The rather recently opened Sandoyartunnilin (Sandoy Tunnel) allowed me to travel to the Southern island of the Faroe Islands for the first time of my life. Unfortunately, I had some timing and organizational issues, so that I did not have as much time as I expected to have there. Nonetheless, I felt, it is absolutely worth sharing some impressions from there, based on my September 2024 visit. Let’s take you to another Flyctory.com Pictured Story.
Sandoy – Location & Transport
Regarding the area, Sandoy is the fifth largest islands of the Faroe Islands. There are only roughly 1,200 inhabitants, which leads to a population density of some eleven people per square kilometer. This also means that relatively small villages are rather widely separated from each other. The main settlement of the island is Sandur, where almost half of the population of the island is living. The major island on the North is Streymoy, where also the capital Torshavn is located. In the South, there is the larger and significantly more populated island of Suduroy. There is no ferry between the islands, but discussions about an additional sub-sea tunnel. Sandoy is, however, the gateway to the little island of Skuvoy.
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There are overall two possibilities to get to Sandoy. The Sandoyartunnilin replaced the ferry service and is the most convenient option. If you go for that option, this typically means you have a rental car and gives you the best options to travel around on the island. The tunnel also opened the opportunity to travel from Torshavn to Sandur by public bus. There are a few services per day and a bus connection between the main settlements of the island. There is no heliport for the scheduled helicopter services by Atlantic Airways on the island.
Honestly, Sandur is a very practical spot for your Sandoy trip, as it features gas stations and grocery stores – but I did not like it that much from a photographic perspective. There will be a separate Pictured Story of a short road trip I took from there to the West Coast, though. I thus headed to the Southeast. The first village I passed was Husavik. There is an equivalently-named city, which is one of my favorite spots in Iceland, so avoid confusion. This place is having some 120 inhabitants. It is beautifully located in a small bay at the East coast. Especially the turf-roofed church and the traditional buildings are eye-catchers.
A narrow one-lane street (with turnout spots) heads on to Dalur. There will be a tunnel from Husavik to Dalur soon, which will ease the commute, but therefor reduces Faroese road trip romantics. When you come via the traditional road, Dalur is located in a valley of a bay and is thus absolutely picturesque. Tourists may especially like staying at the camping ground next to the Atlantic Ocean. I absolutely enjoyed having a short stay there.
I had an overnight at Skalavik, which is a little smaller than Husavik. There are two places for accommodation. The city is also known as a good starting point for hikes. However, you won’t find dining services, gas stations or grocery stores there. Again, it is a typical Faroese harbor town.
