About Hidra

Hidra stretches out over 20.4 square kilometers at the edge of the sea in Flekkefjord municipality. Here you will find an archipelago, cultural landscapes, nearly 300 meter high “mountain peaks”, bathing waters and sheltered coves. In Kirkehamn and Rasvåg, white-painted southern houses are located in clusters with narrow alleys and rose gardens. About 550 permanent residents create a vibrant coastal community with a kindergarten, school and workplaces. In the summer, cottagers and visitors ensure a bustling life between houses, islets and sea.

Some facts: Here the sea meets the land! Fishing and sea travel have provided the basis for settlement since the first people arrived on the Sørland coast. Hidra has a cultural history that stretches back to the end of the last ice age. The oldest archaeological find is a 9,500-year-old pickaxe that is probably made of walrus tusk, the ivory of the sea. Furthermore, stone axes and flint tools have been found in large quantities, a runestone from the 5th century, a gold treasure from the Late Iron Age and a pair of leather trousers from the Middle Ages. In more recent times, the naturally sheltered harbors on the island have been central to Norwegian sailing ships. In the middle of the exposed coastlines of Jæren in the west and Lista in the east, ships found shelter when the northwesterly winds blew directly from the North Sea. And it is still this contrast that makes Hidra unique to visit today; sheltered coves and open sea.

Directions: To get to Hidra, you start in Flekkefjord. It is a 15-minute drive to the ferry terminal at Kvellandstrand. From there, the ferry takes 7 minutes across the 350-meter-wide Hidrasundet that separates the island from the mainland. From here, it is 8 km to Rasvåg and 6 km to Kirkehamn. The road network on Hidra is shaped like a slightly crooked Y. It starts at the ferry terminal on the north side of the island. From the middle of the island, which is divided in two by a canal, one arm of the Y extends westward towards Kirkehamn, and the other arm extends southward to Rasvåg. Signposted parking spaces can be found in Rasvåg and Kirkehamn, and where the path to Hågåsen starts. Our recommendation is to experience the island from the seat of an electric bike. The distances and roads are well suited to an electric bike. Then you have the freedom to follow your own pace, and to take detours where you cannot reach by car. See all our offers for experiences, food and drink and accommodation