. The main street from Dam Square is Damrak; this main strip runs all the way to Dam Square. From Central, the tourist area of Amsterdam is on the right of Damrak; the RLD is to your left. Walk up and down Damrak until you get this basic geography; knowing this, you are then free to wander Amsterdam at will. If you get lost, head for Damrak, which will bring you back to Central.
To make navigation easier, you can get a room on Damrak; Hotel Neutral is a two-star joint above bureaux de change. There's not a lot to choose between two-star hotels in Amsterdam; expect tall, meandering stairs and generally revolting European toilets. Most hotel rooms have TVs and most hotels serve breakfast and tea in the mornings. The cheapest option is always a hostel, but these tend to be pre-booked long in advance; the upside of hotels is more privacy and a secure place to leave your bags.
The best bar in Amsterdam, by far, is The Other Place. Overlooking the canals in the heart of the RLD, formerly a Chinese Takeaway and hosting a tattoo parlor in the basement, The Other Place is themed on 70's cult-comic Fat Freddie's Cat. The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers stare from the walls. Walk up to the bar, buy a beer (there is only one beer in Amsterdam), and ask to see the menu. Watch as the surly barman open a secret compartment in the bar and produces a folder. Inside the folder are sample baggies. Read the menu and laugh. When you're done, bring a mate up to the bar and ask for him to see the menu; watch as he bursts out laughing too. The Other Place fills up, so arrive early and settle in a corner. The regulars lurk at the back of the bar; right at the front, the windows look out on the aforementioned view.
The best restaurant has to be La Cana, a place well documented in other tourist sources. It's the biggest restaurant in the city, comprising several floors each with a different vibe. The top floor is the bar and pool room. Downstairs, coffee shops, gift shops, a cafe and the main restaurant are an excellent one-stop fix for any tourist. The food is reasonably priced, hot, and considerably better than most Dutch Cuisine. Breakfast in Amsterdam is coffee and crisp bread with chocolate spread. Be warned that Tea can be an expensive vice in Amsterdam; tea is served in coffee cups, and any serious tea drinker will find they can spend more money on tea than on beer.
Amsterdam is a city that barely sleeps; if you should find yourself stuck for a hotel or hostel, just keep on going until dawn. The RLD shuts down around 0300 hours, but even then there are kebab shops open until 0500 and even a few all-night bars and cafes. At worst, you'll be twiddling your thumbs for a couple of hours in Dam Square, waiting for the city to wake up around dawn.
