The last stops of our 10 day road trip in northern Finland on the west coast, first at the famous dunes and beaches of Kalajoki and then on a tiny green little island by the Pyhäjoki river before returning to Oulu to take the train home via friends from there.
Kalajoki was beautiful in a very untypical way for Finland:
Top Camping in Kalajoki is the biggest camping I have ever been. It was very well maintained, they have clean facilities, good playgrounds and plenty of activities such as rental pedal cars, adventure track in the trees, surf shops (most come with a small added fee)… In the middle of the camping was a restaurant too, we didn’t check out what it offered.
We do wish the receptionist upon arrival would have told us there would be a band playing till midnight in the middle of the camping and that here the silence is only from midnight till 6 am. Hence, if people want to sleep, another place maybe preferable. We were also disappointed by the night guard who didn’t even attempt to talk to our neighbours that partied till 6.20am. The guard was just saying that “they are young, what am I suppose to say to them?” At 4am he finally called the police (I thought a night guard could have talked to them first…) when also some others in tents were asking him to interfere with the full on disco right next to us.
So no sleep but a beautiful spot. I’ll be happy to go there during the day another time too, and if I go in the night, I’ll be prepared to party. The band was actually quite good (the music of the loud neighbours less in my taste. Especially at the same time).
We did have a very pleasant but super windy day at the beach barbecuing and playing with some friends next day though.
While Kalajoki camping was out of the question for the next night (there’d be a band and the same neighbours the following night too), we drove half an hour to the north and found a lovely little camping on a tiny green island called Kielosaari in Pyhäjoki. It is a complete opposite to Kalajoki camping, quiet, cute, older facilities (but a new playground so hopefully they tend to maintain the whole place) but still clean, green, no sand at all but we fell asleep to the sound of the river just a few meters away. The service was warm and the cafe very pleasant too. My son loved the car mat in the cafe and otherwise Pooh sticks were something kids remembered even after the trip. We would absolutely be happy to come here again!
Free But Fun 
[…] and Saana – Skibotn in Norway – Levi – Ranua – Oulu – Raahe – Kalajoki – Pyhäjoki – Oulu – husband off to work by car, me and the kids by train first to Seinäjoki and […]
I meant Kalajoki; so sorry!
Good to hear it’s not always rowdy there!
Wonderful post. We have been in Nallikari many times during years. We have hires cottages, then no noise disturbs.
In one of my next month’s post, You will see my post from Nallikari also – old and newer photos.
Happy weekend!
This was actually in Kalajoki, not Oulu anymore 🙂 but even there maybe some cottages further away would have provided more shelter..? I’ve only stayed twice in Nallikari but on neither time was there any excessive noise either.
Reminds me of some German islands…