Ytre Hvaler National Park – Norway’s First Marine National Park
Ytre Hvaler Archipelago is a coastal archipelago in Østfold, Norway. The archipelago includes Norway's first marine national park and many islands, reefs and shoreline access points.
- Thomas Andersen - www.vikenfotovideo.no
About Ytre Hvaler Archipelago
The Ytre Hvaler archipelago includes islands, skerries, shallow channels and open sea along the outer Oslofjord. Much of the area lies within Ytre Hvaler National Park, established in 2009 as Norway’s first marine national park. Most of the protected area is underwater and includes kelp forests, seabed habitats and cold-water coral communities.
Above water, visitors encounter fishing settlements, lighthouses, beaches and rocky islands shaped by long use of the sea. There is no single park entrance: public ferries, private boats, coastal paths and visitor sites provide different access. Navigation, landing and wildlife rules vary across the archipelago, and some islands have sensitive nesting areas. Understanding the national park therefore requires attention to both the visible shoreline and the less obvious marine environment below it.
Visiting Ytre Hvaler Archipelago
Choose a confirmed island, ferry route or public shoreline site and check landing and reserve rules before departure. Use charts and appropriate safety equipment on the water, keep distance from nesting birds and never anchor in protected or vulnerable habitats.
