Making the most of Hopen
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Ships moor or anchor here, and passengers are tendered to shore by Zodiacs when conditions permit.
Sightseeing
Svalbard is the Norwegian name for this archipelago, which includes Bear Island and Jan Mayen, although it is commonly known as Spitsbergen. Almost as large as the Republic of Ireland, Spitsbergen has 3,500 residents spread across five settlements and remains largely unspoilt wilderness.
Only 600 miles from the North Pole, this genuine High Arctic archipelago is shaped by rugged mountains, broad tundra, ice caps and glaciers.
Its plentiful wildlife once attracted whalers and trappers. Today's visitors instead come for vast Arctic seabird colonies and opportunities to observe and photograph Walrus, Reindeer, Arctic Fox and, of course, Polar Bear.
Hopen Island is a small, remote island off the southeast coast of Spitsbergen Island in the Svalbard archipelago. Sparse vegetation supports polar bears and foxes, and there is a small radio and weather station.
Food and shopping
Visitors are expected to remove their shoes before entering most Svalbard buildings, including certain shops and hotels. Public buildings make the custom clear with an entrance shoe rack usually piled with dirty walking boots.
Money
The Norwegian krone (NOK) is used throughout, including in Russian settlements.
Staying connected
Norwegian is the official language, while Russian is spoken in Barentsburg. Almost everyone working in tourism speaks English.
Svalbard has an excellent internet connection because NASA rents substantial capacity on undersea fibre-optic cables running along the seabed to mainland Norway for its local experiments.
Opening Hours and
Norwegian and Russian public holidays are observed in their respective settlements, alongside several noteworthy local festivals:
- At January's end, Polar Jazz offers jazz, blues and bluegrass across 4-5 days.
- Sunfest Week, around March 8th, celebrates the conclusion of the polar night.
- The Blues Festival at the end of October marks the coming winter with an appropriately blues-focused programme.
- KunstPause Svalbard is held around 14 November, timing its arts programme to the start of the polar night.