Kalajoki

Kalajoki is a coastal town of 12,000 (2021) in the Western Oulu region in southern Northern Ostrobothnia. The town is best known for its kilometres-long sand dune area, the Hiekkasärkät, which has been developed as a holiday resort since the 1970s.

Understand
The town of Kalajoki is located where river Kalajoki flows into the Bothnian Bay.

The first villages were probably established here during the 1300s. People lived from agriculture, fishing and seal hunting, later also from production and trade of pine-derived tar. During the 16th century Kallankarit islands became an important base for fishing. In the mid-1700s king Adolf Frederick of Sweden stopped in the Rautila village on his way to the north. There is still a memorial for his visit.

In 1771 the king gave an order, the hamina-ordning, where he gave the community living on Kallankarit islands an autonomous status in the Kingdom of Sweden. This status is considered valid even in modern-day Finland; the government owns the islands but the fishermen community has its own legislation to decide ownership and certain other juridical issues. To be exact, according to this autonomy these islands don't even belong to the European Union.

In addition to tourism there is also some metal industry and a cargo harbour in the Rahja village. Agriculture is an important source of income, the main product is potato. Entrepreneurship is very common here. In fact, every fifth working adult in Kalajoki is a private entrepreneur.

The name Kalajoki translates to Fish River. Kalajoki is one of those very few municipalities in Finland that lacks any natural lakes. On the other hand, five rivers flow into the sea within the municipal borders.

By bus
Buses between Kokkola and Oulu stop in both in Kalajoki centre and at Hiekkasärkät. A single ticket from Kokkola costs about €17 (45 min) and from Oulu about €20 (2 hr 20 min).

There is a daily bus connection from Ylivieska to Kalajoki centre (35 min).

The intercity bus company Onnibus has a daily connection (line C8) between Turku and Oulu. These coaches stop both at Kalajoki and Hiekkasärkät. A single ticket from Turku costs about €35. Onnibus does not accept cash payment and tickets are much cheaper if bought online.

By car
The town is by the Finnish national road 8 (E8), as is Himanka.

Electric kick scooters
Finnish Joe Scooter rents electric kick scooters for use in the centre and sand dunes. Install the smartphone app, check where the nearest scooter is, check price, unlock with the app, drive, park it in some sensible location in the allowed area (mind the vision impaired) and release it with the app. The scooters have a top speed of, which is plenty; acquaint yourself with the scooter and its controls somewhere safe. Rules are the same as for bikes, but minimum age (imposed by the companies) is 18. In some areas the scooters enforce a lower speed (5–6 km/h). The companies aim to keep the scooters available also in winter, conditions permitting, but the vehicles are not ideal in snowy or slippery conditions.

By taxi
See Western Oulu region
 * Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi
 * Otaxi offers taxi service in Kalajoki

See




Do




Go next

 * Kokkola
 * Raahe
 * Ylivieska