The origin of my curiosity came from opening a travel magazine and seeing a beautiful and strange picture of Lofoten. When I tried to Google it, I found out that it was in Norway. But when I tried to find information about tourist attractions in Norway in Thai, I couldn't find any information about Lofoten as a whole. So, I would like to share the ultimate information about my trip to Lofoten during the Songkran festival. I want everyone to experience this land with the most amazing landscape together...

Travel plan

Due to the fact that Songkran falls during the winter season in Lofoten, it is not the ideal time to participate in popular tourist activities such as hiking, trekking, fishing, diving, kayaking, and so on. In my opinion, the summer months are the best time to visit Lofoten. However, due to work commitments, we were forced to travel during the festival season. As a result, if you have the opportunity, I would recommend visiting Lofoten during the summer.

The itinerary for this trip is very simple. The goal is just to drive on the E10 highway and take pictures along the way. This route is considered one of Norway's scenic roads, but I'm secretly hoping to do some hiking as well. Let's see if I can find a mountain to climb... Oh, the schedule... here it comes!

9 Apr 2016: BKK-Oslo (via Moscow) by Aeroflot. Departing in the morning and arriving in Oslo in the evening. Stayed near Gardermoen Airport. Prepared to fly on a domestic flight the next morning.

April 10, 2016: Oslo-Svolvær (via Bodø) by SAS and Widerøe. Departing late morning and arriving in Svolvær in the afternoon. Upon arrival, pick up the pre-booked rental car and stay in the town of Kabelvåg, which is not far from the airport.

11 Apr 2016 : Take a leisurely drive and move to Reine in the south of the island.

12 Apr 2016 : Take a leisurely drive and stay at the same place.

13 Apr 2016: We drove around enjoying the scenery and moved our accommodation to Henningsvaer. This was a return trip north to prepare for our return to Oslo the next day.

14 Apr 2016 : Arrived in Oslo in the afternoon and took a walk around the Norwegian capital.

15 Apr 2016 : Let's go home. Leave in the evening and arrive in Bangkok the next morning.

16 Apr 2016 : Arrived home safely... What's not safe is the money in my wallet

Let's go according to the plan.

Starting with the visa application, I won't go into details as there are already reviews of applying for a Norwegian visa on Pantip. In short, you need to go to the website https://selfservice.udi.no/ and register to get a username and password to use for filling out the online form and checking the results of your visa application. Filling out the form, you don't have to finish it all at once. You can save the form you filled out halfway and come back to it later. When you're done, pay 60 euros by credit card and make an appointment to submit your documents at the Alma Link building behind Central Chidlom, which will cost another 800-900 baht per person. For details, see here http://www.vfsglobal.com/norway/thailand/thai/

My flight departed in the late morning from BKK on a B777-300ER. The legroom was decent, not too cramped. However, there was an overbooking on the outbound flight, so I got a free upgrade. Lucky me! Oh, and Aeroflot doesn't serve alcohol, so I had a rather sober flight.

We arrived in Moscow in the evening after a flight of about 9 hours. We had a layover of almost 2 hours, so we had plenty of time to relax. We found a bar near our gate and enjoyed a few beers. Most of the larger bars in the area accept credit cards, but it's a good idea to check with smaller establishments first. On our return flight, some of the smaller fried chicken shops didn't accept cards. Just a heads up! I forgot to mention that the flight from BKK landed at SVO Moscow, Terminal F. We had to walk to Terminal E to catch our connecting flight to Oslo. The terminals are well-connected, with clear signage, so there's no need to worry about getting lost. The flight from SVO to Oslo took about 2 hours and 30 minutes. We flew on an A320, which had somewhat cramped seats. We arrived in Oslo just after 8pm. For the first night, I stayed at the Park Inn By Radisson Oslo Airport, which is about 300 meters from the terminal. There's a covered walkway from the terminal to the hotel, which is great for protection from wind and rain. The room was standard and met my expectations for the price. Breakfast was good, and the bed was incredibly comfortable. In fact, all the beds I slept in on this trip were very comfortable.

