Here are some tips for you who want a taste of the life of a native Helgelander. That does, of course, mean getting close to the land and the sea, but it also means getting to know the people who have adapted to life here, their culture and their heritage.

Live amongst the Helgelanders

The best way to get a flavour of the life here is to find a place where you can actually live amongst the locals and see what their daily life is like. Here are some suggested accommodation options where you can do just that.

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Hattfjelldal Museum
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Adventure Helgeland – dining and accommodation
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Seil Norge – Sailing adventures on the Helgeland coast
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Krambua Café in the coffee roastery at Forvik Old trading post
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Sauna in Træna’s Old Boathouse
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Nerstua Guesthouse- accommodation on Selvær in Træna
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Himmelblå Brygge: Dining and accommodation at Ylvingen
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Vevelstad Gjestegård and Rorbuer
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Terråk Gjestegård – Comfortable Accommodation and Good Food in Bindal
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Cosy farmhouse stay at Stavseng Gård
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Thon Partner Hotel Mo i Rana
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Dønna Rorbuer Bøteriet – A charming restaurant and accommodation
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Restauranthuset Tipperary
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Herøy Bygdesamling – A rural museum
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Hildurs Urterarium – Culinary adventures
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KRED Pub & Café in Brønnøysund
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To Elise from Marius – From farm to table
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Dønnesfjellstua – Dining on a mountain top overlooking the Helgeland coast!
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Kulturbadet in Sandnessjøen
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Lyngvågen Café on Gjerdøya in Rødøy
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Your own island adventure at Myken Lighthouse
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Blomsterbua Food & Wine in Mosjøen
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Fiskebruket Restaurant – A dining adventure at Myken
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Forvik Old Trading Post
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Træna Arctic Fishing
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Kulturverkstedet Mosjøen – A cultural workshop
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Hotel Sjyen – with fjord and mountain views
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Skolo – an architectural gem in Herøy
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Tampen Café on Kvarøy
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Træna museum
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Torghatten Strandrestaurant – A dining close to the ingredients
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Jacobsenbrygga and the folk museum in Mosjøen
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Oscarbrygga – Accommodation and dining
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Hattfjelldal Hotell – GoExtreme
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The Coast Coffee
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An evening wilderness adventure with a taste of Sámi culture
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Sømna Bygdetun – An open-air museum
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Bitteliten Gård – A peaceful island farm experience
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Raus Brewery
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Offersøy Camping Helgeland – Camping, boat and bike rental
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Laksforsen – Generations of tratidional food
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Halibudskole Vandve – A holiday home with boat rental and a nearby glasblowers workshop
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Velfjordferie – A holiday stay for guests who love fishing!
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Fru Haugans Hotel in Mosjøen
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Kråkeslottet – Unique woollen design at Hemnesberget
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Bolga Brygge – Sleep to the soothing sound of waves
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Plahtes Eiendommer – Fishing, hunting and wilderness adventures
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Grønsvik coastal fortress, Lurøy
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Fertility Exhibition at Fallosen on Dønna
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Whisky Carthedral at Myken
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Vega World Heritage Center
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Exhibition: The Life and Work of Ole Edvart Rølvaag
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Winter dream at Støtt
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Augustbryggo – Restaurant with Local Food on Seløy
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Falch Old Trading Post, Rødøy
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Nordvika Old Trading Post, on Dønna
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Gilles Cafe & Restaurant in Mosjøen
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Tjøtta Gjestegaard – Accommodation and café in historical surroundings
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Nordland Theatre – Magical Moments
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Sæterstad Gård
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Torghatten Camping – Fishing, dining and much more
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Savory farm food from Vega
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Grane Museum
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Aloha Cafe on Træna
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Galleri Stokland in Mosjøen
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The Sami Way
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Sijti Jarnge – Center for sami language and culture
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Myken bed and soup
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The Mountain Way
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Rana Museum, Stenneset open-air Museum and Bredek Mountain Farm
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Storli Camping and Aernie – Accommodation and a sámi experience
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Sjokoladebrygga on Dønna
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Bakarstuo – Year-round guesthouse by Trofors
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Hunting the Northern Lights at Støtt
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I Ro og Mak at Straumen Farm
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Etcetera – botaniske utskeielser
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Idyllic farm retreat on Dønna
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Eider ducks, luxurious down and the bird guardians of Lånan
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Bergh-brygga and Gammelskolen in Leirfjord
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Local food in Sømna
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Korgen Camping – An idyll by the Røssåga River
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Guest Houses in the historic area in Mosjøen
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Hemnes open-air museum
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Kvarøy activity hall
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Sure Hotel by Best Western Ole Tobias
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8770 Træna
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Velfjord Museum
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Skillevollen Sports Park
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Augustbryggo – Accommodation on Seløy in Herøy
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Bindal Museum and the old croft at Vassås
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The Petter Dass Museum
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Gildevangen Konditori – Lunch, coffee, and cakes
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Hildurs Urterarium – Accommodation
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Dønnes Skolestua – Accommodation and RV parking
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Ristning-Tjaalege, Vevelstad museum and bygdetun
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Dønnes Gård – Accommodation in historical surroundings
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Tømmerstua – A year-round log house at Strandli Farm
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Restaurant Gammelbutikken – authentic local seafood
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Festspillene Helgeland
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Norwegian Aquaculture Centre – A salmon success story
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Støtt in Meløy – Top of Helgeland
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Inderdalen Gård – Charming farm stay with rich history
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The Romantic House on Herøy
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Bysprinten ski festival
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Løkta Museum
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The Zahl building and the old sexton´s residence in Nesna
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Selsøyvik Trading Post in Rødøy
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3 Kalver – Hearty dining at a farm restaurant
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Hotel Scandic Seven Sisters – Accomodation Sandnessjøen
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Træna Kaffekollektiv – Charming coffee bar in Træna
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Svang Restaurant & Wine Bar – In the heart of Brønnøysund

