Camping in the archipelago – 5 islands you can reach by ferry

So, you want to go camping in the archipelago, but you wonder, where the camping places in the archipelago are! In this post, I will introduce five wonderful islands that have camping areas and which you can reach on a connecting ferry.

These islands are all part of the Archipelago Sea National Park. The Archipelago Sea National Park is designated to preserve the unique natural and cultural heritage of the archipelago region, but it also offers camping services in some of the islands, like camping areas, toilets, and fireplaces (with firewood).

Camping in the National Park area is not allowed in places other than those designated for camping.

In this post, I will present the islands with a camping spot (which you can reach by ferry). I have also added one camping spot, which don’t belong to the national park. it is in the same area and is easy to access, so I think it fits in here well.

On the map below, I have highlighted the islands in this post with red and orange. The red ones belong to the national park.

Picture source: luontoon.fi, Metsähallitus

1 Berghamn

Ferry route: Nauvo Southern (Timetable and route)
check route Ferry guide – How to use archipelago ferries
Services: Fire pit, toilet, table
To do: Nature information hut, nature path

The northern shore of Berghamn belongs to the national park. An old farm called Västerby belongs to the park and the camping area is in the farm’s yard. There’s plenty of even grass to set up your tent. There’s also a nature information hut with an exhibition “Fishing in the archipelago”. A nature path leads to breathtaking views.

2 Björkö

Ferry route: Nauvo Southern (Timetable and route)
check Ferry guide – How to use archipelago ferries
Services: Fire pit, toilet, table
To do: Swim in freshwater lake, nature path

Björkö is home to an archipelago wonder: a lake. It is a popular island among boaters, in July it is usually very busy. The camping area is small and you have to use a bit of imagination to find a spot for your tent, but it is worth it, as Björkö is a unique location and a must-see island.

The freshwater lake is up to 15 metres deep from its deepest point. The island is popular with boaters and in July it is usually very busy. The lake provides an excellent place to swim even when blue-green algae prevents swimming in the sea in warm summers .

The camping area is not well marked at all, and you must use a little imagination to find a place for the tent. Thanks to the lake, there is enough moisture on the island, so there are also a lot of mosquitoes, so remember to take repellent with you

The hike from the connecting ferry beach to the national park area is partly a good ATV-accessible path and partly a bit more rugged, but the trip is worth all the effort.

If possible, you should head to Björkö outside of July, when it will be calmer there.

Read more from the posts below:

3 Jurmo

Ferry route: Utö route (Timetable and route)
check Ferry guide – How to use archipelago ferries
Services: Fire pit, toilet, table, well
To do: Nature information hut, nature path, village

Jurmo is one of the most distinctive islands in the archipelago. The melting phase of the last ice age formed and shaped the island. The last ice age formed three ridgelines in Finland. Jurmo is the last terrestrial stretch of the Salpausselkä ridgeline, which cuts across the entire width of Finland. Jurmo is characterized by millions of smooth sanded stones.

The camping area in Jurmo is located on Moringharu Cape 500 meters from the ferry port. The terrain in the camping area is rough with a lot of stones, so a good sleeping pad is a must. There is no shelter from the wind.

4 Högsåra

Ferry route: Högsåra ferry (Timetable)
check Ferry guide – How to use archipelago ferries
Services: Fire pit, toilet, table
To do: Village, beach, cafe’s, museum

Högsåra camping area is quite small but idyllic place on the western side of the island. It is about 2 km from the ferry port along a village road. It is recommended to leave the cars on the ferry port on the Svartnäs side and use a bike or walk on the island.

The camping area has a big lovely sandy beach and good flat spots for tents and trees for hammocks. The village is picturesque and home to the popular Farmor’s Cafe. This spot is easy to reach and very suitable for a first camping experience in the archipelago.

5 Örö

Ferry route: Commercial, Western Hiittinen route (Timetables)
check Ferry guide – How to use archipelago ferries
Services: Fire pit, toilet, tables, water
To do: Nature path, beach, barracks, defense posts, fortification, exhibition

Örö used to be a fortress island and it was closed to the general public until 2015. Now it is a popular destination among travellers and boaters offering diverse landscapes and cultural history.

The camping area is a big grassy area. Although the island belongs to the national park, there is a camping fee (in 2023 it was 5 euros/3 days). In addition to the free ferry, there is commercial ferry traffic from Kasnäs in the summertime, the fee is 30 euros. More information on Visit Örö website

6 Sundsvedja lean-to

Ferry route: No ferries needed
Services: Fire pit, toilet, table
To do: Nature path

The southwestern parts of Kemiönsaari have a lovely outer archipelago feel. This lean-to is on a high cliff offering a good view towards the sea. The path to it starts from Söderlångvik manor, which is about 2 km from the lean-to.

Once you are here, you should hike the Purunpää nature trail. It offers magnificent views over the archipelago scenery and is a destination that is easy to reach for those seeking the archipelago feel. More information on the manor’s website and a map of the trail. You can see the location of the lean-to on this map.

Go camping in the archipelago

The above mentioned camping spots are easily accessible destinations to start exploring the archipelago. Remember that there is no drinking water available in the archipelago (except in Jurmo and Örö), so take enough water with you.

You can find more information about each destination by clicking on the article links attached to the locations.

How to use the ferries

Have a nice camping trip to the archipelago!