On Gotska Sandön there is no harbour, which means that conditions for boarding and disembarking the tour boat are special. To visit Gotska Sandön, you need to be able to manage these transfers and also be able to walk in uneven terrain to your accommodation.

The lack of a harbour and the island’s sandy nature make it difficult to access for people with physical limitations.

Seasons in Gotska Sandön National Park

The visitor season begins in late May when the tour boat starts running to the island. At this time of year, the island’s deciduous forests turn green. The orchids vit skogslilja and purpurknipprot bloom. Wild strawberries ripen. Större korsnäbb gather in large numbers at the pond in Kapellänget and at the bird baths in Fyrbyn. Along the beaches, gulls, terns, oystercatchers and others have their chicks, and eiders swim with their young. Seals sunbathe on the rocks at Säludden. Sometimes you can hear sommargylling and lundsångare in the deciduous woodland. The lärkfalk can be heard calling in the forests. With luck, you may find gula kantareller. The grass in Kapellänget and around Gamla gården is cut.

There are always two site managers on the island year‑round, but there are no guided activities or visitor services outside the visitor season.

Autumn is a good time for birdwatching on Gotska Sandön. It often becomes windy and temperatures drop slowly, but it remains mild thanks to the sea. Mushrooms grow in abundance and lingonberries are ripe. Birds start their migration south again. The young white‑tailed eagles now fly around together with their parents.

Spring is also a good time for birdwatching. Grey seals stay around the island throughout the season.

During winter, the island rests except along the shores, where storms reshape sand and gravel. In a cold winter, ice can build up and at times form ridges along the beaches.