Vaasa region

The Kvarken Archipelago is probably the biggest highlight of the Vaasa region. Off the coast, the World Heritage Site with its islands, islets, and rocks spreads out – sometimes friendly, sometimes rough – and attracts numerous visitors and locals to its waters. The Raippaluoto bridge takes you into the unique world of the archipelago with its dreamy villages, educational nature trails, and towering lighthouses. The Kvarken Archipelago is the only Finnish landscape that has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The uniqueness of the area is obvious: Due to land uplift (0.8 cm per year), the rocky island region changes continuously, and the land area grows by one square kilometer every year – equivalent to about 150 soccer fields.

Some of the most beautiful places in the Kvarken Archipelago can only be reached by kayak, canoe or SUP board, so the journey alone is an adventure itself. Complete peace and solitude are available on the small islands and skerries in the Bothnian Sea. The islands are very different, but what unites them is their breathtaking nature. In Svedjehamn you will find rows of red boathouses, while Sommarö is mainly reminiscent of the historical station of the defense forces. In Klobbskat the archipelago's landscape changes from lush green forests to barren rocky landscapes and the Tankar lighthouse marks the end of the Kokkola archipelago. The outer archipelago stands out with its contrasting nature: smooth rocks, rough rocky bottoms, lush forests, and idyllic bays.