Koster Islands are a pure treasure
Alison Dayani enjoys the tranquil beauty and seafood delights of the small but perfectly formed Koster Islands.
No one bothers locking their doors and there are almost no cars or motorised vehicles of any kind allowed.
It may sound like a bygone era, but this is the modern day reality in the Koster Islands, a picturesque part of west coast Sweden that has just become the first protected national marine park in Scandanavia.
Surrounded by clear waters, seals bob their heads in the unique archipelago of the beautiful Kosterhavet Marine Park to peek at tranquil beaches, blushing meadows and wooden houses dotted along the shoreline.
Flying to Gothenburg, travellers can catch a train to the lovely coastal town of Strömstad, two hours away.
Make sure you take time out to browse the Strömstad streets and maybe lunch at the Rökeriet restaurant on the seafront, where owner Asa Jensen smokes everything from mackerel to mussels, fresh out of the nearby waters. Delicious.
From here, take a 45-minute ferry journey west to the beautiful and dramatic rocky scenery of the north and south Koster Islands, inhabited by only 300 people.
I was based on the southerly isle, the larger of the two at about 8km squared, staying at the cosy Sydkoster Hotel Ekenäs, right on the cliff edge, with breathtaking views of the sunrise and sunset over the water.
Nearby are sandy beaches, forests and pristine white wooden houses and churches at every turn. Walking along the sand, I pass a Thai Chi class on the water’s edge and think it sums up just how tranquil this haven is.
The real life version of all those picture-perfect posters I’ve passed a million times at Ikea.
If you venture farther – a 15 minute cycle ride or 30minutes if walking – to Långegärde, there is a shortferry ride over just a few hundred yards to Västra Bryggan and North Koster.
Lighthouses pepper the coastline of the north island, which is only 4km squared, where hidden beaches, heatherclad moors and brushwoods merge with cobblestone fields and rocks dating back to the Ice Age.
Despite being so close, there is an obvious difference from South Koster, as it is much more rugged and romantically wild. But as stunning as the land is, it is the sea and fjord that are the real attractions – this is a marine park, after all.
