Hanko and Raasepori archipelago by boat: 5 routes
Hanko sits at the southernmost tip of mainland Finland, with the open Baltic on one side and the sheltered Raasepori (Raseborg) archipelago on the other. By boat you can reach the 16th-century rock carvings at Hauensuoli, the wartime island of Gunnarsörarna and Ekenäs Archipelago National Park, home to the old mine island of Jussarö and the forests of Älgö. A short evening loop from the East Harbour takes a couple of hours, and a full day gets you to the wooden town of Tammisaari (Ekenäs). Here are five routes with distances and the local rules.
Where can you rent a boat in Hanko?
In Hanko, private owners rent out their own motorboats, RIBs and sailing boats, usually by the day and sometimes for a weekend. You can see what is available on our page to rent a boat in Hanko. Each owner states in the listing what experience or certificate they require, and some owners can come along as skipper if you would rather not drive yourself.
5 boat trips in Hanko and the Raasepori archipelago
Distances are approximate and estimated from the map. Always plan with a nautical chart or a chart app and stay in marked fairways. One Finnish word worth knowing: a vierasvenesatama (gästhamn in Swedish) is a guest harbour where visiting boats can moor for a fee.
1. East Harbour – Gustavsvärn – Hauensuoli
Distance: approx. 8 nautical miles (nm) as a loop from Hanko's East Harbour (Itäsatama), including a pass by Russarö lighthouse island. Time: 1–2 hours plus stops.
Gustavsvärn lies right off the East Harbour. It is a small rocky island with the ruins of a Swedish fort from the late 1700s and a lighthouse from 1951, and the Finnish Lighthouse Society sells souvenirs there in summer. A couple of miles further, at the tip of the Tulliniemi headland, is Hauensuoli (Gäddtarmen), a narrow strait between the islets of Tullisaari and Kobben. About 340 names, house marks and coats of arms are carved into its rocks, the oldest dated 1508. Fleets waited here for a fair wind before crossing the Gulf of Finland, and the sailors left their marks in what locals call "the guest book of the archipelago". Russarö cannot be visited with your own boat, so you see it from the water.
Tip: In the Hauensuoli ancient-monument area anchoring is prohibited and you may only land via the Hauensuoli pier. The paths are rough in places, so wear proper shoes.
2. Gunnarsörarna: lean-to and wartime history
Distance: approx. 6 nm from the East Harbour around Tulliniemi, a little less from Hangonkylä harbour. Time: half a day.
Gunnarsörarna lies north-west of Tulliniemi. People lived on the island until 1941, and the positions of a Soviet anti-aircraft battery are still on its highest rock. The City of Hanko has built a pier and a nature trail of about 3–4 km. There is a lean-to (laavu) where you can grill, and a dry toilet. The water off the pier is deep enough even for a small sailing boat.
Tip: The island is large and rough in places. The city recommends bringing a map, rubber boots and a packed lunch.
3. Hanko – Jussarö along the coastal fairway
Distance: approx. 20 nm east of the East Harbour. Time: about 1–1.5 hours in a planing motorboat, a day's sail in a sailing boat.
Jussarö sits in the south-east corner of Ekenäs Archipelago National Park, and its guest harbour is on the fairway between Inkoo and Hanko. The island has the crusher and concentrator towers of an old iron mine, rare old-growth forest on the west side, and a viewing tower in the south built on the remains of the old lighthouse. The nature trails come in two lengths, 3.3 km and 4.7 km. The harbour on the north shore has about 49 stern-boom berths, a sauna and a café-restaurant.
Tip: The iron ore upsets magnetic compasses near the island, so navigate by GPS. The harbour is often full in July, so arrive early.
4. Hanko – Älgö – Tammisaari through the inner archipelago
Distance: approx. 16 nm from the East Harbour to Rödjan on Älgö, then approx. 9–10 nm to Tammisaari town centre, about 25 nm in total. Time: a full day.
Älgö is the national park's largest island, with spruce-filled ravines, pine-covered rocks and three small lakes. The Rödjan harbour on its south shore has two piers. Larger boats use six buoys, smaller ones a pier with booms, and the depth is about 1–2 m. The fishing homestead, open in summer, was the childhood home of Olympic canoe champion Thorvald Strömberg, and a nature trail with a viewing tower starts from the yard. You end the day in Tammisaari's North Harbour (Norra hamnen), which is in the middle of the old wooden town and sheltered from every wind direction. Restaurant Fyren is on the quay.
Tip: The Tammisaari guest harbour cannot be booked in advance. Call the harbour a few hours before you arrive.
5. Tammisaari – the national park's natural harbours
Distance: approx. 10 nm south of Tammisaari centre. Time: a day trip or an overnight stay.
By sea, the national park is about 18 km from Tammisaari. Modermagan, north of the Skedö fairway, has been a sheltered natural harbour for centuries. Shallow-draught boats can enter the bay on its south side, where the threshold is about 1 m deep. The bays of Fladalandet, south of the Skedö fairway, suit shallow-draught boats best. Trelänningen is a lagoon formed by four islands and has no services. Modermagan, Fladalandet and Rödjan each have a camping area, a fireplace and a dry toilet.
