Experience Hållö Island on Sweden’s West Coast

Just a 10-minute boat ride south from the bustling town of Smögen you´ll find Hållö, the main island of the archipelago and nature preserve with the same name. This pink granite landscape was shaped for thousands of years during the last ice age, creating a unique, barren beauty. In the middle of the island, the historic red and white Hållö Lighthouse stands watch stoically, and on its western side, you´ll find the popular bathing cliffs of Marmorbassängen. 

Hållö is a great way to experience the archipelagos of the West Coast up close for those of us who don’t own a boat. The cheap ferry rides make it easy to access and it’s a trip I make pretty much every time I visit Smögen. Take a walk around the nature reserve, climb the lighthouse, and go for a swim in the sea. You can even stay the night at the outpost, giving you a taste of life as a lighthouse keeper.

Getting to Hållö

Getting to Hållö during the busy summer season is both easy and cheap as the Hållö Ferry leaves from Smögen every 30 minutes. Currently, a roundtrip ticket is only 125 SEK for adults and 65 SEK for kids. You´ll find the ferry docked by the Smögen jetty, right here. Make sure that you bring cash to pay for the trip unless you have access to the Swedish payment app Swish, card payment is not an option. The last ride back is at 17:00 so make sure to keep an eye on the clock unless you have a night booked at Utpost Hållö.

If you are going to Hållö outside of the main season of July and August the ferry schedule is not as regular. During May, June, and September it runs on Saturdays if the weather is good. I recommend contacting the ferryman, Stig, just to make sure. You can find his contact information here, the website is unfortunately only in Swedish but with the help of Google Translate you can find up-to-date times and prices.

Hållö nature reserve

When I step off the ferry at Hållö I often start my visit by taking a hike around the island. Glaciers have slowly ground away at the rock, shaping them over thousands of years. The result is a rocky landscape that seems to flow as waves, with many giant kettles to discover. The seemingly barren landscape of the nature preserve is very beautiful and a full lap around the island takes about 2 – 2,5 hours. Time well spent before enjoying a dip in the sea.

The Hållö Archipelago nature preserve basically consists of Hållö and its western neighbour Sälö along with the smaller islets surrounding them. In total, it covers 2,9 km2 and, despite the lack of soil to grow in, more than a hundred plant species grow here. Hållö is also home to many seabirds and is a popular destination for bird watchers.

Marmorbassängen – Take a swim in the “Marble Pool”

While the lighthouse might be the main attraction of Hållö, it’s Marmorbassängen that keeps people coming back. Marmorbassängen translates into “the Marble Pool”, a name it earned by the contrasting beauty of the pink granite cliffs and the turquoise waters. During the summer season, you´ll find ladders that make it convenient to get in and out of the water. Ofcourse, you can also get in pretty much anywhere just by jumping from the cliffs. The bay is quite shallow, so after a couple of days of sun the temperature in the water gets rather pleasant.

When the sun is shining the smooth rocks and the crystal clear, turquoise water makes for quite a magical display of color. Marmorbassängen has an almost Mediterranean feeling to it. It’s one of my favorite spots to go for a swim at the Swedish West Coast but unfortunately, I´m not the only one. The pool can get quite busy during the peak season so if you have the option, I would avoid going on weekends during this time. Luckily, there’s plenty of room to lounge comfortably, so if your schedule lacks flexibility, I still recommend going.

The historic Hållö lighthouse

Hållö lighthouse was lit for the first time back in 1842 and is the oldest lighthouse in all of Bohuslän. However, the initial construction was a bit of a disappointment since the lighthouse was obscured by the neighboring island of Sälö. In 1968 improvements were made and a 5-meter tall steel section was added to the original stone structure. The result is the iconic 20-meter red and white lighthouse that still stands here 180 years later.

From late June until mid-August the lighthouse is open to the public, with guides on site to tell the history of the lighthouse and its surroundings. In the building next to it you´ll find a small exhibition of Hållö. There’s also an information point where you can find brochures with information about the Swedish West Coast. Even if you aren’t really into lighthouse history it can still be fun to just walk up the stairs and check out the view.

Stay the night at Hållö

If you want to stay the night at Hållö there’s a hostel located on the island and that’s actually your only option. As previously mentioned, the island is a nature reserve so raising a tent is prohibited. The name of the hostel is Utpost Hållö and it houses 42 beds split over 12 different rooms. Keep in mind that this is not exactly a luxury hotel and you will have to bring your own food to the island as there is no restaurant or store available.

Unless you want the full lighthouse keeper adventure I would recommend that you instead book a stay in Smögen or even Kungshamn. If you want to spoil yourself a bit, a personal favorite is Smögens Hafvsbad, the local spa and hotel. From experience, I would say that you can easily see all that Hållö has to offer in one day. If you do happen to fall in love with bathing in Marmorbassängen, just take the ferry again the next day.

Keep this in mind when planning your trip to Hållö

• Peak season is during July and August, it has the best weather but also the biggest crowds. Consider visiting in mid-June or the beginning of September.
• Bring food and drinks for your whole stay. There’s a café by Utpost Hållö but it’s only open for 6 weeks during peak season.
• Bathrooms can be found at two locations, one close to Utpost Hållö and one between the old lighthouse keeper’s home and where the ferry docks.
• The water is deep by Marmorbassängen, keep an eye on your kids and consider lifevests.
• Bring good footwear if you plan on exploring the island.