Vesterålen, Norway – Scenic landscapes and peaceful beaches

In the kingdom of the whales

The archipelago of Vesterålen is a place characterized by contrasts, from white beaches and idyllic farmlands to craggy mountain peaks rising from the sea.

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Farm at Hadselfjord.
Photo: Bård Løken / nordnorge.com

Andøya.
Photo: Øyvind Wold / visitvesteralen.com

Eagle safari.
Photo: Marten Bril / visitvesteralen.com

Northern lights in Bø, Vesterålen.
Photo: Øystein Lunde Ingvaldsen / nordnorge.com

Sørsand beach, Vesterålen.
Photo: Odd-Eirik Einarsen / www.askr.no

Whale watching tour.
Photo: Marten Bril/visitvesteralen.com

Reindeer in Sortland, Vesterålen.
Photo: Magnus Ström / www.nordnorge.com

Find activities and attractions

Explore the islands by foot, chase the northern lights, or join a whale safari.

Where to stay in Vesterålen

Food and drink

Get inspired

Getting here and around

Get in-depth travel information on Vesterålen’s official website.

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Statens Kartverk, Geovekst og kommuner - Geodata AS

By road

Vesterålen is connected to the mainland and the E6 with two-lane highways. Several bridges and tunnels link the island group of Vesterålen together.

Norway has a unique traffic culture, in the way that it might be the only country in the world where pedestrians cross roads without paying much attention, expecting cars to slow down or even stop. The same goes for cyclists – they use the roads, but often don’t follow traffic rules. There has been reported many dangerous situations and accidents between cars driven by tourists and cyclists and pedestrians. For many car tourists, it can be a new experience to share the roads with these groups.

There are daily buses from larger cities in Northern Norway to Sortland, the largest town in Vesterålen.

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By boat

The Norwegian Coastal Voyage Hurtigruten calls daily at Risøyhamn, Sortland, and Stokmarknes in Vesterålen.

There is a year-round ferry service between Lødingen and Bognes, and between Melbu and Fiskebøl. In summer, there is also a ferry connection between Andenes and Gryllefjord.

For travel to Lofoten, there’s a ferry connection between Melbu and Digermulen.

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By plane

There are frequent and regular flights from all the major cities in Norway to Harstad/Narvik Airport, which is the closest airport to Vesterålen. Ann airport bus service takes you to Sortland in Vesterålen in about 2 hours.

Other airports in Vesterålen are Stokmarknes Airport and Andøya Airport.

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Seasons and climate

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Vesterålen