Calm culture, wild nature
Fanøy Island Lodge is located on Fanøy Island, just a short boat ride from Florø. Fanøy is one of the many beautiful islands within the Batalden archipelago, with the ocean as its neighbor.
You’ll quickly feel at home here, as there are only 5 kilometers of narrow paved road on the entire island. Life out here is unique. Enjoy the silence, where the only sounds are the waves hitting the rocky shoreline or the wind passing by.
Relax on the terrace or the jetty in our private cove, paddle around the narrow straits nearby, and take a refreshing dip directly into the water.
What to do on Fanøy
Fanøy is a small island with few cars and only a couple of year-round residents. It’s quiet, making it the perfect spot to disconnect from our busy daily lives. While you’re here, we hope you take the time to relax and enjoy the serenity. Here are some of our favorite activities you can enjoy while visiting Fanøy.
Hiking on the island
Fanøy Island has a marked hiking trail well-suited for discovering its uninhabited parts. The trail, known as Storehaugen, leads to the top of the island, offering 360-degree views over Fanøy. Other paths branch off the main one, leading to different lookout points. The entire hike takes around 90 minutes and gives you a deep appreciation of life as it is – and as it used to be – in this part of Norway.
There are several suitable mountains in the archipelago that you can hike, all accessible by boat. Store Batalden is perhaps the most famous hiking destination in the area, but there are others like Blåkollen and Lille Batalden.
Rent a kayak
Rent a kayak and paddle around the island! The self-service grocery store, Nærbutikken Batalden, has kayaks for rent if you’d like to see the archipelago from a whole new perspective.
Bird- and stormwatching
Norway is a bird watching paradise, especially along the coast. Spot various sea bird species as well as migratory birds passing through.
You can also go storm-watching. With the sea as its neighbor, Fanøy experiences wild storms that come ashore right here. The fjord coast is one of the stormiest places in Norway, making Fanøy Island the perfect place to hunker down and watch as the storms unfold. If you’re here specifically for storm-watching, stay in our Kinnaklova apartment; it has ceiling windows and the best sea views.
Culture and festivals
Fanøy and the Batalden island archipelago have an interesting history. Learn all about it through the immersive books by author Trond Strømgren available in the lodge. A local of Fanøy himself, he brings history to life through stories and photos. You’ll recognize some of the photos as you explore the island!
Fanøy even has its own music festival! Havblikkfestivalen takes place at the end of June each year and also organizes a series of smaller concerts throughout the year at Batalden Ishus, which is within walking distance of Fanøy Island Lodge.
Saga Island, Kinn, with its exciting history and lush landscape, is one of our closest neighbors. Here, you can enjoy great hiking trails and visit a stone church from the Middle Ages. Every year in June, you can experience the popular Kinnaspelet: a historical play performed between the rock wall and the church. The play has been an important part of the cultural program for the past 30 years, attracting over 90,000 visitors.
If you take the boat from Florø to Fanøy through the busy shipping lanes between mainland Norway and the islands, you may be able to spot Stabben Fyr Lighthouse, depending on your route. This lighthouse is a landmark in itself, standing tall on a tiny rocky island. Imagine building this lighthouse in the late 1800s!