Paddle-mad Swedes love hitting Bohuslän -- kayaks under arm -- but the region is big enough, in one of Europe's biggest countries, that you can easily find a spot to yourself.
Paddle playground: Bohuslän —
Paddle-mad Swedes love hitting Bohuslän -- kayaks under arm -- but the region is big enough, in one of Europe's biggest countries, that you can easily find a spot to yourself.
Henrik Trygg/imagebank.sweden.se
Most foreign travelers to Bohuslän fly to Gothenburg. Sweden's second largest city is an increasingly cosmopolitan place renowned for its lively coffee culture -- the famous fika.
Starting point: Gothenburg —
Most foreign travelers to Bohuslän fly to Gothenburg. Sweden's second largest city is an increasingly cosmopolitan place renowned for its lively coffee culture -- the famous fika.
Goran Assner//imagebank.sweden.se
The stretch of western Swedish coast between Gothenburg and the Norwegian border, Bohuslän encompasses around 8,000 islands and islets. One thing's guaranteed: you probably won't see all of them in a lifetime, let alone a two-week vacation.
Wild, uninhabited —
The stretch of western Swedish coast between Gothenburg and the Norwegian border, Bohuslän encompasses around 8,000 islands and islets. One thing's guaranteed: you probably won't see all of them in a lifetime, let alone a two-week vacation.
Henrik Trygg/imagebank.sweden.se
Many of Bohuslän's islands are uninhabited, although you'll find the odd Swede on some of them. Maybe odd in more senses than one in this case ...
No Swede is an island (or perhaps some are) —
Many of Bohuslän's islands are uninhabited, although you'll find the odd Swede on some of them. Maybe odd in more senses than one in this case ...
andreas nordstrom/imagebank.sweden.se
A recommended stop on the drive up the coast is the town of Grebbestad, home to traditional fishermen.
Grebbestad tradition —
A recommended stop on the drive up the coast is the town of Grebbestad, home to traditional fishermen.
Henrik Trygg/imagebank.sweden.se
The town is renowned for its seafood and, particularly, its oysters -- it supplies Sweden with 90% of the molluscs that French master chef Bocuse said are the best in the world.
Seafood stars —
The town is renowned for its seafood and, particularly, its oysters -- it supplies Sweden with 90% of the molluscs that French master chef Bocuse said are the best in the world.
Henrik Trygg/imagebank.sweden.se
Another coastal stop is the pretty fishing village of Fjällbacka. You can start paddling out to the islands right here: the rocky Fjällbacka archipelago is one of Bohuslän's most popular kayaking spots.
Fjällbacka archipelago —
Another coastal stop is the pretty fishing village of Fjällbacka. You can start paddling out to the islands right here: the rocky Fjällbacka archipelago is one of Bohuslän's most popular kayaking spots.
Henrik Trygg
Find all the prettiness cloying? Others do, too. Bestselling crime writer Camilla Läckberg lives, and sets her murders in, Fjällbacka. This sinister-ish shot of a kayaker near the village will have to do to illustrate this point.
Murderously pretty —
Find all the prettiness cloying? Others do, too. Bestselling crime writer Camilla Läckberg lives, and sets her murders in, Fjällbacka. This sinister-ish shot of a kayaker near the village will have to do to illustrate this point.
Henrik Trygg/imagebank.sweden.se
The Weather Islands (Väderöarna), Sweden's most westerly, are another popular kayaking location. They tend to be the warmest of the Bohuslän bunch, which may be partly what draws so many seals here. The large islands of Orust and Tjörn also pull in visitors.
Weather Islands —
The Weather Islands (Väderöarna), Sweden's most westerly, are another popular kayaking location. They tend to be the warmest of the Bohuslän bunch, which may be partly what draws so many seals here. The large islands of Orust and Tjörn also pull in visitors.
Henrik Trygg//imagebank.sweden.se
Sweden's anarchic freedom-to-roam law means you can generally camp where you like around Bohuslän. Some islands have guesthouses, if you prefer not to emit those tortured groans in the morning, hand on lower back.
Island anarchy —
Sweden's anarchic freedom-to-roam law means you can generally camp where you like around Bohuslän. Some islands have guesthouses, if you prefer not to emit those tortured groans in the morning, hand on lower back.
Henrik Trygg//imagebank.sweden.se
Coming to Bohuslän without trying out a paddle would be like visiting Ikea and not buying a self-assembled collapsible stool. There are sheltered waters for the novice kayaker (in Bohuslän, not Ikea).
Sheltered waters —
Coming to Bohuslän without trying out a paddle would be like visiting Ikea and not buying a self-assembled collapsible stool. There are sheltered waters for the novice kayaker (in Bohuslän, not Ikea).
Henrik Trygg/imagebank.sweden.se
Experienced kayakers can join the fishermen heading out into the North Sea.
Open ocean —
Experienced kayakers can join the fishermen heading out into the North Sea.
Henrik Trygg/imagebank.sweden.se
Other inhabitants of Bohuslän you might spot, apart from mink and reindeer, are seals, which, like kayaks, do better in the water than on land.
Rock stars —
Other inhabitants of Bohuslän you might spot, apart from mink and reindeer, are seals, which, like kayaks, do better in the water than on land.
Jörgen Wiklund/imagebank.sweden.se