Lysekil and Gullmarsfjorden by boat: routes and rules
Lysekil sits right where Gullmarsfjorden meets the open sea. The county board calls Gullmarn a true threshold fjord: 25 kilometres long and up to about 125 metres deep behind a sill only about 45 metres deep. From Lysekil you can cross to Fiskebäckskil in minutes, run up the fjord between steep hills to Stora Bornö, or round Skaftö to Grundsund and out to Käringön. The best spots in Bohuslän covers Lysekil briefly. This guide goes deeper, trip by trip.
Where can you rent a boat in Lysekil?
Private owners rent out their own boats on both sides of the fjord. Browse boats to rent in Lysekil if you want to start from town, or boats in Fiskebäckskil if you are staying on Skaftö. Each owner states in the listing what experience or certificate they require. Some owners can also come along as skipper.
6 boat trips in Lysekil and Gullmarsfjorden
All distances are approximate and estimated from the map. Always plan with a nautical chart or a chart app. Two Swedish words help: a gästhamn is a guest harbour with paid visitor berths, and a naturhamn is a natural harbour, an unserviced cove where you moor to the rocks or anchor.
Around Stångehuvud and the Lysekil harbours
A short loop of approx. 2 nm from Norra hamnen (the north harbour), round the headland at Stångehuvud and in to Havsbadet. Allow 1–2 hours with stops. Stångehuvud is a nature reserve of about 48 hectares at the tip of the Stångenäset peninsula, with smooth granite, glacial scratches and pegmatite veins. The county board mentions good bathing and fishing spots along the rocky west shore. Lysekil municipality runs five guest harbours: Havsbadet, Norra hamnen, Fiskhamnen, Valbodalen and Grundsund. Valbodalen lies right next to the reserve. Havets Hus, an aquarium showing marine life from the Swedish west coast, stands on the quay at Strandvägen 9 and is open almost all year, except on a few holidays – check the current opening times on the Havets Hus website.
Tip: Havets Hus has its own jetty, but you must phone or email before you moor. One side is reserved for the seal safari boat. Inside Norra hamnen the limit is 5 knots.
Across the fjord to Fiskebäckskil
Fiskebäckskil is approx. 2 nm from Lysekil's southern harbours, straight across the fjord mouth. The crossing takes 10–15 minutes. The village has sea captains' houses, narrow lanes and boathouses. Gullmarsstrand has a guest jetty with 12 berths below the hotel, and its restaurant is open all year. Berths are booked through Dockspot. Lyckans Slip in the same village has 70 guest berths, according to Svenska Gästhamnar, the Swedish guest harbour association.
Tip: Västtrafik ferry 847 runs all year between Lysekil, Fiskebäckskil and Östersidan, so keep a lookout for it. A 5-knot limit applies outside the Kristineberg research station, and anchoring is banned within 100 metres of Långgap because of a water pipe.
Up Gullmarsfjorden to Stora Bornö
This is the trip that shows why Gullmarn is special. Stora Bornö is approx. 9 nm up the fjord from Lysekil, so plan half a day with a swim. The island rises more than 100 metres and has been a nature reserve of about 244 hectares since 2012, with remnants of old beech forest and granite rocks for bathing on its southern part. The West Sweden tourist board describes the fjord's water environment as found nowhere else in Sweden. To see what lives in the deep, such as wolffish, visit Havets Hus in Lysekil.
Tip: In the reserve you may not stay moored in a natural harbour for more than two days, and fires are only allowed at prepared fireplaces. On Lilla Bornö, camping and open fires are banned. The Bornö research station on the west side is not part of the reserve. On the way you cross the route of the free car ferry between Lysekil and Bokenäset.
Gåsö and Grundsund
Grundsund is approx. 4 nm from Lysekil if you go outside Skaftö and past Gåsö. It takes about half an hour. Gåsö is a protected nature area where dogs must be on a lead from 1 April to 15 June. Several seal protection areas surround Gåsö, see the rules section below. Grundsund is an old fishing village built around a long harbour canal. The guest harbour on Östra kajen has about 50 berths, and a shore path with bathing spots starts from the quay.
Tip: A 5-knot limit applies outside Grundsund harbour every year from 1 June to 1 September. There is a pump-out station on Västra kajen.
The inner channel to Flatön
From Fiskebäckskil a sheltered route runs east between Skaftö and the mainland and then south to Flatön, approx. 3 nm. Allow 30–45 minutes, as much of it is a 5-knot zone. The tourist board notes that the Swedish songwriter Evert Taube spent a lot of time on Flatön and Ängön. Handelsman Flink on Flatön is a restaurant with rooms and, according to Svenska Gästhamnar, has 20 guest berths.
Tip: Vägeröds ränna and Snäckedjupet are a 5-knot zone all the way out to the passage between Lindholmen and Småholmarna. In Nordströmmarna, at the Flatön cable ferry, the limit is also 5 knots. Signs and warning boards for the cable ferry are posted there, so keep clear when it is running.
Grundsund to Käringön
Käringön is approx. 7 nm south of Grundsund, or approx. 11 nm from Lysekil. This leg crosses more open water on the outer edge of the archipelago, so pick a day with light winds. Käringön has been a fishing centre since the 1700s. The guest harbour has 125 berths, toilets, showers, a laundry and a pump-out station. Without a boat, the ferry from Tuvesvik on Orust takes around 40 minutes.
