One of the sights for which Halsnøy island is famous is Halsnøy Abbey. The Augustinian abbey was completed in 1164. The ruins of the abbey are now a museum, and part of Sunnhordland Museum. The abbey is the venue for a number of cultural events held throughout the year. Just beside the abbey are lovely hiking trails and a cultural trail.

West of the abbey you can actually find a road called End of the World (Verdens Ende).

The heart of Halsnøy is the village of Sæbøvik. SPAR Sæbøvik forms a natural hub. There are gift shops, a bakery and a cultural centre in Sæbøvik. Sæbøvik’s popular marina is a natural stopping-off point for boat tourists in the summer. There is also parking for camper vans.

Other accommodation options in Sæbøvik are holiday homes and cabins. Many of these also provide the use of a boat, which means that you can make fishing trips on the fjord part of your holiday. The island has plenty of places to visit on short and long hikes.

Halsnøy is connected to the mainland and the rest of Kvinnherad municipality via the Halsnøy Tunnel. This is a toll-free tunnel. Husnes village is 15 minutes from Halsnøy.

The island is shaped rather like an S, and at the narrowest point, you can see the sea at both sides. The island is about 17 kilometres from west to east, and there are ferry quays at both ‘ends’ – Ranavik and Sydnes.

The islands of Fjelbergøya and Borgundøya are Halsnøy’s closest island neighbours.

Activities at Halsnøy

Hike to Sydnessåta

Location Halsnøy, Fatland Map Fritidskartet Halsnøy–Fjelberg, scale 1:20 000 The map can be purchased at Øybutikken (General Store), Sæbøvik and AG Tre, Sæbøvik, or from Arne Gjerde, 5458 Arnavik, tel. 53 48 22 10. Start and stopping point The parking lot by Gilo at Fatland. Marked by signs from the main road towards Sydnes. Parking Drive past the traffic roundabout at Tofte and turn towards Høylandsbygd/Sydnes. Turn right towards Sydnes after approx. 500 meters. After passing the marina in Arnavik, drive approx. 1 km to the sign pointing to the left for 100 meters to the parking lot. Marking Information Board by the parking lot. Signs and T Markings Grading Blue Moderate hike, two boots according to the DNT system. Difference in altitude 60 - 232m AMSL Estimated time 2.5 hours round trip 3.5 hours if you take the round track, see map. Recommended advice There are some wet areas. The trip around Fatlandsvatnet is recommended, see under "Overview". Overview Follow the signs from the parking lot for approx. 100 meters to right behind a small cluster of houses to the path southeast towards Sydnessåta. There is a steep incline the last 80 height meters towards the top. Around the top there is a burial mound from the Migration Age. One can wonder who was buried up on the top, 234m AMSL more than 1500 years ago. If you wish to extend the trip and turn it into a round trip, you may go down the marked path at the east side of the top and turn left until you reach the path you walked up on. From here, there is 200 meters to the fork where you turn right onto the forest road down in Lóndalen Valley to a plantation. Follow the forest road around Lake Fatlandsvatnet to the parking place.

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