Outdoors Finland: Adventures Exploring Finland by Kayaking, Biking, Boating, Hiking & Horse Riding

Returning to Finland, aside from getting married, has been one of the true highlights of our summer. With a six day itinerary focused chiefly around outdoors adventures we engaged in a plethora of different activities including kayaking, hiking, boating, standup paddle boarding, biking, cycling and horseback riding in Helsinki and around other areas situated nearby the Finnish Archipelago. Overall, it was a great introduction to the opportunities that exist in Finland for outside exploration and adventure. Although our time visiting Finland was brief, we’re already excited about potentially returning here again.

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Our 6 Day Adventure Exploring Finland by Kayaking, Biking, Boating, Hiking & Horse Riding:

Day 1 in Finland:

Arriving in Helsinki and visiting Lonna Island | Finland Vlog Day 1

Day 2 in Finland:

Biking and Kayaking in Helsinki | Finland Vlog Day 2

Day 3 in Finland:

Hiking in Nuuksio National Park and Kayaking in Kasnäs | Finland Vlog Day 3

Day 4 in Finland:

Horse Riding, Boating Adventure & Drinking Salmiakki | Finland Vlog Day 4

Day 5 in Finland:

Exploring Hanko by boat and bicycle & cooking Finnish cuisine | Finland Vlog Day 5

Day 6 in Finland:

Stand up paddle boarding (SUP) and Finnish Sauna | Finland Vlog Day 6

Aside from our outside adventure activities we also had the opportunity to sample various kinds of Finnish cuisine and we even had the chance to prepare our own Finnish meal. Aside from cooking Finnish food, one of my favorite things I was able to try was Salmiakki which I’ve now had in candy, chocolate, ice cream and spirit form.

For those visiting Finland enjoying outdoors activities in nature is an absolute must. Walking through trails in the woods or exploring remote island forests by kayaking are two of the top highlights that I recommend the most.

Music in this video courtesy of Audio Network

This is part of our Travel in Finland series. We’re making a series of videos showcasing Finnish culture, Finnish arts, Finnish foods, Finnish religion and Finnish people.

Proudly presented by: http://nomadicsamuel.com , http://smilingfacestravelphotos.com , http://thatbackpacker.com & http://backpacking-travel-blog.com

All photos and video taken by Samuel Jeffery (Nomadic Samuel) and Audrey Bergner (That Backpacker).

Surprise, surprise, surprise! We are back in Finland almost one year to the day that we left. This is awesome. This is one of my favorite countries in all of Europe. Most people when they arrive sometimes they go and freshen up.

They might splash a little water on their faces or maybe go to the washroom after a long nine hour flight. But no. What is the first thing that I do – get my Salmiakki candy. I’ve been craving this for over a year and I’ve already ate half of the bag and I’m having

Even more now. So good! What we’re about to show you is called dinner in the sky. You are going to see some people sitting up on a table, just hanging from a crane. Look for yourself! The port area or market square appears to be even bigger and busier than last time year.

It is just bustling with activity and there is a Ferris Wheel right over there. A bit hot and tired are we? Oh my gosh, so sweaty and tired. I need a shower and a bed. And you know what – this is easily the hottest day we’ve ever experienced in Finland. Yes.

It is over thirty. We’re back in jail. We stayed here last year. We did. Let’s check out the room. Come on in. This room here used to be a jail cell which explains why the windows are so high up, so the prisoners couldn’t escape.

Also, they have really thick curtains here in Finland and that is because during the summer the sun just stays up a really long time. You wouldn’t be able to sleep otherwise. We’re back in Finland on an eight day adventure and we plan on shooting a daily vlog.

Basically what we want to do is just show you exactly what we’re doing and what it is like to be in Finland in the summer – both in the city and outside in the countryside doing more adventure types of activities. We just arrived at Lonna Island.

This used to be a former military island and it has just opened to the public this summer, so we’re going to check it out. It was a really cool meal. We had grilled fish and potatoes. And that is just like the quintessential Finnish summer meal.

It’s our first full day in Finland and it is finally breakfast time. We actually woke up at two thirty in the morning because we were jet lagged and then the sun slowly started coming up at like four thirty in the morning. We’ve been waiting for this for a long time. Someone is hungry.

Yes. That was a really filling breakfast. I think we’re both just stuffed. We’re going to go on a very small walk around jail hotel and show you the sites. They have a really cool little garden where it appears they’re growing their own vegetables.

It is a beautiful day to be outdoors today and we are all geared up to go on a bike ride. We are going to be taking a tour of Helsinki. How is it going so far? Oh, I’m getting a workout here. You look really silly with your ball cap and helmet on top.

Come on, I’m starting a new fashion trend over here. This is what is considered cool these days. Oh really? No, definitely not. But what is cool is that just getting outside of Helsinki, a few kilometers, you’re out right in the woods. This is amazing. Let’s do a 360.

We just finished our four hour long bike ride around Helsinki and next up we’re going kayaking. Right now it is nine PM. It is still bright out and I think we’re supposed to be back at midnight, so let’s go.

Normally I like to do a single kayak because I don’t really trust Sam on the water but I’ve been talked into this double kayak for newlywed couples. Teamwork. Except, I’m the only one paddling because you’re sitting back there filming. Yep, that’s about right.

Enjoy a few beers in the back of the double kayak. Yep, I’ll just have the beers, sit back and let her do all of the work. Right, Audrey? Oh, hush. Paddle. Paddle faster. Argh. No, don’t make it wobble. I’m going to tip it over. Wobble, wobble, wobble, wobble. Sam! That is not.