Learn our heritage

The natives of Helgeland and the lives they lead are shaped by nature. We come from a long line of fishermen-farmers, who tilled patches of fertile land, kept hardy livestock, rowed out onto the sea to catch fish, and were caretakers of the eider ducks that come to nest each year. Their heritage includes the Sámi reindeer herders who followed their migrating flocks as they roamed the mountains. Our ancestors were boat-builders and iron-workers, sailors and merchants – and some of us still are.

We have seen many summer nights lit by the midnight sun, but also cold dark winter days when the sun scarcely rose up to the horizon. Use your imagination; how do you think this has shaped life in Helgeland? How did we live in centuries past? And how are our lives and identities formed today?

Dine with the Helgelanders

One of the best ways to know the locals is to eat with them and take part in the conversation that flows naturally over a hearty meal. Listen to the music of our dialects, and how they might be subtly different from those of the neighbouring table, people who might be from another village, the next valley over, or perhaps a different island. In Helgeland there are many vibrant local communities, each of them distinct. To share a meal with us is to taste the local culture!

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Dønnesfjellstua – Dining on a mountain top overlooking the Helgeland coast!
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Træna Kaffekollektiv – Charming coffee bar in Træna
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Fiskebruket Restaurant – A dining adventure at Myken
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Himmelblå Brygge: Dining and accommodation at Ylvingen
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Torghatten Camping – Fishing, dining and much more
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Torghatten Strandrestaurant – A dining close to the ingredients
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Kulturverkstedet Mosjøen – A cultural workshop
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To Elise from Marius – From farm to table
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Oscarbrygga – Accommodation and dining
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Svang Restaurant & Wine Bar – In the heart of Brønnøysund
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Tampen Café on Kvarøy
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Laksforsen – Generations of tratidional food
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Vega World Heritage Center
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Terråk Gjestegård – Comfortable Accommodation and Good Food in Bindal
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The Coast Coffee
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Krambua Café in the coffee roastery at Forvik Old trading post
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Dønna Rorbuer Bøteriet – A charming restaurant and accommodation
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Lyngvågen Café on Gjerdøya in Rødøy
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Fru Haugans Hotel in Mosjøen
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Selsøyvik Trading Post in Rødøy
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Savory farm food from Vega
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Aloha Cafe on Træna
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Støtt in Meløy – Top of Helgeland
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Storli Camping and Aernie – Accommodation and a sámi experience
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Dønnes Gård – Accommodation in historical surroundings
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Gildevangen Konditori – Lunch, coffee, and cakes
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Augustbryggo – Restaurant with Local Food on Seløy
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Blomsterbua Food & Wine in Mosjøen
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Forvik Old Trading Post
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Skolo – an architectural gem in Herøy
