Discover the One-of-a-Kind Bata Canal
Near the Bata Canal, you will find a variety of other tourist spots, like historic towns, castles, chateaux, museums, wine routes, and a cycling trail that stretches more than 80 kilometers. This trail connects with additional cycling paths in the area and is popular among families, seniors, and people with disabilities because of its smooth asphalt surface and easy terrain. It also lets visitors combine their bicycle rides with boat trips on the Bata Canal, as cruise ships and houseboats can accommodate bicycles too. In addition, restaurants and refreshment stalls are springing up not just at the wharves but in nearby areas as well.
This historic waterway features thirteen working locks and is currently navigable from Otrokovice to Rohatec. By the year 2027, the reach of the Bata Canal is expected to extend to 72 kilometers. This development will allow recreational boats to reach places like Kroměříž in the north and Hodonín in the south. New locks, harbors, wharves, and other necessary facilities will be built to accommodate the growing number of tourists and to further enhance tourism in the towns and villages along the canal.
Updates for 2025 on the Bata Canal and the Captain’s Handbook
The locks have been updated, lock routes have been cleared, and navigation markers have been put in place. Additionally, the Bata Canal has prepared several exciting features for the 2025 season. These include restored riverbanks, a new wharf in Strážnice, and an expanded capacity for the wharf in Uherské Hradiště. The lock in Veselí nad Moravou has also been refurbished.
Another new feature is the tourist mobile application, available for free download for both iOS and Android users under the Visit Czech Republic label. This app provides a comprehensive guide to the Bata Canal and the nearby tourist attractions, along with a unique Captain’s Handbook—a handy guide for recreational boating that can be used beyond just the Bata Canal. It includes important information such as required boat equipment, navigation rules, sound signaling, and other helpful tips for safe and enjoyable sailing.
One of the most significant upcoming changes will be connecting the existing waterway from Rohatec to Hodonín. For this to happen, the Directorate of Waterways of the Czech Republic will need to construct a completely new, fourteenth lock. This will mark the first such construction since the Bata Canal was completed, which was 85 years ago. Construction started in 2024, and the first boats are expected to navigate the new route during the 2026 season.
Nature, Attractions, and Rentals
Along the route, visitors can enjoy a wide variety of attractions and services, including tastings of Slovak wines, tours of wine cellars, explorations of historic towns, protected natural sites, nature trails, bird conservation areas, and unique technical monuments. Options for renting motorboats, touring boats, canoes, and bicycles can be found in locations such as Spytihněv, Staré Město, Uherské Hradiště, Veselí nad Moravou, Vnorovy, Strážnice, Sudoměřice, or Petrov. Sailing and cycling can also pair well together for a fun experience.
Some highlights include Pahrbek beach near Napajedel, the viewing platform at Spytihněv Ray, and the area between the Babice lock and the Old Town, where you can explore wetlands and floodplain forests that reflect the region’s historic landscape. This nature trail is known as the Fífart nature trail. Further downstream, you’ll find the Uherský Ostroh Castle, and near Strážnice, there’s the Váté Sands National Nature Monument. Be sure to check out the open-air museum in Strážnice, and for those interested in folk music instruments, the local castle has an interesting exhibit. From the Bata Canal as you exit the town, you can also spot the impressive Průžek’s Mill.
If you stop at the harbor in Petrov, take some time to explore the famous wine cellars in Petrov – Plze. One of the standout technical monuments is the Switchblade near Sudoměřice, which was previously used for transferring lignite coal. Moving toward Rohatec, you can also dock in Slovak Skalica, where you can climb to the local lookout tower for a fantastic view of the Bata Canal and the boats traveling on it. Just a short distance from Rohatec, you’ll find the town of Hodonín, where you can visit the TGM Museum or the somewhat unusual Museum of Oil Mining. If you’re biking, you can easily ride to the Hodonín Zoo or along the Morava River (the Slovak side offers a better route) to the Slavic fortress in Mikulčice.
Bata Canal is a remarkable piece of engineering and a significant attraction that enhances the tourism offerings in the region. It boosts the number of visitors to the surrounding area, thereby increasing its economic significance. This appealing tourist destination draws guests from all corners of the Czech Republic and beyond. A survey conducted in 2022 revealed that the majority of tourists who rent boats on the Bata Canal for a week-long cruise come from the Central Bohemia and Moravia-Silesia regions, or they hail from the capital city of Prague.
