Lyngør, Risør and Tvedestrand by boat: routes and harbours

The archipelago between Risør and Tvedestrand on Norway's south coast is one of the densest and prettiest stretches of Sørlandet seen from the water. Car-free Lyngør packs white captains' houses along narrow sounds, car-free Sandøya has sandy beaches and a bakery, and two wooden towns have guest harbours right in the centre. Raet National Park begins just off Lyngør. Distances are short, so one day can combine town, island hopping and swimming.

Where can you rent a boat near Lyngør, Risør and Tvedestrand?

Private owners rent out their own boats all along this coast. Browse boats for rent near Lyngør, rent a boat in Risør and boats for rent in Tvedestrand. Each owner states their own licence and experience requirements in the listing, and some owners can come along as skipper, which is a good option if you are new to Norwegian waters.

5 boat trips around Lyngør, Risør and Tvedestrand

The distances below are rough estimates from the map, in nautical miles (nm). Always plan and navigate with a nautical chart or a chart app.

1. Around Lyngør: the sounds and the guest harbour

Distance: approx. 1 nm from Gjeving on the mainland across to Lyngørsiden, plus a slow loop of the sounds. Time: 2–4 hours with stops.

Lyngør is made up of four islands with no cars and no tarmac. As early as the 1700s it was one of the most important outer harbours on this coast, with around 600 inhabitants at its peak. Today about 50 people live here year-round, and Lyngør is recognised as one of the best-preserved communities in Europe.

Stop: Lyngør's only gjestehavn (guest harbour, where visiting boats can moor overnight for a fee) is at Seilloftet on Lyngørsiden, with six overnight berths for boats up to 55 ft. The same old herring house holds the restaurant Seilmakerfruens Kro and a chandlery. Lyngørsiden also has a grocery shop, and on Holmen the old school serves food in summer. Walk up to Losheia, Lyngør's highest point, for a view over the archipelago.

Tip: Lyngørsundet, Store and Lille Svalsund and Håkonsund have a 5-knot limit all year. Go slowly: the sounds are narrow and busy with small boats and kayaks.

2. Lyngør lighthouse and the outer skerries in Raet National Park

Distance: approx. 0.5–1 nm from Lyngørsiden to Lyngør lighthouse. Time: 1–3 hours.

Lyngør lighthouse was lit in 1879 and was manned until 2004. The station is now protected as a cultural monument, and the keepers' houses are coastal cabins rented through DNT, the Norwegian Trekking Association. There is a pier by the old boathouses and a separate kayak pier, and footpaths lead around the lighthouse. You are right at the edge of the open sea here, inside Raet National Park.

Stop: The lighthouse island, or a quiet cove on the inside of the islands when the wind blows onshore.

Tip: These are exposed waters. Go only in calm weather, and keep away from islets with nesting seabirds during the breeding season (see the rules below).

3. Tvedestrand, the Oksefjord and the inner route to Lyngør

Distance: approx. 3 nm from Tvedestrand out the Oksefjord to Borøya, and approx. 9 nm all the way to Lyngør on the sheltered inner route. Time: half to full day.

Tvedestrand sits at the head of the Oksefjord, with wooden-house streets climbing up from the harbour. The municipal guest harbour has 240 metres of guest piers with power and water and is sheltered from most wind directions. Day visits are free; overnight stays are paid in the GoMarina app. From town you head out the narrow fjord past Sagesund and on through the inner leads past Sandøya and Dypvåg towards Lyngør.

Stop: Tvedestrand guest harbour for lunch in town, and Lyngør guest harbour at the other end.

Tip: Tvedestrand's inner harbour, Snaresund by Borøya and Sandøykilen have a 5-knot limit all year. If you need to empty a holding tank, there is a pump-out at Hagefjordbrygga.

4. Sandøya: a car-free island with sandy beaches

Distance: approx. 1–1.5 nm from Hagefjordbrygga, or approx. 5 nm from Tvedestrand. Time: half a day.

Sandøya is a car-free island at the outer edge of the Tvedestrand archipelago, with just under 200 permanent residents and a gravel road around the whole island. It is about 3 km from east to west. Sandvika and Ingers Bukter are shallow sandy beaches that suit small children, and on Klåholmen there are smooth rocks for swimming and the bakery Brød og Vind.

Stop: The local ferry calls at three municipal piers: Haven in the middle of the island, Hauketangen in the west and Sandøykilen in the east, where the grocery shop is. Check the signs for where visiting boats may moor.