Okay, stop it. It is eleven thirty now and we are paddling back home in the dark with nothing but the moon and our lights to guide us. It is day three in Finland and today we are going for a walk in the woods. We’re here at Nuuksio National Park.

On today’s outing we learned about Every Man’s Right in Finland. This is a traditional Finnish concept that allows people to camp out freely, to pick berries and mushrooms in the wild, to fish with a rod and line, and to walk, cycle, or ski anywhere on the land.

To sum it up, Every Man’s Right means that everyone is free to enjoy the land. Where are you right now? Right now I’m in a woodshed and what is really cool is that the Finnish government provides wood for all of the National Parks. You can go out and make a fire here. Har!

Har! Except, you don’t have any firewood. After hiking for a while, we cooked some sausages and enjoyed some sandwiches by the lake. It was a great way to spend a summer afternoon in Finland. And we’re kayaking again today. It is eight o’clock right now. It is calm. It is peaceful outside.

It is still very light and we have the golden rays of the sun shining down on the water. Today is day four of our Finnish adventure and we are going to be going horseback riding. Now let’s go meet our Icelandic horses. What makes Icelandic horses different is that they have very gentle characters.

Also, while they may be smaller in stature, they are actually very strong horses. We’re making our first stop of the morning. We’re visiting a local flea market. In here it is a mix of antiques, dishware and clothes. That was a lot of fun.

My horse, Farri, turned out to be a really hungry boy. He just kept stopping for grass and for flowers along the way but we got to see the countryside and I really enjoyed it. A cool fact that we’ve learned while in Finland is that there is thirteen thousand trees for every Finn.

That is a lot of trees. Finland’s archipelago is made up of thousands of little islands, so one of the best ways to get around is by boat. Our guide took us out to visit a former military island which is now home to little summer cottages.

We had a cute German pointer join us, keeping us entertained. We are now on an island called Bolax and this used to be a former military island. Now we have a special guide with us and he is going to take us inside an old canon. Let’s go climb in.

Along the way we got to see sailboat races and a nesting ospreys. Okay, Sam what are you having today? Salmiakki! Salmiakki! I’m going to down it. One shot. One shot. Oh, that is awesome. What does it taste like Sam? Just like Salmiakki. Sam-iakki. This is shot number three.

This is shot number three and it is going down in one blast. Watch this. Oh, so yummy. Is there a forth one? That is amazing. That is so good. There you go. Are you serious? Is it better than the sweets? Why not? Sam, is it better than the sweets? My liver just flipped.

Another bottle for Sam? I’ve got to go to the washroom. Day five in Finland. This morning we’re taking a speed boat from Kasnas to Hanko. Ready for some adventure guys? Yeah! Yes! Finland’s archipelago region, which is part of the Baltic Sea, is home to thousands of small islands.

The rib boat was a fun way to experience the natural scenery of this area. Plus it got us to the port town of Hanko in record time. Woo! We just arrived here in Hanko and we’ve picked up our Sun Fun bikes and we’re going to go on a little tour of the city.

Hanko is a small town that sits on the shores of the Baltic Sea, and it also happens to be the southernmost point in all of Finland. This is a popular summer destination, where Finns rent villas by the sea. Everything about the town felt laid-back and relaxed.

Our afternoon in Hanko was spent doing a little bit of hiking and plenty of biking past ponds, through forests, and along the beach. So you just made some new friends! Bah bah! I’m just hanging out with my new friends here the sheep.

We’re visiting a farm and I guess what we’re going to be doing here is selecting some ingredients – some vegetables and different things – and we’re going to be cooking our own meal tonight. Oh, yes! So neither of us realized this is actually an electric fence and we both just got zapped.

That’s an electric fence. We just finished our bike ride where we got to visit a few local farms and now we’re going to be cooking a meal with all of those local ingredients. Let’s go to the kitchen. Peeling time. I’m in charge of potatoes. Don’t eat all of my whip cream.

I said one bite because you want to be in the video. Mmmm, one more. One more. That’s so mean. Alright, so this is day six in Finland and this morning we are going to try stand up paddle boarding.

Apparently, this is a sport that has been around since the 60’s but it has only become really popular in the last three years. I’ve never done this before so I hope my balance is really good. And if there is one person that is most likely to fall in it is definitely me.

I would agree. Fingers crossed. Our guide attempted teaching us to paddle both the Hawaiian and the Tahitian way, but most of us were concerned about not falling in to the waters of the chilly Baltic Sea. Okay, Mr. Wobble Wobble are you ready?

I bet I’m going to be the only one who actually falls in. Like a cat on the water. Worse than a cat on the water. Okay, Sam is going to attempt standing up. Let’s see how this goes. Oh, it looks like he’s got it.

Our first time stand up paddle boarding turned out to be a lot of fun, and we were lucky to have calm waters to practice. Audrey was a natural. I on the other hand, had a little trouble dismounting. Hahaha! Oh my gosh. Did you get it on film? That is not the best way.

Dock fail. When in Finland you absolutely have to experience a sauna. Apparently, there are five million Finns and three million saunas. We’re going to go in and try one. I absolutely love the sauna.

When I lived in Korea I used to go almost weekly, so this is going to be a lot of fun. Okay, let’s go in. Finnish sauna is typically enjoyed naked with friends and family, but we kept it PG13 for you guys. You’re welcome!