Kuusamo is a town and a municipality of same name in Northern Finland. The high season for tourism is the winter when people head to the Ruka skiing resort 20 km north of the town. However, the Oulanka National Park 20 km farther to the north is also very popular and can be visited around the year. Together with its neighbouring municipality Taivalkoski, Kuusamo forms the Koillismaa sub-region. Traditionally Koillismaa ("the north-east") refers to a bigger area, from Pudasjärvi to south-eastern Lapland.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
Kuusamo is located in the Koillismaa highlands. It is a watershed, as rivers in the northern part flow north-east to the Arctic Ocean and those in the southern part flow westward to the Baltic Sea. The views consist of steep forested hills (Finnish: vaara) and large, pristine lakes. Bogs and mires are common especially in southern Kuusamo. The river Oulankajoki belongs to the official list of national landscapes of Finland. Even though Ruka often is referred to as a fell, there are no true fells in the Kuusamo area, as none of the hills reach the tree limit. The area has almost continental climate. Mean temperatures vary between −15 °C (5 °F) in January and +15 °C (59 °F) in July.
Having your own car is the most practical way of getting around in Kuusamo. Aside from a few intercity buses and school buses a day, public transport is non-existent. You can also get around by taxi, but given the distances, it is pretty expensive. Local bus traffic consists of two lines serviced a few times per weekday during the school year, but not in weekends or summer. Information about local and regional buses can be had from the municipal office.
Although Kuusamo is slightly south of the Arctic Circle, there are two weeks of midnight sun. Choose from were to watch, to avoid having the sun go hiding behind a hill at some point (and don't look at the sun!). At the winter solstice daylight lasts about three hours, and the auroras can be seen all winter, although they aren't as common a sight as a few hundred more kilometres to the north. 1 Tourist centre Karhuntassu, Torangintaival 2, ☏ +358 40-860-8365 (general tourist info), +358 20-639-6804 (Metsähallitus), info@kuusamo.fi.
Nature photo festival. mid-September. Free. (updated Dec 2020) Karhunkierros (The trail of the bear) (nearest starting point in Ruka). The most popular hiking trail in Finland having up to 60 000 hikers each year (though not all of them trek the whole trail.) The 80-km-long trail leads through two beautiful national parks. There are also several shorter variations of the trail. The trail is easily accessible from Kuusamo airport with a bus that takes you to the beginning of the trail. Although the trail is quite easy, you should still be prepared with a decent map and enough food. Water is not a problem, as there are plenty of rivers that have clean and drinkable water.
Leipäjuusto, a regional fresh cheese. Also known as Finnish squeaky cheese because the cheese is "squeaking" when one's chewing it. Served often as a dessert slightly heated with cream and clodberry jam. Poronkäristys, sautéed reindeer. A speciality of Lapland, but also available in the northern part of the Oulu province. Kitkan Viisas, local form of vendace (a fish) living in the lakes at Koillismaa highlands. This true local speciality has a PDO product status in the European Union. Restaurant Mango (Ravintola Mango), Kylpyläntie 1, 93699 Kuusamo, ☏ +358 8-859 6440. Different opening hours every day. The restaurant in the spa hotel offering healthy food.
There are many bars and pubs in Ruka and Kuusamo, Ruka is famous for its dance and karaoke bar zone. SportBar & Arena (Sporttibaari), Kylpyläntie 1, ☏ +358 8-852 1909. 15:00-22:00. This place is for sport fans. You can go bowling, play billiards, watch sports or just enjoy a drink.
1 Bene Finlandia Ruka, Shopping centre Kumpare, ☏ +358 40 707 7123. Private health care company at Ruka has 24/7 emergency unit with on-the-spot X-ray ability. Also general medical service and basic laboratory tests. Check your insurance! 2 Kuusamo health care centre (Kuusamon terveyskeskus), Raistakantie 1a, ☏ +358 40 860 8611. The Kuusamo public health care centre takes care with patients with acute illnesses or accidents. General emergency is open 24/7.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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