Welcome to the Kalajoki Resort in the Western Finland on the coast of the Northern Gulf of Bothnia. Kalajoki and the Hiekkasärkät Tourism area there are known from the sand dunes, sun and sea. The geographical forms and vegetation in the nature around the tourism area tells you interesting story of the land uplift, the rising of the land from the sea. During a week you take part of the varying activities in the atmosphere of the sea. The nights you will spend comfortably in a country holiday accommodation in the rooms of a house in a traditional Ostrobothnian style (hotel or holiday house are also available). For the evenings the area offers many possibilities to spend good time. Most of the meals will be made and enjoyed in the nature, but there are several kind of restaurants to choose, too.
Timetable of the first and the last day depending on the flights or the train. It is possible to start at any day, it is a week program. The day program may to be changed to on other because of the weather conditions (too much wind in the sea or heavy rain)
14.00h - Arrival to Kalajoki to the Hiekkasärkät Tourism Resort. Accommodation in a rustic atmosphere in a traditional Ostrobothnian style log house at the Tapion Tupa (country holiday accommodation). 2-person rooms, own shower, toilet and TV in each room. Shared living room with hot plate and fridge. Hiekkasärkät (Sand Dunes) Kalajoki resort is in Finland well known for its large sunny beach. There is a lot of holiday apartments, spa, small hotels, camping sites, restaurants etc. on the area. It is possible to make a visit to the Kalajoki Visitor Centre to make acquaintance with the surrounding nature.
18.00h - Sauna. Enjoy of the warmth of the Finish sauna (in a separate building) and take some relaxing time for the next days.
20.00h - Dinner, traditional local food.
After breakfast, the Minibus takes you to the Rahja Archipelago for a kayaking trip. The archipelago is formed by the rising of the land, which is still continuing. Main part of the islands is uninhabited; there are few old cabins of the fishermen and summer cottages on some of the islands. If you are lucky you may meet one of the rare inhabitants, an eagle or a seal, in the sea. You don’t need to have experience of kayaking, the guide takes care of you, the equipment is ready for you. You need own suitable outdoors clothing and shoes. Also snacks are included and will be enjoyed in the nature on some of the islands. Duration about three hours. Own program in the evening, suggestions see at the end.
10.30 - 17.00h - Guided hiking tour in the valley of Siiponjoki–stream. Lunch in the nature. Siiponjoki (joki=river) is a small stream with a varying terrain. There you can find steep sand bluffs and groves of the canyons. In springtime (May-June) you can experience of the coming out of the spring, in summer (June-August) the greenness of the nature and in autumn (September-October) the nature richness of the colors on curving river valley, also berries and mushrooms. During the hiking you hear stories of the history of the river and the legendary local people who lived there. First we hike along paths in the woodland to the river and then some along the stream. In the nature we will have a tasty lunch and coffee or tea. The hiking tour is about 20 kilometers. It is possible also to take a shorter route, only the best parts by the river banks.
After breakfast we leave Kalajoki and drive to Pyhäjoki-river (lies about 30 km North from Kalajoki) to make an exciting river rafting with some rapids by a rubber boat. We have some snacks in the nature on the river banks. You may need to chance clothing afterwards. Duration about 3 hours (+ transfer).
Biking tour to Kalajoki centre to Plassi, which is the historical centre of the town. The oldest of the wooden houses have been built in the 18th century. We make a visit to a former residence of sawmill owner and a home of a sawmill worker. Both are nowadays museum. There is also a fisherman museum telling about the history of fishing and seal hunting of the area. Plassi used to be a market place, a harbour for the sailing boats and for the fishermen.
Today it's time for SUP (Stand up paddle boarding) in the Surf Center in the beach of camping site. A different way of paddling. A short course and then you can do it by yourselves! If you didn’t have time to visit the Kalajoki Visitor Centre earlier, now you have good time to do it! The exhibition tells about the nature and culture of the area.
Hiking tour to Vihasniemi, a part of it along the wooden trails. Varying terrain and scenery from the woods and the sand banks to the see. Lunch at a cabin (Lappish hut) by the camp fire. The hiking tour is about 10 kilometers. In Vihasniemi you can watch birds from a tower, see older sand dunes in the forest and younger closer to sea. There is a Lappish log-hut as a resting place in the route.
Boat trip to Maakalla Island, an idyllic fishing village. The island is risen from the sea and lie in the distance of on hours boat ride from the coast. It has a special history of fishing and have therefore an Autonomy inherited from the 17th century. In the middle of the island stays an old wooden church build by fishermen in 1780. For lunch we taste the fresh fish taken from the surrounding sea made by the fisherman’s way. Departure or overnight.
8.00 - 10.00h Breakfast. Own program.
To do in the evenings. In the Tapion Tupa you can find a shop with handmade souvenirs and other local products. Tapioland, a combined water park with outdoor pools and sauna is situated just close to the accommodation. There is a rustic restaurant with local food, too. There is possibly to rent bicycle at the Tapion Tupa and take a ride for ex. to the centre of Kalajoki city (6 km) for shopping. Or you can make a visit to a pottery, or to an old river mill or just to bike around in the Hiekkasärkät area. For those who are interested in golf there is a Golf course in the Hiekkasärkät area about 4 km from the Tapion Tupa. The Spa SaniFani is a splendid place to recover after a hiking day.In the Spa pool area you can enjoy the tropical heat in the bath's streaming river or in the whirlpools. There is a fitness pool for swimmers, massaging water-jets for relaxing and a water slide for everyone who is still a child at heart. There is also a gym and a bowling alley. Under the same roof you can find the Day Spa Sun with massages, bath, aroma and special treatments (by request). For those who are enthusiastic for sauna, we offer possibility to bath in a traditional Finish smoke sauna and enjoy a dinner in a Lappish hut (by request). Lohilaakso fishing activity centre is a good place to try your fishing luck and catch salmon. Then you can have the catch prepared for a good dinner (open May–August). In the Kalajoki Visitor Centre you can see exhibitions about the nature, sand dunes and sea in the area (open Tue-Fri 9–16, Sat-Sun 10–15). In the Activity Park Pakka you can spend several hours by climbing and sliding on a lane build in the trees. Of course you can just go to the beach and swim in the sea and see the sun setting down in to the sea.
Dinners: In the Hiekkasärkät area you can find many different restaurants to have every evening a different kind of delicious dinner from steaks to fish.
Laura Kujala
Jukupolku 5, 85100 Kalajoki
Tel. +358-8-4694 449
laura.kujala@kalajokikeskusvaraamo.fi
keskusvaraamo@kalajoki.fi
www.bookingkalajoki.fi
More about the Kalajoki Booking Centre »»
Kalajoki with its long beach and sand dune area "Hiekkasärkät" is a compact holiday area in Northern Finland situated at the seaside of the Bothnian Bay, 1,5 h drive south of Oulu airport via Route 8. Kalajoki is ideal for guests who value pure and spectacular nature, are interested in traditions and history and appreciate also high-standard accommodation and services.
More about the Destination Kalajoki »»
These stories on Kalajoki
NordicMarketing GmbH
Klockerigge 13a
D-44892 Bochum
Tel. +49 234 54660555
news@nordicmarketing.de
NordicMarketing Finland Oy
Katajanokankatu 3 E 24
00160 Helsinki
Finland
NordicMarketing is a tourism marketing agency specialized in Northern Europe. We consult destinations and service providers in Northern Europe in product development and marketing in order to find the best products for tour operators.
No comments yet
Tell us what you think of this article.