Rong: Coastal Museum, Fjord Park and Maritime Life

Rong combines a maritime character with insights into everyday coastal life: the main exhibition “Livet ved havet” at Kystmuseet i Øygarden shows how coastal communities earned their livelihoods over time. Fjordparken is a landscaped green space in the town centre. There are also activities on the water and the option to start a hike at the museum grounds. When choosing a holiday apartment, you can consider whether exhibitions, activities on the water or the character of the town should shape your stay.

Coastal Life at Kystmuseet

The main exhibition “Livet ved havet” shows how coastal communities earned their livelihoods over time. “Eg rodde meg ut” offers a more specific look at fishing: the exhibition covers both coastal fishing for personal use and the sale of fish at the fish market in Bergen. Together, the two themes offer different perspectives—on changing livelihoods and on fishing and marketing.

The old salt house on the quay at Kystmuseet houses an exhibition of outboard motors from different eras. This adds a technological dimension to the stories about fishing and everyday coastal life. The surroundings also contribute to the character of a museum visit: the buildings are set amid coastal nature, in an authentic maritime environment. Kystmuseet also has a café.

Water, Trails and Townscape

Several specific opportunities for activities on the water are available at Kystmuseet: the museum rents out rowing boats and canoes; kayaks can be launched from the jetty, and visitors can moor their own boats. These options offer different ways to spend time on the water, but they are not the same experience. If you prefer to explore on foot, you can easily start a hike at the museum grounds.

Fjordparken shows another side of the town. The landscaped green space is in the centre of Rong and was completed in 2020. Local features highlighted in Rong include nature and the sea, Fjordparken, and the Hjeltefjord with its sports facilities. The town therefore offers both a maritime museum theme and a landscaped green space.

Getting There and Choosing a Holiday Apartment

Kystmuseet i Øygarden can be reached by public transport via the “Ovågen” stop. The journey from Bergen bus station takes about 1.5 hours; check the current connection before travelling. When looking for a holiday apartment in Rong, you can use your preferred activities as a guide: coastal history, activities on the water or the landscaped green space offer different focal points.

More Experiences in the Wider Destination of Øygarden

The wider destination of Øygarden also offers distinctive cultural and nature experiences. The North Sea Traffic Museum has exhibitions about the Telavåg tragedy, the coastal resistance movement and the escape route across the North Sea to the United Kingdom during the Second World War. The North Sea Traffic Exhibition includes a 25-minute film about the Telavåg tragedy.

On Skogsøyna in Øygarden is the Hildringsbu birdwatching hide, which is open during the season; check current seasonal access information before visiting. Ormhilleren in Øygarden is an open, family-friendly recreation area with a large, sheltered bathing cove landscaped with shell sand. The Seløy–Gløvrebu route in Øygarden follows a marked, gently hilly trail with views of the sea, islets and skerries. At Gløvrebu, there is a fire pan and small fire pits for visitors to take a break. Another option is the Tjeldstø–Alvheim–Hovden circular route: it is 9 kilometres long and takes about 3.5 hours on foot. These details offer different points of reference when weighing up culture, coastal scenery and walking time within the wider destination of Øygarden.

Discover more destinations: Hellesøy, Sele, Tjeldstø.

Back to the main travel overview: Øygarden.