Tip: Arrive early on summer days. The bread at Klåholmen sells out fast, and the popular beaches fill up.

5. Risør, the white town on the Skagerrak

Distance: approx. 7 nm from Lyngør to Risør. Time: full day return.

Risør is known as the white town on the Skagerrak, with white wooden houses around its harbour. On the approach you see Risørflekken, a white rock face whitewashed by Dutch sailors in the 1600s and used as a sea mark ever since. Stangholmen lighthouse stands just outside town. The Risør Wooden Boat Festival fills the harbour with wooden boats every year around the turn of July and August; in 2027 it runs 5–7 August.

Stop: Risør guest harbour is in the town centre, with alongside mooring on the Stranden breakwaters, bow-to mooring in the inner harbour and depths from 1 to 15 metres. Small boats may tie up free for a short shopping stop at Solsiden Pir 2. Risør Fiskemottak on Holmen has its own marina with fuel, a fish shop and outdoor seating.

Tip: The approach to town has an 8-knot limit and the inner harbour 5 knots all year. In season the harbour hosts help you find a berth on +47 952 06 083.

Route overview

Rules and safety around Lyngør, Risør and Tvedestrand

Raet National Park covers approx. 607 km², 98 per cent of it sea. It stretches from Lyngør in the northeast to Hasseltangen in Grimstad in the southwest. Under the Raet National Park protection regulations (in Norwegian), these rules matter to boaters:

• In the seabird zones (zone A), all traffic on land and on the water closer than 50 metres from land is banned from 15 April to 15 July. The zones are shown in the Naturbase map linked from the Raet National Park board.
• Camping and tents are banned in zones A and B.
• Dogs must be on a lead throughout the park from 1 April to 20 August.
• Emptying sewage from boats into the sea is banned, and all rubbish must be taken away.
• Motorboat racing and practice with racing boats are banned.
• Fires are only allowed right at the water's edge on sand or gravel, or at prepared fire sites, never on bare rock or boulder beaches.

Speed limits: In both Tvedestrand and Risør the limit is 5 knots within 50 metres of land, islets and visible rocks from 1 May to 31 August. On top of that, 5 knots applies all year in several sounds and harbours, including Lyngørsundet and the inner harbours of Tvedestrand and Risør. See the Risør speed regulations and the Tvedestrand speed regulations, and follow the signs.

Licence: Under Norwegian rules, anyone born on or after 1 January 1980 needs a boat licence (båtførerbevis) to skipper a boat over 8 metres or with an engine over 25 hp. Read the Norwegian boat licence guide for how this applies to foreign visitors and which licences count.

Out towards the Skagerrak you are exposed to the open sea. Check the forecast before you leave, and use the sheltered inner route when it is windy.

Best time for a boat trip around Lyngør, Risør and Tvedestrand

High season runs from late June to mid August. The harbour hosts are on duty in Risør (22 June–8 August) and Tvedestrand (23 June–6 August), and the island eateries are open. The chandlery on Lyngør opens from mid June to mid August. June and late August bring quieter harbours. Remember that the seabird breeding season in Raet lasts until 15 July. After the season the islands go quiet and many places close, but Tvedestrand guest harbour also takes boats outside the season.

FAQ

Can I moor my boat in Lyngør?

Yes. The guest harbour at Seilloftet on Lyngørsiden has six overnight berths for boats up to 55 ft. It is Lyngør's only guest harbour, so arrive early in July.

How long does it take by boat from Risør to Lyngør?

It is approx. 7 nm. In an ordinary motorboat, allowing for 5-knot zones in the sounds and near land in summer, it usually takes around an hour, depending on the boat and the weather.

When is the Risør Wooden Boat Festival?

It has been held every summer since 1984, Thursday to Saturday around the turn of July and August. In 2027 it runs 5–7 August. The harbour fills with wooden boats, so plan your mooring well ahead.

Can I anchor in Raet National Park?

The regulations contain no general anchoring ban, but in the seabird zones all traffic closer than 50 metres from land is banned from 15 April to 15 July. Anchor with care and avoid eelgrass beds and shallow areas.

Do I need a licence to rent a boat here?

It depends on the boat and your age. The rule covers boats over 8 metres or over 25 hp for people born in 1980 or later, and each owner may set their own requirements too.

More boat trips on the south coast

Heading north? Read about the Kragerø archipelago by boat. Planning overnight stops along the coast? See guest harbours in Southern Norway.