Tip: The county board has set a local speed limit at Käringön. Follow the signs as you come in.
| Route | Distance | Time | Highlight | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Around Stångehuvud | approx. 2 nm | 1–2 h | Granite shore, Havets Hus | Beginners, families |
| Lysekil–Fiskebäckskil | approx. 2 nm | 10–15 min | Captains' houses, lunch by the jetty | Everyone |
| Lysekil–Stora Bornö | approx. 9 nm | half day | Fjord scenery, beech forest, swimming | Day trip |
| Lysekil–Gåsö–Grundsund | approx. 4 nm | 30 min | Fishing village, seal skerries at a distance | Everyone |
| Fiskebäckskil–Flatön | approx. 3 nm | 30–45 min | Narrow channels, 5 knots | Relaxed trip |
| Grundsund–Käringön | approx. 7 nm | 30–60 min | Island on the outer edge | Experienced skippers, good weather |
Rules and safety in Lysekil
- Speed limits: The county board (Länsstyrelsen) has set 5 knots in Norra hamnen (between Gallebergs udde and Skeppsholmen), in Södra hamnen and Grötöhamnen, outside Kristineberg in Fiskebäckskil, in Vägeröds ränna and Snäckedjupet, in Nordströmmarna at Flatön, and outside Grundsund from 1 June to 1 September. The old 15-knot limit between Lysekil and Fiskebäckskil was lifted in 2020. Limits apply where they are signposted.
- Ferries: Västtrafik ferry 847 crosses the fjord mouth all year, and a car ferry runs between Lysekil and Bokenäset. Keep clear of the ferries and do not pass close to the ferry berths.
- Seal protection: In the Gåsö archipelago (Borgmästarna, Nodräddjan, Sydräddjan and Väckopp), at Breviks skär, the Harpö skerries and Vrakskären, you may not land, or anchor within 100 metres, from 15 May to 15 July. Passing straight through without stopping is allowed.
- Bird protection: Bonden is closed from 1 March to 31 July. Kåvra is closed from 1 April to 15 July, and Gäven and Gunnarsskär from 1 April to 31 July. The protected zone is 50 metres. The full list with dates is in the county board's list of wildlife protection areas (in Swedish). Länsstyrelsen is reviewing the bird and seal protection areas, so check the signs on site and the dates before you go.
- Gullmarn: The fjord is a protected nature area and a Natura 2000 site. The right of public access applies, but on Lilla Bornö camping and open fires are banned. See the county board's Gullmarn page.
- Right of public access: The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (Naturvårdsverket) advises keeping a greater distance from houses if you moor overnight. Gardens and the private zone around homes are not covered by the right of access. You may only borrow a private jetty outside that zone for a short while, and must move if the owner needs it.
- Toilet waste: Discharging toilet waste from leisure boats is banned. The municipality has pump-out stations at Fiskhamnen, Norra hamnen, Valbodalen and on Västra kajen in Grundsund.
- Licence and alcohol: You need no licence for a leisure boat that is under 12 metres long or under 4 metres wide, whatever the engine. Only a boat at least 12 metres long and at least 4 metres wide requires a coastal skipper certificate (kustskepparintyg) or higher. This applies to foreign visitors too, see Do you need a boat licence in Sweden?. The 0.2 per mille alcohol limit applies to boats that can do 15 knots or are at least 10 metres long.
Best time for a boat trip in Lysekil
The municipal guest harbours have their high season in weeks 24–33, with shoulder seasons in weeks 14–23 and 34–43, and a winter rate from 1 December to 31 March. June to mid-August brings light evenings and busy harbours, but also the most traffic across the fjord. Late August and September are quieter. Seal protection ends on 15 July and most bird skerries open on 15 or 31 July, so late summer gives you the most freedom in the outer archipelago. Havets Hus is open all year and works well on a windy day.
FAQ
How long does it take to go by boat from Lysekil to Fiskebäckskil?
About 10–15 minutes. It is only approx. 2 nm, but expect 5 knots inside the harbours and at Kristineberg.
Can you anchor anywhere in Gullmarsfjorden?
No. Anchoring is banned within 100 metres of Långgap outside Fiskebäckskil. In the Stora Bornö reserve you may stay no more than two days in a natural harbour. The seal areas around Gåsö have an anchoring ban from 15 May to 15 July.
Can you moor at Havets Hus?
Yes, but only after contacting Havets Hus first. The jetty is small and one side is reserved. The harbour fee is paid at the Havsbadet guest harbour.
What makes Gullmarsfjorden special?
It is the largest fjord in Bohuslän and a true threshold fjord. The sill at the mouth is about 45 metres deep, while the basin inside reaches about 125 metres. Species live in the deep that are otherwise found only far down in the Skagerrak and in Arctic waters.
Do Norwegian or other foreign visitors need a boat licence?
No, not for an ordinary leisure boat under 12 metres long or 4 metres wide. The rules are the same for everyone driving a boat in Sweden, wherever they live.
Heading north? Read Smögen and Sotenäs by boat. Heading south, see Tjörn and Orust by boat.