The location of the Lofoten Islands in Norway

On the second day of our trip, we haven't even started exploring yet. Take it easy, today we'll fly to Lofoten. Actually, there are many ways to get to Lofoten. It depends on where we start from. Some people start from Bergen, some from Tromso. Let's take the main ones: there is a bus that goes there, but it's not popular because it takes too long. Then there are boats, with Ferries and Express Boats to choose from. You can find more information here: http://www.torghatten-nord.no/english/default.aspx. Most people take the ferry from Bodø. But if you travel by plane, there are 2 airports on the Lofoten Islands to choose from. You can also drive from Tromso, which is about 400 km away. ... For me, when time is short, flying is the fastest way. Starting from Gardermoen Airport, Oslo Airport or Oslo Lufthavn, which are all the same, it's like a real name, a nickname and a name that friends call you. There are no direct flights, you have to change planes at Bodø and switch to Widerøe, the only airline that flies to and from the Lofoten Islands. You can buy tickets on the Widerøe or SAS website, whichever you prefer.

The atmosphere at Oslo Airport

On the way from Oslo to Bodø

The Lofoten Islands have two airports: Svolvær and Leknes. I chose to land at Svolvær because it allowed me to drive south along the island, passing through several towns. However, no matter which airport you choose, you will need to fly from Bodø.

From Oslo to Bodø, I flew SAS on a B737-700 for about 1:30 hours. I took off in the late morning. On the flight, they served tea, coffee, or water. If you wanted coke or snacks, you had to buy them yourself. When I arrived in Bodø, I had a short layover of about 15-20 minutes before they called me to board the next flight. However, I still had time to buy a sandwich and eat it leisurely near the gate for lunch. This time, I flew with Widerøe on a DHC-8 100 series, which is a turboprop aircraft. The flight was only 30 minutes long. On the plane, they gave out small chocolates to help with the dry mouth. On the way there, there were fewer people and they served coffee, but on the way back, the plane was full and they didn't serve anything. I guess they didn't have time to serve anything on a 30-minute flight.

Transfer at Bodø Airport

Svolvær Airport (where I was standing awkwardly, there was actually an airport official standing nearby. I looked at him and asked for permission, haha.)

First day on Lofoten

Minimalist style conveyor belt for bags

Upon arriving at Svolvær, we were greeted by a surprisingly small airport, roughly the size of three 7-Eleven stores combined. Entering the terminal, we immediately spotted the car rental counters. We proceeded to pick up our pre-booked Avis rental car.

The atmosphere was gloomy, the sky was overcast all day, and it was so dark that I lost the motivation to take photos.

The car we got was a brand new Suzuki Vitara, in perfect condition. We loved it! After picking up the car, we headed to our first accommodation, the Kabelvåg Apartment, which had a 9.5 rating on Booking.com. We didn't have to worry about getting lost, as the car came equipped with GPS. Kabelvåg is located near Svolvær Airport, where we landed. When we arrived at the apartment, there was a welcome note and the key was left in the door. It was so easy! After settling in, we noticed a document on the table outlining the payment terms. They informed us that the accommodation fee would be collected in cash, which was good because we had exchanged some money beforehand. Then we went for a drive to enjoy the scenery.

Stopped to take pictures along the way.

Atmosphere in front of the house at Kabelvåg Apartment

I was actually planning to drive around and find something to eat, but I ended up taking photos of everything and it got late. And since it was a Sunday, all the shops closed early. Luckily, my family had told me to bring a big bag of fried pork from Krua Inter restaurant. I asked them to fry it until it was dry. Dry fried pork can actually last for several days. At first, I thought it might smell bad, but it didn't. It was completely normal. It's probably because the weather was so cold. And actually, is it forbidden to bring fried pork into the country? I still don't know to this day... If anyone knows, please let me know.

After an unsuccessful attempt at finding food outside, we returned to our apartment around 7:00 PM. As soon as we parked the car, we encountered the apartment owner waiting to collect the rent. We paid in cash, and he had already prepared a receipt for us. He explained that we had to check out before noon and lock the apartment before leaving. We then had to return the key to him at his office. "Okay, bye," he said. It was so convenient.

