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Haapasaari harbour bay on a summer day: boats at jetties and buoys, red boathouses and houses on the shore, with boat bows and a Finnish flag in the foreground.

Photo: Niera / Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab) (cropped).

Haapasaari by boat – a village of pilots and fishermen in Kotka's outer archipelago

Haapasaari is an old pilot and fishing village in Kotka's outer archipelago. The village has a wooden church completed in the 1850s and the island's own co-operative shop, which has been running since 1907. The guest jetty is in front of the church, and from there you can walk straight into the village lanes.

Details checked against sources in October 2026.

See rental boats on Friilo (opens in a new tab)See the route to Haapasaari

Services on site

  • Guest jetty
  • Drinking water
  • Toilet
  • Sauna
  • Café
  • Shop

Many services are only open in the summer season, so check opening hours on the destination's website.

Why go to Haapasaari?

There are many shoals and rocks around Haapasaari, and seafarers of old named the place Perkeleenkarit. Alongside fishing and seal hunting, piloting was one of the island's main livelihoods, and pilotage was carried out on the island for more than 300 years. In the past the islanders traded as far afield as St Petersburg, Estonia and Poland. Pilotage moved permanently to the mainland in 1966.

The fishing village has grown up around the sheltered Kylänlahti bay: the buildings of Vestinpuoli on the western side of the bay are older, and the houses of Uustinpuoli on the eastern side date from after the land reallocation. Puokki, the pilots' lookout tower that was completed in 1862 and stands on the island's highest rock, is still the island's landmark. Haapasaari was a municipality of its own until it was merged with Kotka in 1974.

The village's current wooden church was built in 1858–1859 and holds about 250 people. The church is in use in summer. The island's earlier prayer house already appears on a nautical chart from 1741.

The co-operative shop has served the island's residents and visitors since 1907, and it is the smallest independent co-operative shop in Finland. Haapasaari suits a day that combines a sea journey in the outer archipelago, a village walk and a picnic.

Up-to-date information

Who is this trip for?

The trip suits people interested in archipelago culture and maritime history, and anyone who wants to experience the peace of an outer archipelago village. Haapasaari is one of the furthest of our Kotka destinations, so set aside the whole day for the trip and bring a packed lunch.

Route to Haapasaari

Departure point
Sapokka departure harbour: information and travel times

Sapokka → Haapasaari

Distance / one way
14 nm
Travel time / one way
approx. 50 min
Fuel / one way
approx. 13 l
Fuel / round trip
approx. 26 l

Travel times are calculated at a cruising speed of 25 knots and include the slower sections of the route. The fuel estimate is based on a consumption of 0.9 l/nm. Actual consumption depends on the boat, the weather, load and driving style.

At the start of the route in Sapokka marina and on the final stretch before the Haapasaari guest jetty, you travel slowly, and the slower sections are included in the estimated travel time. Haapasaari is in the outer archipelago, so check the weather and wind forecast for the whole day. The depth at the jetty is only about 1.5–1.7 metres, so check the rental boat's draught before you set off.

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Travel times are estimates without stops and depend on the conditions. The round-trip fuel estimate assumes you return the same way. Also allow time for the destination itself.

Wind forecast: Haapasaari

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Back to the Haapasaari route on the home page

Suggested plan for a village day

This is a flexible idea for a self-guided day trip to Haapasaari.

  1. 01

    Book a rental boat on Friilo and agree on pick-up and refuelling with the boat's owner. Look at the route and the estimated travel time, and check the weather and wind forecast for the whole day.

  2. 02

    Pack a picnic and check the opening hours of the co-operative shop.

  3. 03

    Moor the boat with an anchor at the guest jetty in front of the church and pay the harbour fee at the co-operative shop.

  4. 04

    Walk the village lanes, visit the church and see the Puokki landmark.

  5. 05

    Top up your picnic supplies at the co-operative shop and enjoy a picnic.

  6. 06

    Start the return trip in good time, taking into account the weather and the boat's return time.

Map: Haapasaari – paths and roads, the jetty, the shop, the church and the museum.
The map shows paths and roads, the jetty, the shop, the church and the museum. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), dashed lines and harbour location based on our routes.

Guest jetty in front of the church

The Haapasaari guest jetty is in front of the church in Kylänlahti bay, which is reached from the strait on the island's southern edge through a blasted opening with a navigable depth of about 2.2 metres. The jetty has 12 guest berths, the depth is about 1.5–1.7 metres, and boats are moored with an anchor. Check the rental boat's draught and anchoring equipment before you set off.

There is a water point on the jetty and a wooden outhouse on the shore. The harbour fee is paid at the Haapasaari co-operative shop. Check the current fee on the Haapasaari website.

The village begins right next to the jetty. Respect private yards, as people live on the island and spend their summers there.

Shop, services and refuelling

The Haapasaari co-operative shop serves residents and visitors all year round, and every day in summer. Check the season's opening hours on the shop's website before you set off.

Next to the shop there is a kiosk that is open in summer, and the old school's storehouse holds a museum about the island's history. There is no restaurant on the island, so bring a packed lunch.

Camping is not allowed on the island, but you can stay overnight at the old school when there are no events there, and boaters can book the school's sauna. Bookings and prices can be found on the Haapasaari-Seura website.

The Kotka archipelago is a tick risk area. Stay on roads and paths, and check your skin after the trip.

Agree on refuelling with the boat's owner before you set off.

Haapasaari – Haapasaari.net (opens in a new tab)

Up-to-date information

Remember before you set off

  • A packed lunch and drinks for the whole day.
  • Check the rental boat's draught and anchoring equipment.
  • Clothing suitable for the weather and a warm layer for the outer archipelago.
  • Agree on refuelling with the boat's owner before you set off.

Shall we take a boat trip to Haapasaari?

Rental boats in the Kotka–Hamina area are listed on Friilo. Agree on the boat's pick-up and refuelling with the boat's owner.

See rental boats on Friilo (opens in a new tab)

See also

Similar destinations by theme: Harbours with saunas · Short boat trips