some helpful hints for night time success:

dress up
looking scruffy in Amsterdam is a guaranteed way of getting rejected by the bouncers. If your shoes don't match your shirt prepare for an early night.

don't be English
Whatever you do, don't approach a club doorman talking loudly in English or looking drunk/stoned. The British have a bad reputation abroad, so play yourselves down, and if possible learn a few handy Dutch phrases (see our Non Touristy Phrase Book for more help)

yes, you can smoke
puffing away on a large spliff is considered okay in most Dutch Clubs, although the rules vary from venue to venue.

other drugs etiquette
E is generally accepted as just another part of club culture and is widely available in most clubs. Some even offering testing facilities. Other, harder drugs are less tolerated. Some clubs in Amsterdam have recently installed large, high pressure fans in the toilets.

top

pace yourself
Britain's medieval attitude towards drugs and clubbing does not apply here. The beer is strong (5% min), and served in small glasses, so getting pissed up is a little too easy. Dutch drugs, (cannabis, speed, X.T.C) are all top quality. No matter how much you think you can smoke/snort/drop at home, one or two tokes on a fully loaded 'Purple Haze' spliff is likely to give you a 'white out' you won't forget for a very, very long time..

be quiet
despite all you have heard about Amsterdam, remember that Holland on the whole is pretty boring. Sunday is "church day" and most natives won't appreciate your happy go lucky 'Brits on the piss' attitude at all

tip the doorman
guarantee yourself a return entry by slipping the bouncer 10 guldens accompanied by a polite 'bedankt' (Ber-dankt or Thank you), a way of saying thanks to the door staff for a trouble free evening and you can sleep secure in the knowledge that on your next visit, the queue will be shorter and the welcome to the club just that little more welcoming.

dutch policeman have guns
Holland is reknown for its relaxed and laid back attitude, but unfortunately this does not extend to the Dutch police. If you are unlucky enough to piss off them off, expect a severe beating followed by a night in the cells. Even Dutch tolerance has its limits.