Most of the accommodations in this area are Rorbuer, which are similar to fishermen's houses. They are comparable to apartments, lodges, and cabins. Unlike hotels, guests are responsible for cleaning the kitchen after use, as breakfast is not included. It is also courteous to dispose of garbage before checking out.

The first day in Lofoten was just like that. I took a shower and went to bed at 8 pm.

Day Two in Lofoten

Today we will move our accommodation to the town of Reine, which is located in the south of the island. The distance from Svolvær is about 120 km. However, we will not drive there directly. There is a place we want to photograph that requires us to drive back north about 40 km to Grunnfør just to take a picture.

Grunnfør Security Guard Booth (This is a self-assigned name)

After that, we headed south to Reine, where I secretly hoped to go hiking up Reinebringen. It has a world-class viewpoint on the top of the mountain. You can find information about dozens of hiking spots in Lofoten at this link: http://rando-lofoten.net/index.php/en/the-hikes ) Driving over a hundred kilometers in this area took longer than usual because we kept stopping to take pictures. When we stopped, we had to be careful where we parked because there are not many shoulders on the roads here. There are some sections where there are special areas on the shoulder where you can park. Actually, the purpose of these areas is probably for emergencies if your car breaks down. When we parked, we parked close to the side of the road and out of the way. We stopped along the way, had lunch in the town of Leknes, and bought fresh food to prepare for dinner. Actually, I didn't want to cook myself, but I bought it just in case we couldn't find a restaurant to eat at again. After that, we continued our journey.

Stop by along the way

It's like Mirror Lake is everywhere.

Saturn-like surface landscape (imagined)

Pluto's surface landscape

Ramberg City Viewpoint

Hamnøy (The founder is from the Northeast... Fake)

This is a must-have photo from the parking lot in front of the entrance to Reine village.

It's around 5 pm in Reine now. The weather is overcast with occasional drizzle and sometimes small hailstones. It's quite chilly.

I spent four nights in Lofoten, and only one day had clear skies. The rest of the time was overcast, with rain, snow, and small, round ice pellets falling. The temperature ranged from -5 to 5 degrees Celsius, which is why the fried pork didn't spoil. However, the photos turned out quite dark.

The accommodation in Reine is amazing. When I booked it on Booking.com, I thought it was a resort with multiple units like a fishing village. But it turned out to be a single house called Maybua. It has 2 bedrooms, 2 living rooms, and a key in the door as usual.

Mayflower

It may look simple from the outside, but the inside is amazing.

For dinner tonight, we decided to cook our own food, as we saw that the kitchen in the house was great and we wanted to try it out... After dinner, it wasn't dark yet, but it wasn't convenient to go anywhere. It was snowing lightly. In mid-April here, it doesn't get dark until around 9pm. The owner of the accommodation sent an email to arrange the payment. We exchanged emails several times, as he was not very free. He was busy with a hairdressing appointment... In the end, he said that we could pay him tomorrow evening at the only gas station in Reine. He works in the mini-mart at the gas station until 10pm... We really tried hard to follow him to pay him.

Day Three in Lofoten

Waking up today, the sky was almost bright, but still very cloudy. We didn't rush to wake up, following the path of the lazy. We had a simple breakfast of muesli with milk, boiled eggs, and a banana we bought yesterday. This morning, the weather still doesn't seem suitable for hiking up Reinebringen, which is over four hundred meters high, so we decided to go take pictures in the town of Å instead. This town has one advantage for its residents: when filling out addresses on documents, it's very short (not related). The E10 highway ends in this town (actually, it starts in this town if you count by kilometers, but saying it's the end gives a better feeling). And the E10 highway ends on the other side in Sweden.

Morning view from Maybua's house

On the way to Å

On the way to Å

The little house in the heart of Å

The starting point of Highway E10

After leaving Å, I headed north, planning to take some photos in Nusfjord. This trip was very relaxed, I just went wherever I wanted. On the way, I stopped to eat a fish burger at Anitas Sjømat, a famous restaurant in the area. The burger filling was similar to the fish balls used in Thai noodle soup, but it was softer.