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Sjokoladebrygga on Dønna
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Gilles Cafe & Restaurant in Mosjøen
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3 Kalver – Hearty dining at a farm restaurant
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Hildurs Urterarium – Culinary adventures
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Tjøtta Gjestegaard – Accommodation and café in historical surroundings
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Hotel Scandic Seven Sisters – Accomodation Sandnessjøen
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Restaurant Gammelbutikken – authentic local seafood
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Whisky Carthedral at Myken
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Restauranthuset Tipperary
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KRED Pub & Café in Brønnøysund
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Nordvika Old Trading Post, on Dønna

Join the locals on an excursion

You are, of course, free to explore Helgeland on your own. But a knowledgeable local guide can greatly enrich the voyage. They can teach you about the history and heritage of the places you visit, give you good advice and, if you are lucky, show you some hidden gems.

Kayaking Around Sandnessjøen and Herøy – Courses and Guided Tours

Explore stunning nature and vibrant coastal culture with Tømmervika Opplevelsessenter around Sandnessjøen, Tjøtta, and Offersøya. Join family-friendly day trips or exciting multi-day tours in Herøy and the Vega islands—and wrap it up with a fun game of football golf.

A weekend of high adventure on the lofty peaks!

The picturesque Meløy Alps offers some of the wildest off-piste skiing in Northern Norway!

A glacier trek on Svartisen

Join us for an exotic adventure: a guided glacier trek on Engabreen. The experienced guides from Meløy Adventure will ensure that this is a safe and unforgettable adventure.

RIB sea rafting trips with Meløy Adventure

You are invited to join Meløy Adventure on a RIB sea-rafting adventure to the island of Rødøya and Rødøyløva (443 m). Other great options include a sea-rafting safari to explore the scenic Nordfjord, the spectacular island of Træna, or a visit to the remote island of Myken with a tour of its whisky distillery. These excursions start from Ørnes in Meløy municipality – but for your convenience you can request to be picked up elsewhere en route.

Kayaking the waters around Ylvingen

Based on the island of Ylvingen, Himmelblå Brygge offers introductory and more advanced kayaking courses, kayak rentals, and guided kayaking trips on the nearby waters. Their beautiful island is situated just south of Vega.

Sailing trips to Vega, Lånan and Torghatten

You are invited on an unforgettable sailing trip to the UNESCO World Heritage Area of the islands of Vega and the eider duck nesting site, Lånan, that for many generations has been protected by the islanders. Or choose a voyage to the legendary mountain with a hole through it, Torghatten.

Tailored boat trips with Sea Adventure Helgeland

How would you like a cruise along the Helgeland coast, designed to show you and your friends the very best the scenic region has to offer? Or how about a shuttle boat that quickly takes you where you want, exactly when you want? Sea Adventure Helgeland offers you boat trips tailored to your needs and wishes.

An exciting half-day rafting adventure at Trofors with RiverNorth

RiverNorth’s most popular excursion is the Half-Day Rafting Adventure. You get to challenge big waves – and see if you’re brave enough to dive from a cliff!

Visit the recreated Viking chiefdom seat in Sandnessjøen

You are invited to an authentic Viking experience! Bring your family or friends and see the clothes and customs, partake in activities, and enjoy a Viking banquet.

Winter dream at Støtt

Do you dream of going from the hustle of the big city to “winter world” where the polar lights and the northern lights create magic? Visit the island Støtt and be close to nature, culture and history.

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