Island hopping on Hvaler

Here is the timetable for the Hvaler ferry. The ferry has a new booking system, and trips must be booked according to the timetable.

There is no great distance to cover, but it would be a bit greedy to try and see everything in one day. The four eastern isles have no car traffic but many gravel tracks and trails you can wander along or cycle. The Sandøy Islands are a cycling paradise, with their networks of gravel paths.

Island hopping at its simplest? Just sit yourself on the sun deck, and enjoy the sun and view of the stunning Hvaler archipelago. Eat lunch on Herføl or at Nedgården, where there are also some small and charming shops. Hop onto a later ferry and continue the round-trip to the other islands and back to Skjærhalden.

There are many beaches with sand and polished, sun-warmed rocks. There are quiet woods, eye-catching countryside, ancient monuments and strange geological formations. Study the map and timetable and consider whether you want to take a bike. Not to mention a tent and sleeping bag.

Regional coastal authorities administer several communal areas where there are toilets and garbage containers. At Stuevika on Søndre Sandøy there is a basic standard camping site – you camp on the beach far from all traffic noise or uproar of nightlife. Make your own food or hike over to Café Oline at Nedgården. The children will be safe in the long shallows of the beach. The ideal spot if you love the sun, but hate the stress of package tours.