The snow started falling, and we continued on to Nusfjord. We even considered having dinner there. However, the snow kept getting heavier. We drove there, but we couldn't get out. The snow kept falling heavily and continuously. We waited in the car for more than half an hour, but it didn't look like the snow was going to stop. So we decided to go back to our accommodation. It wasn't even four o'clock in the afternoon yet.

Waiting for the snow to stop falling in the car at Nusfjord.

On the way to Nusfjord village, the water was like jelly.

Stopped by the house of Ham Noi again. The snow is stopping to fall again in a big wave.

I made dinner myself tonight. There is one restaurant in Reine, but I didn't try it even though I stayed here for two nights. I regret it....

When it comes to cooking, it's worth noting that Lodge-style or Cabin-style accommodations often have condiments, vegetable oil, and some dried food left behind by previous guests. Check the expiration dates and feel free to use them to avoid buying small items like salt or pepper. This particular accommodation even has unopened rice. Similarly, toiletries are often leftovers from previous guests. If you're not comfortable using them, it's best to bring your own to avoid wasting time driving around looking for soap and shampoo.

After dinner, we sat around until early evening, then went out to pay for our accommodation as arranged. The owner of the guesthouse also owns the only gas station and minimart in Reine, which has a card machine, so it was very convenient. It snowed heavily tonight, and everything is covered in white.

**Day four in Lofoten**

Waking up this morning to clear skies and bright sunshine. The sky is so clear, everything looks so much brighter. Same view, but so much more stunning. Today is check-out day, which really just means leaving the key in the door like before. We're moving to Henningsvær for our last night on the island, heading back near Svolvær to prepare for our return to Oslo the next day.

The original view in front of the house is even brighter. If it weren't for a day with clear skies like this, this trip would probably only have dark photos.

A picture of a clear blue sky with a rack of dried fish. The smell in the area is similar to that of the Ban Phe market.

Permission to post duplicate mandatory postures.

I haven't forgotten about the hike, but the snow that fell last night is too thick. It doesn't look like we'll be able to walk up, so I've decided to give up. I'll just drive around and take pictures instead. On the way, we'll stop by Nusfjord again. We'll take some pictures and look around a bit... Okay?

This is on the way near Anitas Sjømat restaurant.

Another stop in Hamnøy town.

This is the other side of the road.

Cool bridges near the junction from E10 near Fredvang town

Same old view, but ten times better.

Back to Nusfjord again. When I went down for a walk, I realized that the restaurants are closed during the winter.

And then stopped by Eggum, a World War II radar tower. It used to be a coffee shop, but it seems to have gone bust. Today was a good day to spread out, the sky was clear all day long.

Finally arrived at Henningsvær. It's more like a town than Reine, with people walking around, shops, restaurants, and pubs. There's no key for tonight's accommodation, but a password that the accommodation sent by email yesterday. It's convenient to open a roaming package in case you need to contact someone. Speaking of credit cards, it's more convenient to use a PIN code, such as when filling up with gas. Before you come, ask for a PIN code. Most people in our country don't remember their PIN code. Don't forget to ask for it 5 working days in advance.

Henningsvær

The sun is setting at the city's viewpoint. There's also the Eiffel Tower.... Just kidding.

Henningsvær Home Market

Abandoned house haunted by ghosts, near the parking lot at the entrance to Henningsvær village.

Last day in Lofoten

Have breakfast, check out and travel to Svolvær Airport. Before returning the car at the airport, you must fill the tank with fuel. The last pump before the airport is less than 10 km from Svolvær Airport. When returning the car, there will be no staff to receive the car. You can park the car and drop the key in the car rental counter box in Oslo.

Taking the train into the city from the airport, there are two types of trains: Flytoget and NSB, the Norwegian State Railways. The latter is half the price, at 92 NOK per person, and it only takes about 20 minutes. The trains are also relatively uncrowded. The train lines R10, R11, and L12 run between Oslo S and Oslo Lufthavn Airport.

