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Anyone been to Finland for the northern lights?


alfakidz85
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hi Bros.So i am planning a trip to chase the northern lights. high chance Finland/Norway! Have a few questions to ask here for those who seen before.

 

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1. Where is the best bet to see the auroras? friend went iceland in 2017 but Didnt manage to see antyhing. 

 

2. Did you do free and easy and then go there to join private tour or straight up sign tour package? Am not the one very keen on going because scared of cold but gf want to see so no choice. Thinking tour package might be an easier option for me. 

 

https://www.chanbrothers.com/private-tours/itinerary/pt-finland

 

Few things i shortlisted as must do:

- Reindeer/Huskies Sleigh Ride

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- Ranua Wildlife Park - see artic animals in the zoo. this is where polar bears truly belong!

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- Stay at Santa Claus Village

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-snowmobiling

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- must try: santa's salmon place restaurant

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- jaakkola reindeer farm

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-kakslauttanen glass igloos

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any other recommendations plss

 

3. how to survive 8 to 10 days of winter? bring cup noodles? friend bought 10 cup noodles when he went last time because food expensive and not nice. 

 

4. winter wear- anyone bought thermal wear from uniqlo b4? their heat tech useful? and also fleece jacket. snow boots also recommended right?

 

phototaking. i think i just going to use gopro to capture whatever i can. 

 

any other recomendations/advice/experience to share welcome please!!! thank you!

Edited by alfakidz85
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I’d choose handy high energy sneaker bars instead of instant noodle, still need to boil water and wait...

It’ll be cold so would get hungry easily.

 

I won’t get thermal wear from uniqlo, Japan’s winter not as cold as Scandinavian countries.

 

GoPro is good. Just deploy to record and lay back to enjoy the awe with naked eyes. Want good picture go Google can liao.

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I think Finland is higher chance of seeing, but also much colder.

What my friends recommend is still iceland. Cos u can stay around in rejkjavik and then only go out into the nearby area when they confirm got northern lights for you to see.

 

Still have the element of luck, but higher chance. Cos it's spread out over few days.

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People really buy into the hype.

 

Better go Hokkaido. No one I know saw northern lights and was blown away.

 

No one I know went Hokkaido and was left disappointed.

 

Disclaimer: I work for Japan Tourism Association and I maybe bias but I really like going Japan.

 

If anyone paid for me to go northern lights or Hokkaido I would choose Hokkaido.

 

This one not marketing talk.

 

:D

Edited by Jamesc
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Northern Lights

 

Went Iceland mid October 2016. You can ask the hotel to give you a wake up call when there is northern lights in your area. They told us it can happen anytime from 9pm to 5am but no luck for us. 

 

Or you can join the paid tour and they will bring you on a hunt for the lights. Guaranteed by them to see the lights. 

 

I was fortunate enough to see a weak and short light on my last day, at a hotel near the airport. You can visit http://www.aurora-service.eu/aurora-forecast/ for more info on the city you're at. The rating on that day was 6-7 so we were basically staring out of the window waiting for it.

 

Norway I went Oslo - Alesund, Geiranger - Bergen. No chance to see northern lights in those area. You may have to go further north to Lofoten area.

 

Food was expensive. We paid S$30 for a plate of fried rice which wasnt even tasty. Since you're already there might as well spend a little on the highly recommended places. We had some really good steak, burgers and fish & chips along the way.

 

Outfit we prefer to layer it by wearing a tee shirt, fleece jacket and a winter jacket. I got mine from Bossini for $200 at IMM. Some areas can be warm for no reason so we can take whichever off as required. With Uniqlo heat tech it didnt really work for us as it can be too warm if we include the fleece and without the fleece it can be chilly.

 

Footwear we had timberland boots. But wont really recommend it as it's heavy, not for prolong walking over snow. It's slippery on ice too. However it keeps our feet perfectly dry and we can wear for every occasion from shopping in the city to hiking.

Edited by Kaka23
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Just have to set your expectations, what you see on camera is not what you see in real...

 

It all depends on the strength of the lights.

