Kalajoki
Discover Kalajoki
Kalajoki is a coastal town of 12,000 (2021) in the Western Oulu region in southern Northern Ostrobothnia. The town is best known for its kilometres-long sand dune area, the Hiekkasärkät, which has been developed as a holiday resort since the 1970s. The first villages were probably established here during the 1300s. People lived from agriculture, fishing and seal hunting, later also from production and trade of pine-derived tar. During the 16th century Kallankarit islands became an important base for fishing. In the mid-1700s king Adolf Frederick of Sweden stopped in the Rautila village on his way to the north. There is still a memorial for his visit.
What to Experience in Kalajoki
Taste of Kalajoki...
Not available
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsBuses between Kokkola and Oulu stop in both in Kalajoki centre and at Hiekkasärkät. A single ticket from Kokkola costs about €17 (45 min) and from Oulu about €20 (2 hr 20 min). There is a daily bus connection from Ylivieska to Kalajoki centre (35 min). The intercity bus company Onnibus has a daily connection (line C8) between Turku and Oulu. These coaches stop both at Kalajoki and Hiekkasärkät. A single ticket from Turku costs about €35. Onnibus does not accept cash payment and tickets are much cheaper if bought online. The town is by the Finnish national road 8 (E8), as is Himanka. Finnish Joe Scooter rents electric kick scooters for use in the centre and sand dunes. Install the smartphone app, check where the nearest scooter is, check price, unlock with the app, drive, park it in some sensible location in the allowed area (mind the vision impaired) and release it with the app....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Finnish Joe Scooter rents electric kick scooters for use in the centre and sand dunes. Install the smartphone app, check where the nearest scooter is, check price, unlock with the app, drive, park it in some sensible location in the allowed area (mind the vision impaired) and release it with the app. The scooters have a top speed of 20 km/h (12 mph), which is plenty; acquaint yourself with the scooter and its controls somewhere safe. Rules are the same as for bikes, but minimum age (imposed by the companies) is 18. In some areas the scooters enforce a lower speed (5–6 km/h). The companies aim to keep the scooters available also in winter, conditions permitting, but the vehicles are not ideal in snowy or slippery conditions.
Safety Information
Glimpses of Kalajoki
We visited Kalajoki a couple of time in summer. There is a place here that you can fish salmon.
Sun setting down at the shore of Kalajoki, behind the frozen horizon.
The town of Kalajoki in autumn morning
The river of Kalajoki frozen.
Standing on a road, watching the sun set in freezing weather.
snow covered field under cloudy sky during daytime
At 4 am, sun rise seen during the longest days in Finland's summer. (In fact, the sun doesn't set at all behind the horizon)
We visited Kalajoki a couple of time in summer. There is a place here that you can fish salmon.
Sun setting down at the shore of Kalajoki, behind the frozen horizon.
The town of Kalajoki in autumn morning
The river of Kalajoki frozen.
Standing on a road, watching the sun set in freezing weather.
snow covered field under cloudy sky during daytime