This is the Flytoget train, which we didn't take. We bought NSB tickets from the vending machine using a credit card and PIN code.

For our accommodation in Oslo, we chose Scandic Byporten, which is located right in front of Oslo S train station. The room wasn't very big, but it wasn't as small as hotels in major Japanese cities. The breakfast was perfect, very good. If you eat a little later, it's almost like a brunch. I highly recommend it.

Turn right when you exit Oslo S station and you will see the hotel right away.

This is my first time in Oslo, and it's very different from what I expected. It doesn't seem that different from other major European cities. I didn't take many photos here.

We didn't have any plans here, so we just walked around and stopped by ZARA for a bit. There were a lot of Thai people there. I quickly bought a Hard Rock Café T-shirt, and then we went to find something to eat. A friend had recommended a Thai restaurant (my wife wanted Thai food) that was near the Oslo Rådhuset (Town Hall) called Blue Siam. They have authentic Thai food there, including a secret menu for Thai people with dishes like yum and som tam nam tok. The portions are huge, and the prices are comparable to other types of food... which is to say, pretty expensive. Haha, just kidding! For two people and three dishes, it was 505 NOK, which is pretty standard around here.

Oslo's Town Hall

Food at the Blue Siam restaurant

Return date

Our flight is in the late afternoon, and our check-out time is 10:30. We thought we would come to the airport to walk around, but it turned out that there were long queues at every step. I guess it's because it's Friday and the holiday after Songkran is about to end (not related). The peak point was at the departure immigration. Here, the immigration counter is the last checkpoint before entering the gate. Imagine you are happily shopping at Duty Free and then realize, "Oh, I haven't gone through immigration yet." Then you walk over to the immigration line and see a super long queue. And the departure immigration is so slow. The officer asks a lot of questions. Oh, I'm about to go home, sir...

Okay, let's end the review here. I'm tired. I'll just add a little more information below...

**Appendix**

Let's take a look at the budget for this trip… The items below are the expenses for 2 people. I have converted the units to Thai baht and rounded them to whole numbers for easy understanding.

Note: Don't get hung up on the budget. Don't think that something is too expensive or too cheap. I believe that we can all manage our travel budget to suit our own needs. The best place is the place where we are the happiest...

Aeroflot tickets for 2 people cost 43,470 baht. This is for a Bkk-Oslo-Bkk flight with a stopover in Moscow.

SAS and Widerøe tickets for 2 people cost 34,200 baht. This is for Oslo-Svolvær (Lofoten)-Oslo, with a stopover in Bodø.

The cost of accommodation for 6 nights is 34,200 baht, which is the same as the price of a domestic ticket.

Car rental fee 15600 baht ( Avis : Suzuki Vitara with automatic transmission )

Gasoline cost 3440 baht.

Food expenses + small purchases 17,700 baht

The visa fee is 6,500 baht, which is equivalent to 60 euros. This does not include the processing fee for submitting the documents.

The total cost of this trip is 155,110 baht for 7 days. If it seems expensive, divide it by two to get the cost per person, which might make you feel better.

Trivia

Things to prepare for a better life

1. Requesting a credit card PIN code will make it more convenient when refueling, and for purchasing train tickets at automatic machines when you don't have small bills.

2. It's a good idea to activate a data roaming package. Although the accommodation has Wi-Fi everywhere, all information about our arrival at the accommodation will be sent by email, such as the door opening code and the appointment to pay for the accommodation.

Food expenses

1. Restaurants Average 125-250 NOK per dish excluding drinks

2. Convenience store sandwiches average 50 NOK or more

3. Hot dog at the gas station 35-50 NOK

4. Coke, plain water 25-30 NOK depending on where you buy it, airport, supermarket or convenience store

5. Eggs 6 pieces 25-30 NOK

6. Fresh milk 1 liter 15-18 NOK

7. Gasoline 14.XX NOK per liter

VAT

This trip had a variety of rates, ranging from 8% to 25%.

For tax refunds at the airport, you must inform the store where you made your purchase that you would like a tax refund. The store will then issue you a document, which you must present at the Tax Refund counter at the airport.