Tip: Anchoring is prohibited in the bay of Trelänningen's south-east strait, which protects rare eelgrass. Near Fladalandet, watch for wakes from ships on the Skedö fairway.
| Route | Distance (approx.) | Time | Highlight | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Harbour – Gustavsvärn – Hauensuoli | approx. 8 nm loop | 1–2 h + stops | rock carvings from 1508 | first-timers, families |
| Gunnarsörarna | approx. 6 nm each way | half a day | lean-to and AA battery | families, picnics |
| Hanko – Jussarö | approx. 20 nm each way | 1–1.5 h planing | mine towers, old forest | more experienced, more open water |
| Hanko – Älgö – Tammisaari | approx. 25 nm | full day | Rödjan homestead, wooden town | a one-day passage |
| Tammisaari – natural harbours | approx. 10 nm each way | day or overnight | Modermagan, Fladalandet | shallow-draught boats |
Rules and safety in Hanko
- Ekenäs Archipelago National Park: Under Metsähallitus' park regulations, landing is banned all year on Lågskär-Mellanlandet, Hjortronskär-Äggolskär and the western part of Jussarö, although the marked nature trail on Jussarö is open. From 1 April to 31 July, landing is banned on the bird islands Gaddarna, Äggharukobbarna-Äggharun (and the skerries west of them), Mossklobben, Skyffelskär, Vitharun and Drängharun.
- Älgö: All movement on land and water is banned all year in Verkviken and Verkfladan, and from 1 April to 31 July on Storträsket. Swimming is allowed in the southern bay of Storträsket.
- Park etiquette: Finland's everyman's rights do not apply as such in national parks. Camp and light fires only at designated sites, and never light an open fire during a forest-fire warning. Keep dogs on a leash. There is no waste collection, so take your rubbish home. Current details are on Luontoon.fi.
- Hauensuoli: Metsähallitus' management plan prohibits anchoring in the ancient-monument area and allows landing only via the pier. In the Tulliniemi nature-value zone you are asked to avoid landing from 1 April to 31 July.
- Open sea and shipping lanes: Hanko faces the open Baltic, and south of the headland there are no islands to shelter you, so check the wind forecast before rounding the tip. The Port of Hanko handles liner traffic in three harbour areas (West Harbour, Outer Harbour and Koverhar), and the Helsinki–Hanko shipping fairway runs through the national park. Keep to the edge of the fairway and give way early.
- Everyman's rights elsewhere: Temporary stays are allowed, but do not go onto private yards or disturb people's homes (Luontoon.fi).
- Toilet waste: Discharging toilet waste from a boat into the sea is prohibited (Environmental Protection Act for Maritime Transport 1672/2009). Septic tanks can be emptied at the East Harbour, at Hangonkylä and at the Tammisaari guest harbour.
- Licence and age: Finland has no compulsory boat licence for leisure boats up to 24 m. A motorboat that must be registered (engine 15 kW or more, or hull 5.5 m or longer) may only be driven by someone aged 15 or older, and owners may ask about your experience (Traficom). More in our guide to the boat licence in Finland.
- Alcohol: The legal limit for drink-driving on the water is 1 per mille (Traficom).
Best time for a boat trip in Hanko
The season runs roughly from May to September. The Tammisaari guest harbour is open from 1 May to 30 September, and the Itämeren Portti harbour off Hanko opens its booking calendar on 1 May every year. The Hanko Regatta is sailed in early July, and harbours fill up fast that weekend. July is also the busiest month on Jussarö. August is a good choice: the bird-island landing bans end on 31 July and the evenings are still long. The taxi boat from Tammisaari to Jussarö usually runs from early June to early September. Check current dates on the harbours' and Metsähallitus' websites.
FAQ
How far is Hanko from Helsinki by boat?
About 70 nm along the coast. A planing motorboat does it in a few hours, and in a sailing boat you can split it over two days. Jussarö and Tammisaari make good stops on the way.
And from Turku or Mariehamn?
From Turku it is approx. 60–65 nm through the archipelago, and from Mariehamn approx. 100 nm. Both are multi-day passages, and Hanko is the natural turning point between the Gulf of Finland and the Archipelago Sea.
How far is Tammisaari from Hanko?
About 23–25 nm through the inner archipelago. Älgö lies on the way, which makes it an easy full-day trip.
Can I anchor anywhere off Hanko?
No. Anchoring is prohibited at Hauensuoli and inside the East Harbour, and the national park has banned and restricted areas. Check the chart before you drop anchor.
Can I visit Russarö lighthouse island?
Not with your own boat. According to Visit Hanko, Russarö cannot be reached by private boat, but you can combine Gustavsvärn and Hauensuoli in one trip.
To continue into the Archipelago Sea, read our Kimitoön archipelago and national park guide and the Turku archipelago by boat guide. Before you set off, go through our packing list for a boat day trip. You will find boats that leave from Hanko on our boats in Hanko page.
