Things To Do in Bodo

The Maelstrom -- From Bodø, you can take a bus to the mighty maelstrom, the Saltstraumen Eddy, 33km (20 miles) south of the city. The variation between high- and low-tide levels pushes immense volumes of water through narrow fjords, creating huge whirlpools known as "kettles." When the eddies and the surrounding land vibrate, they produce an odd yelling sound. Saltstraumen is nearly 3.3km (2 miles) long and only about 167m (548 ft.) wide, with billions of gallons of water pressing through at speeds of about 10 knots. Buses from Bodø run five times a day Monday to Saturday, twice on Sunday. The cost is NOK75 ($15/£7.50) for adults round-trip, half-price for children 11 and under. A round-trip taxi excursion costs NOK550 ($110/£55) for two passengers.

Visiting a Glacier -- One of Norway's major tourist attractions, Svartisen Glacier was previewed under Mo i Rana but can also be visited south of Bodø. About 161km (100 miles) from Bodø, the glacier can be reached by car, although a boat crossing over the Svartisenfjord is more exciting to us. Tours to the glacier on the Helgeland Express, a combination bus-and-ferry excursion, are offered from Bodø several times in the summer (usually every second Sat July to Aug). The cost is NOK600 ($120/£60) for adults, NOK400 ($80/£40) for children 15 and under. The tours leave Bodø at 1pm and return around 8pm on the same day. You can go ashore to examine the Engaglacier and see the nearby visitor center (tel. 75-75-10-00). The local tourist office can provide more information and make reservations. Depending on ice conditions, the visitor center may be able to arrange boat transportation across a narrow but icy channel so that you can have a closer look at the ice floe.