Faroes and Away: It's Best by Boat!tikichris

With 18 islands, innumerable islets and rock formations, and more than 1,000k of craggy coast, the best way to experience the Faroe Islands is definitely by boat. Luckily during my brief stay, I managed to climb aboard a few different Faroese vessels. As I said in my first piece about the Faroes, you should just go! When you do you be sure to make every effort to spend as much time at sea as possible island hopping and taking in the views of this rugged and beautiful island nation. Here’s a look at some of the boats I hit the water with and can happily recommend.

Traditional Wooden Boat

About 15 minutes’ drive from the airport is the ancient village of Bøur. With views of an extraordinarily unimaginable and dramatic seascape, it’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. Within minutes fo arriving in the Faroes, local guide Sigurd Nordendal had me in his traditional Faroese (motorised) wooden boat dipping in and out of sea caves, skirting along waterfalls, pointing at puffins and taking a gazillion photos. My jaw dropped and stayed in that position until we were back on land. I have no idea if regular excursions from or around Bøur are offered to the public, but it’s definitely worth looking into. Get in touch with the folks at visitfaroeislands.com about possibilities.

RIB62

Offering “a rush with a bite of culture” RIB62 does “unforgettable maritime experiences and breathtaking land adventures” which usually include dashing across a stretch of open water in a RIB boat. I enjoyed an adrenaline pumping high speed scenic tour punctuated with idyllic island stops with these guys. They took every precaution to ensure passenger safety and seemed to know the Faroese coastline and its waterways extremely well. Check ’em out online at rib62.com.

Westward Ho

Westward Ho is a British tall ship built in 1884. Docked at the Torshavn marina, the sloop has been Faroese owned since the 1890s. She’s a beauty to be sure and available for a range of private hire events. You best bet for finding out more about this ship is to visit its Facebook page at facebook.com/westwardhotn54. You can try westwardho.fo too, but at the time of this post’s publication the website was a blank page.

Vestmanna Sightseeing

My last day in the Faroes, I tagged along with the islands’ most popular tourist attraction, a ferry ride to the bird cliffs of Vestmanna. More utterly epic scenery and birdwatching galore – this time at a leisurely pace and from the picturesque little village of Vestmanna. Find out more at puffin.fo/en.

Keep an eye out for more posts in my Faroes and Away miniseries.