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Getting started with sea kayaking
Never sat in a sea kayak? This is a great place to start. Here's the most important things to know about gear, technique and how to get out — without the fuss.
Why kayak in the Stockholm archipelago?
If hiking is the green outdoors, kayaking is the blue. And few places in the world suit it better than the Stockholm archipelago.
The archipelago is one of the world's largest — nearly 30,000 islands, islets and skerries to discover. Thanks to the right of public access it's freely open: you may roam, swim and camp in nature, as long as you do it gently.
The conditions are also unusually forgiving for sea kayaking. There are no tides and weak currents, and the weather is rarely extreme. That makes the archipelago one of the most accessible places in the world to learn and enjoy sea kayaking — as long as you keep an eye on the two things that really matter: wind and cold water.
Add rich wildlife, varied scenery and thousands of coves and rock slabs to rest on, and you'll see why we believe this can become one of the world's best areas for kayaking.
And we're not alone in seeing it. National Geographic named the Stockholm archipelago one of the world's best destinations for 2025, and the same year Nämdöskärgården National Park — Sweden's 31st — was inaugurated in the trail's southern reaches.
What you paddle — and in what
You don't need to own anything to begin. At the trail's access points you can rent everything you need, and a guide can help you get it right.
The kayak
For the archipelago a sea kayak suits best — it's longer and narrower with sealed storage compartments and watertight hatches. It tracks straighter, handles waves better and has room for gear. A beginner-friendly sea kayak is stable and forgiving. Always use a spray deck so water doesn't fill the kayak.
Paddle & life vest
A light paddle in the right length makes a big difference. Always wear a life vest or paddle vest — it should fit snugly and be fastened. At the rental you'll get help adjusting both paddle and vest.
Clothing
Dress for the water, not the air. The water stays cold well into summer, and you can get wet. Think layers that handle moisture: wool or synthetic next to the skin (never cotton), and a wet- or drysuit in spring and autumn. Always bring a dry change in a dry bag, plus a hat and wind jacket even on warm days.
Five things that make paddling easier
Nothing magic — just the basics. Everything improves with an intro course or a guided tour, which we warmly recommend for new paddlers.
Sit right
Sit upright with contact against the backrest and footrests. Power comes from your torso, not just the arms — think of rotating your upper body with each stroke.
The forward stroke
Plant the blade by your feet, pull until it reaches your hip, then lift out. Long, calm strokes are more efficient than fast, short ones. Hold the paddle relaxed.
Turning
Turn with a sweep stroke — a wide stroke in an arc away from the kayak — rather than just pulling harder on one side. Look where you want to go.
Bracing & balance
Relax your hips so the kayak can move under you in waves. A light brace with the paddle blade flat on the water helps you keep your balance.
If you capsize
Practise getting back into the kayak in shallow water before you need to. Being able to pump out water and re-enter is the foundation for paddling safely on open water.
Here without a car
The trail is tied to access points reachable by public transport — so more people can get out, sustainably.
Stavsnäs and Sollenkroka — ideal starting points
Stavsnäs and Sollenkroka on Värmdö are unusually good places to start a kayak trip. They sit far out in the archipelago — you're quickly surrounded by islands and open water — yet still on the mainland, with a road right to the launch and good connections from Stockholm. That means a short transfer and all the more time on the water. From here you reach the trail's stages directly. Dalarö in the south works the same way as a start and end point for the southern stage.
By public transport
With SL you can travel from Stockholm to Värmdö and on toward Stavsnäs and Sollenkroka by bus, and to Dalarö in the south. Plan your trip in SL's journey planner (sl.se). Expect changes and check the return timetable in advance.
Rent on site
No kayak of your own? You can rent at the access points. That saves you transporting gear and gets you local tips along the way. Book ahead in high season.
Before your first trip
Consider an intro course or a guided tour. A few hours with a trained guide gives you the basics of technique and safety — and makes your first solo trip both safer and more fun.
Time to head out?
Read the safety basics once more, pick a short and sheltered stage to start with, and pack calmly.