Saltstraumen

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Saltstraumen is the Great Outdoors at Kystriksveien, 8056 Saltstraumen, Norway

Saltstraumen is the strongest tidal current in the world, a churning strait a short drive southeast of Bodø, in Nordland in northern Norway. The numbers are staggering. Four times a day, as the tide turns, enormous volumes of water force through a narrow channel barely 150 metres wide, reaching speeds of around 40 kilometres an hour and spinning off whirlpools several metres across. The roar and boil of it draws crowds to the shore and the road bridge that arches overhead. All that moving water makes the strait extraordinarily rich in fish, and Saltstraumen is famous among sea anglers for its huge cod and coalfish. Times of the strongest flow are published in advance, so visitors can catch the spectacle at its most violent. Bodø lies just north of the Arctic Circle at around 67°N, well inside the auroral zone, and on a clear winter night the northern lights over the dark, seething water make an unforgettable sight.

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Where to find Saltstraumen?

67°13'51"N, 14°36'50"E

Aurora hunting in Bodø?

The aurora season here runs from September to March, with the best chances of seeing the Northern Lights in October, February and March.

What do people think of Saltstraumen?

  • The strongest current time differs each day. Check the tide times before you go to ensure you're there at the right time.

    W C13 January 2017

  • Nature at its best!

    Jenneke K23 May 2015

  • Strong tides and confused currents. Beautiful scenary. RIB safaris are also available with Stella Polaris

    Espiranza B25 October 2014

  • Elvegården camping

    Ylva A5 August 2014

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