Inner Kvarøy
Kristin Johansen
Kvarøy is a small island located between Lurøy and Hestmona, on the northern part of the Helgeland coast. The island has beautiful beaches, a local store, good dining options, a fantastic playground with a cool pump track. It is also a lovely starting point for sea excursions by boat or kayak, or trips to the other islands in Lurøy and Rødøy.
Kvarøy is the common name for Indre Kvarøy. The island is located in the municipality of Lurøy, on the northern part of the Helgeland coast. You can travel there by ferry, express boat, or private boat.
Ferry
You can take the ferry to Kvarøy from Stokkvågen. It departs 3 days a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) on request. It has to be booked before the ferry leaves Stokkvågen, or Lovund when travelling back from Kvarøy.
Click the names above to see the ferry ports on Google Maps.
See timetables for the ferry from Stokkvågen til Kvarøy
Express ferry
You can take the local express boat from Stokkvågen or Tonnes, or the express boat route Nordlandsekspressen. Nordlandsekspressen runs from Sandnessjøen in the south to Bodø in the north, with many stops along the way.
Click on the names above to see the express boat docks on Google Maps.
Check the schedule for the express boat from Stokkvågen to Kvarøy
Check the schedule for the express boat from Tonnes to Kvarøy
Check the schedule for the express boat from Sandnessjøen to Kvarøy
Check the schedule for the express boat from Bodø to Kvarøy
On Indre Kvarøy, you’ll be greeted by a welcoming local community of 80 residents, complete with a convenience store, restaurant, and café. At the heart of the community is Kvarøy Fish Farming, which has achieved international success with Norwegian salmon and invested heavily in the island. Upon arriving at Kvarøy, despite its small size, you’ll find a large and impressive playground with a pump track, an activity hall, and an archaeological exhibition. The spirit of community volunteerism is strong here and has resulted in a beautiful small boat harbor and a large community center.
The local store, Kvarøy Handel, is a delightful country store offering everything you need for daily life and special occasions on the island, and then some. And if you’re in the mood for a meal out, the island features a café, pub, and a very cozy and excellent restaurant.
On Ytre Kvarøy, the largest archaeological discovery from the Merovingian period in Norway was made in 1968. This period, which lasted from about 600 to 800 AD, is a somewhat unknown era before the Viking Age, making it intriguing and a bit mysterious. On Indre Kvarøy, an open exhibition about these findings has been set up.
Local hikes and adventures
Ytre Kvarøy
Kvarøy consists of two islands, Indre (“inner”) Kvarøy and Ytre (“outer”) Kvarøy. Ytre Kvarøy has no permanent residents or boat connections, but it’s a great destination if you want to visit the island with your own boat or kayak.
Storvallihalsen
You don’t always need to climb high to see far. Storvallihalsen is the highest point on Indre Kvarøy, just about 50 meters above sea level. It’s easy to find—just follow the gravel road towards Kallervika until you see signs for Storvallihalsen. From there, a trail leads to the top.
Beaches and swimming Spots
Kvarøy boasts many beautiful white sandy beaches. The closest and most visited is just 120 meters from the store.
From the trail to Storvallihalsen, it’s a short distance to Kallervika, which also has a sandy beach and is sheltered from the cold north wind.
Visiting other islands
Kvarøy is an excellent starting point for day trips to other islands in Helgeland, especially those further north. With the Nordland Express boat, you can travel northward every morning and return to Kvarøy in the evening. You can also rent transport or a private boat from Kvarøy Sjøhus.