 

I went in 2014 iceland and on the night we took a tour, the lights were very strong. Easily covering the half the sky (ie from horizon to almost above our heads) and moving. It was pretty incredible but I wasn't prepared in the photo taking. You NEED a torch light to operate the controls well as it is pitch dark and very windy. 

 

But the solar activity now is pretty low, it will be hard to catch a good display. Might need to wait some years. I decided to go in 2014 as it was slightly past the peak and I knew it was now or never. 

 

You can judge how bright the lights were on the photos by comparing the brightness of the light vs the foreground/stars, assuming it is a single exposure. The lights were way way brighter than the stars...

 

I managed to take the following photo HANDHELD with a pretty short shutter speed. 

 

We were deciding where to go to chase the light and Iceland wins by being the warmest... Ya I know it is called iceland but it is really pretty warm in winter vs Finland I think. Furthermore being lower in latitude means you actually have some sunlight to take photos. Note that the strength is not exactly based on the latitude as there is some difference in magnetic north, etc. See the pic below and you realised that Iceland is pretty well inside the band. 

 

https://www.gi.alaska.edu/monitors/aurora-forecast

 

Lofoten is another place to consider. I have been to lofoten twice but not in winter for lights. The landscape there is stunning. 

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Edited by Wind30
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I went Finland free and easy, managed to see the lights - but depends on your luck

was in Saariselkä

 

In winter it is REALLY cold. I experienced -40 degree celcius in the outdoor in the hills 

it was an experience

 

if you want to end up suffering you can use Uniglo 

other wise please get the proper down jackets. thick ones

jackets that work in Tokyo, are not enough for finland

I would say stuff that work in Hokkaido, also not enough for finland

 

and the warmer packs are life savers at such temperature

 

food is pretty boring, but why go europe to eat instant noodles?

try the reindeer, bear meat, etc.

 

optional activities like husky rides, reindeer rides, snow mobile are really expensive

so if you have a tight budget, look for a package tour that includes it is better

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I went to Finland in March 2013. Stayed at Hotel Korpikartano that you can easily see the northern lights as its in the middle of nowhere. I think I stayed there for 3 nights and saw it every night that I was there. The staff will alert guests on when the lights come out.

 

The hotel also provides full board with good local homemade food and some of the activities that you listed. I rented a car and drove there from Kittilä airport. I was snowboarding in Levi before heading out to Korpikartano so that's something you can consider doing as well.

 

My wife read up on how to take pictures of the northern lights with a digital camera and took this with a tripod.

 

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btw many iphones died in Finland in the extreme temperatures

they were not able to be switched on outdoors

 

and phone cameras DO NOT work for taking photos of the Northern lights

 

need better cameras

 

 

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I’d choose handy high energy sneaker bars instead of instant noodle, still need to boil water and wait...

It’ll be cold so would get hungry easily.

 

I won’t get thermal wear from uniqlo, Japan’s winter not as cold as Scandinavian countries.

 

GoPro is good. Just deploy to record and lay back to enjoy the awe with naked eyes. Want good picture go Google can liao.

 

energy bar not shiok. piping hot noodles good in cold weather. and its also not something we usually eat at home. yeah bro not point trying to take photos of the aurora since i dont have a good camera. and not pro also la.. i rather enjoy whatever thats infront of me and maybe just try to take a few shots with my phone cam or gopro just to show i was there!!

Just have to set your expectations, what you see on camera is not what you see in real...

 

they say some aurora not very visible on naked eye. need to use cam shoot then can see properly.  [dead]

I think Finland is higher chance of seeing, but also much colder.

What my friends recommend is still iceland. Cos u can stay around in rejkjavik and then only go out into the nearby area when they confirm got northern lights for you to see.

 

Still have the element of luck, but higher chance. Cos it's spread out over few days.

 

think higher chance of going finland than iceland for now. since friend's experience at iceland not good. his wife didnt get to see any aurora at all then now make noise wanna go somewhere else see again. for me, cold weather i cannot la. best is one trip settle for the once in a lifetime experience enough. dont want go every country to catch them all..... lol...  :TT_TT:

but ya its all luck. best to join tour group. at least higher chance.

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