Northern lights in Bodø

Viewing spots

• Keiservarden car park Large car park on the plateau below Bodø’s favourite viewpoint mountain, a short drive from the centre, with the sea… Mostly dark skyAbout 3 min from Bodø
• Mjelle beach Sandy beach about half an hour’s drive north-east of Bodø, facing the open sea and well away from the town lights. Dark skyAbout 25 min from Bodø
• Saltstraumen The world-famous tidal current south-east of Bodø; the swirling water under the aurora makes a striking foreground… Mostly dark skyAbout 15 min from Bodø
• Kjerringøy Coastal peninsula about 40 minutes north of Bodø with its old trading post, sandy bays and very little light; a calm… Dark skyAbout 44 min from Bodø
• Ureddplassen · Gildeskål Award-winning Norwegian Scenic Route rest area with a nine-metre terrace and concrete steps down to the beach, facing… Very dark skyAbout 1 h 11 from Bodø
• Storvika beach · Gildeskål Norwegian Scenic Route rest area where a stone-vault bridge leads down to a mile-long sandy beach; toilets open all… Dark skyAbout 1 h 03 from Bodø
• Godøystraumen rest area Norwegian Scenic Route rest area at the narrow Godøystraumen tidal stream near Saltstraumen: a quieter, darker… Dark skyAbout 20 min from Bodø
• Kjellingstraumen rest area · Fv17 Main rest area with toilets on the Fv17 coastal route (Nordfjorden) at Ytre Kjelling, Gildeskål, by the… Mostly dark skyAbout 33 min from Bodø
• Kvikstaheia rest area · Fv812 Rest area on Kulturveien (Fv812) at Kvikstad, Bodø municipality, on the road between Saltstraumen and Misvær. Mostly dark skyAbout 31 min from Bodø
• Ravik car park · Sandhornøy Unpaved car park beside Sandhornøyveien (Fv7438) at Ravik on Sandhornøy, Gildeskål. Visit Bodø names Sandhornøy as a… Mostly dark skyAbout 30 min from Bodø
• Bøsanden beach · Engeløya Beach car park with toilets at Bøsanden on the north side of Engeløya, Steigen. Visit Bodø: 'The northern side of… Mostly dark skyAbout 1 h 57 from Bodø
• Tranøy lighthouse car park · Hamarøy Car park at Tranøy lighthouse at the northern tip of Hamarøy. Visit Bodø: 'At the northern tip of Hamarøy, you'll find… Mostly dark skyAbout 2 h 42 from Bodø

Drive times are estimates from Bodø by straight-line distance, as the app estimates them before it knows your route; ferries and winter closures are not counted.

Good to know in Bodø

• Short drives beat the city lights Visit Bodø suggests getting just outside the city: the Keiservarden car park is minutes from the centre, and Mjelle or Saltstraumen are within about half an hour. The season runs from September to April. Source
• Mild, changeable coastal weather Bodø has a mild winter for its latitude, but weather off the sea changes fast. Check the hourly cloud forecast and be ready to drive towards Saltstraumen or inland towards Fauske when the coast clouds over. Source

Nearby destinations

• Lofoten 100 km
• Helgeland 110 km
• Hemavan 170 km
• Vesterålen 170 km
• Narvik 180 km
• Harstad 190 km