Explore Bugøynes

• The Bugøynes Beach is well-known for its beauty and is much photographed! Gather seashells, enjoy the sceneries or take a swim if you dare!
• The Pleym Pier is a restored pier dating back to the 19th century with a museum exhibition showing old coastal culture. Open on request.
• The Lassi House (Norwegian: Lassigården), is a culture house dating back to the 1850s is now used as museum. Open in July, and otherwise upon request.
• The Bugøynes chapel was built in 1989. The Lutheran church holds one regularly-scheduled service each month.
• The Eastern part of Bugøynes cemetery is the only known habitat in Scandinavia for the very rare flower, Boreal Jacobs Ladder (Polemonium boreale). The area is protected, and it is forbidden to collect and destroy the plants.

There are excellent look out points just around the village, which are easily accessible. From the cliffs you can see the cold blue water of the Arctic Ocean rinsing the shores, and the petite picturesque village below with its few streets and houses. Find seashells and sea urchins thrown on the rocks by seagulls, and admire the small, adorable flora and fauna that are tenaciously attached to the ground. The nature is accustomed to wind and storms and the arctic weather and ice age have also rounded the stones. When you are looking at the glimmering sea and the arctic scenery things become clearer and unnecessary complaints fade away with the breeze. 

Finnish people are sauna people, and of course the Finnish settlers brought the sauna with them. Every house in the village has a sauna!  For this reason, Bugøynes has also become a very popular destination for Arctic Bathing. Many wish to experience a dip in the Arctic Ocean combined with a sauna. The hot and cold treatment have many physical and mental health benefits and will give you a buzz. Scientific studies show that cold immersions reduce stress and blood pressure, and also trigger the brain’s production of endorphin hormones. The icy water gives you a rush and afterwards you feel extremely calm and refreshed. The whole experience is quite addictive.

We offer Arctic bathing experiences all year round in our Barents Sauna Camp. The saunas are heated the traditional way, with wood, and the saunas can be booked privately. This is an excellent way to experience a true Arctic sensation! 

There are a few marked trails which depart approx. 2km from the village. For any hiking we recommend to download the “Norgeskart outdoor” app, or other similar app, which will show the trails in the area as well as your location.

• The most popular trail is to Ranvika. The old summer fishing retreat for the villagers,  whish is about 90 minutes walk (5km/one way) from Bugøynes. Lookout for the Ranvika sign turning east approx. 2km from the village. The mountain used to nest thousands of black-legged kittiwakes back in the day but unfortunately no more. 
• The Folkesti trail follows the coastline and is 5km/one way. It also departs approx. 2km from the village, on the western side of the road.
• Sør-Varanger’s highest peak, 497m, is known as Bugøynestoppen, but its Sami name is Gàransèohkka. The trail starts approx. 4 km before Bugøynes. You should definitely use a map to locate the starting point as there is no sign.
• If you wish exercise, there is a recreation park just outside the village with with 11 different exercise devices. Walk approx 1km up the Bugøynes road and you will see the gym devices on the left-hand side.

Bugøynes in winter is a very beautiful and peaceful experience. The low arctic sunlight combined with pristine white landscapes and the deep blue sea is truly magical. Even though the temperatures can be around -10-20 Celsius, Varangerfjord never freezes due to the Gulf stream.

The first snow usually arrives in the end of October. From late November to mid January we experience the Polar night season when we enjoy soft pastel colors of pink, violet and blue, and soon as it gets dark we can start looking for the Northern Lights. Bugøynes is right under the aurora zone and we have hardly any light pollution. This makes it an excellent destination for aurora viewing! Already by early February the sun starts to rise again and the days rapidly grow longer. With the sun passing still quite low over the horizon, both sunrise and sunset seems like an amazing natural event in slow motion. We do also face snow storms in winter, which can be quite spectacular too! By mid March we are already soaking in the sun and enjoying long days.  We welcome you to enjoy the overwhelmingly beautiful arctic scenery and the peacefulness of Bugøynes village.

Bugøynes is located in Sør-Varanger municipality in northeastern Norway. Location is by Varangerfjord, which is part of the Barents Sea and Arctic Ocean. You can easily access the village by car, and we offer transfers from Kirkenes, and boat transfers from Vadsø.

By car:

• From Kirkenes the drive is 102km. Drive west on the E6 road. Approximately after 85km of driving, turn right towards Bugøynes. The sign also states “Pikku-Suomi” (Little Finland). At the end of this road you will find our village.

By air:

• The closest airport is in Kirkenes (102km). From Kirkenes you can rent a car or order a pick up transfer from us.

By ship:

• Hurtigruten Ferry Line´s final port is also in Kirkenes. From Kirkenes you can rent a car or order a pick up transfer from us.

Driving from Finland:

• The Finnish border is only 1h drive away. You can cross the border from Näätämö or Nuorgam.

Boat transfer from Vadsø:

• Vadsø is on the other side of the fjord. By road the distance is 110km, but with our boat transfer it takes only 15-20min.