Hailuoto is an islet and a municipality situated near Oulu. Hailuoto is known for its unique nature that features spectacular dunes, vast beach meadows and gloe lakes, which were separated from the sea owing to land rising due to post-glacial rebound. The forests of the island are known for having extensive pine forests dominated by white lichen. Enjoy hiking on the paths along the largest island on the Bay of Bothnia or bask in the sun in its vast beaches.
Hailuoto is an excellent destination for birdwatching. The island's forests and beaches have several birdwatching towers, from where even rare species of birds can be observed. Several species of birds migrate through Hailuoto in the spring and autumn. Migration time offers you a brilliant opportunity to photograph the hundreds of birds, especially swans, stopping at the islets.
In addition to nature, Hailuoto has sights created by man. The Marjaniemi Lighthouse, situated in the western part of the island, was built in 1871. The lighthouse is open to visitors during summer for free. Another point of interest is the interactive nature exhibit in Marjaniemi, where you can get more acquainted with Hailuoto's cultural history and its wildlife. The exhibit is free of charge. The exhibit features an outdoor nature walk along planks known as Rannan Reitti (a walk on the coast), enabling you to experience Hailuoto's unique nature and culture.
If you're interested in the history of the island, visit Kniivilä local history museum, which features exhibits related to the traditional occupations of the people of Hailuoto. The museum charges a small entrance fee in the summer.
The oldest surviving seamark on the north side of the island is the Keskiniemi beacon tower, which was built in 1858. This culturally significant structure once warned seafarers of the sandbanks that spread out towards the north.
Art lovers should visit the galleries at Kylätalo Pääkauppa. Galleries Luoto and Peräkammari often have exhibitions related to local themes. Once you have perused the exhibitions, you can shop in the arts and crafts shop located in the same building and have a coffee in the cafeteria conveniently located in the same building.
Visit Ulkokarvo with its Hailuoto Organum installation art piece to experience a different kind of art. Designed by Lukas Kühne and installed in 2014, this acoustic sculpture comprises three domes of different sizes, each with its own resonance. Be adventurous and step inside the sculptures to listen to the timbre of your own voice, or maybe just enjoy a moment of silence within these artworks, designed to be a harmonic part of the nature around them.
Travelling to Hailuoto by car is convenient, and the journey from the centre of Oulu takes approximately 1.5 hours. Oulu airport serves many national domestic routes, however, so you’ll need to stopover in Helsinki first. There are no roads to the island, but there is a ferry service that regularly operates from Riutunkari in Oulunsalo. During the winter, the island can be accessed by an ice road, provided the ice is thick enough. You don’t necessarily need a car to get to Hailuoto, as a bus from Oulu visits the island three times every weekday. At weekends, the bus visits less frequently.
Your holiday to Hailuoto will give you a unique chance to see one of the most beautiful landscapes in Finland that will keep you coming back again and again.
