Sandøy: Beaches, Trails and Cultural History

On the small, weather-exposed island of Sandøya, out in the open sea beyond Molde and Ålesund, sandy beaches, marked trails and cultural history come together. For your stay in Sandøy, you can choose from different ways to spend the day: beach time at Leira or Storsanden, a trail along the outer side of the island, or exploring historic church and harbour sites. When choosing a holiday apartment, you can consider whether the coast, outdoor activities or history will shape your holiday.

Beaches and trails

Storsanden is a large sandy beach with sand dunes. A survey by the county authority recorded sand couch, sea lyme grass and sea kale in the dunes at Storsanden in 2004. Leira is also a sandy beach, with a picnic area, benches and a windbreak. There are toilet facilities right by Prestestaua at Leira beach; check their condition before your visit.

The easy StikkUT trail runs from the ferry terminal to Leira sandy beach. The asphalt out-and-back route is 3.2 kilometres in total. Since availability can change, check the latest status before setting out. The Hauane trail offers a different experience: this varied, marked hiking trail runs along the outer side of Sandøya and partly crosses open terrain. It offers views of Ona and the Ona Fyr lighthouse. This means you can choose between an asphalt route with a beach as its destination and a trail across open terrain with scenic views.

Churches, the vicarage and the harbour

Sandøy kyrkje was the first octagonal church built in Romsdal. The Directorate for Cultural Heritage lists Sandøy kirke as a listed church in Ålesund. The revised draft of the Ålesund municipality cultural heritage plan from 2019 describes Sandøy kyrkjestad as a medieval site where a church stood before the Reformation; it is automatically protected as a heritage site.

The revised plan also classifies Prestestauå as a rare cultural heritage monument and one of four surviving vicarages in the county. It dates the harbour area of Sandøy hamn to the 19th century and the period that followed. The plan notes that a fire was lit at Varden to signal to the neighbouring islands that the vicar had arrived. The church site, vicarage, harbour and signal offer different insights into local history.

Festival and getting there

Den Blå Timen is a coastal culture festival on Sandøya, held on the last weekend of July since 2012. The programme includes concerts, an art exhibition, food and various activities. If the festival is important to your stay, check the specific dates before travelling.

The ferry journey from the Finnøya ferry terminal to Sandøy is listed as taking 15 minutes. Check the latest timetable before departure.

Discover more destinations: Harøy, Ona, Rindal, Averøy, Sula, Ørsta, Sande, Herøy.

Return to the main travel overview: More Og Romsdal.