⚠️ Entry rules and local regulations change without notice. Before booking, check entry requirements and local rules — visas, access, nature reserves, visitor quotas — with the official authorities.
Vesterålen continues Lofoten to the north, about 300 km above the Arctic Circle. The archipelago is less dramatic at first glance but quieter, and it offers a rare encounter: off Andenes, an underwater canyon brings sperm whales close to the coast, making it one of the best places in Europe to see whales.
The archipelago of whales and the Hurtigruten
The main islands — western Hinnøya, Langøya, Andøya and Hadseløya — are linked by bridges. Sortland, the largest town, has painted itself in shades of blue since 1998; Stokmarknes saw the Hurtigruten coastal line born in 1893; Andenes, at the northern tip of Andøya, lives from whale safaris and its 1859 lighthouse.
The landscape alternates between mountains dropping into the sea, the bogs of Andøya and white-sand beaches, including Bleik, facing the puffin rock of Bleiksøya. Nyksund, a fishing village almost abandoned in the 1970s, has come back to life with workshops, cafés and a guesthouse.
The Andøya National Scenic Route follows the west coast for 58 km between Bjørnskinn and Andenes. It can close for a few hours during rocket launches from Andøya Space, a base active since 1962.
Two opposite trips
In Andenes the sun does not set from about late May to late July. It is the peak season for whale safaris, May to mid-September, mainly for sperm whales, and for the puffins of Bleiksøya, hikes (the Queen’s Route, Måtind) and the summer ferry to Senja.
From September to mid-April the nights return with the northern lights, and the safaris continue: in winter it is mostly orcas and humpback whales. Around the polar night, late November to late January in Andenes, the sun no longer rises.
Three airports, a ferry and the road to Lofoten
There is no direct flight from Paris: fly via Oslo to Evenes (EVE), 1 h 40 by road from Sortland, or via Bodø or Tromsø to the small airports of Andenes (ANX) and Stokmarknes (SKN), served by Widerøe. The Coastal Express calls at Stokmarknes, Sortland and Risøyhamn.
From Lofoten you arrive via the E10 or the Melbu–Fiskebøl ferry; towards Senja, a seasonal ferry links Andenes and Gryllefjord in 1 h 40, with no booking. A car is highly recommended — book early, as the small airports have few vehicles.
Essentials & your questions
| Main town | Sortland |
|---|---|
| Area | about 2,500 km² |
| Language | Norwegian (English widely spoken) |
| Currency | Norwegian krone (NOK) |
| Visa | Not required (Schengen) |
| Best time | June–August for whales, puffins and midnight sun; September–March for the northern lights |
Can you see whales all year?
Yes, from Andenes: mostly sperm whales from May to September, orcas and humpbacks in winter.
How do you get from Vesterålen to Lofoten?
By car along the E10 and the Raftsund bridge, or on the Melbu–Fiskebøl ferry.
When is the midnight sun?
In Andenes, from about late May to late July; a little shorter further south.
Photo: public domain, Wikimedia Commons