Practical information
Love Utvikling invites existing and aspiring Man and the Biosphere areas, along with friends, to NordMAB. NordMAB will take place in the fishing village of Ballstad, in the Lofoten Islands.
The conference will be held from May 26th to 28th, 2025. The registration deadline for those of you who wants to reserve an accomodation is in the end of April. If you do not need an accomodation the registration deadline will be at 19th of May.
Location
Lofoten is an archipelago in Northern Norway. The archipelago is home to the world's biggest seasonal cod fishing, which also brought Europe the oldest commercial export we know of: stockfish. The archipelago is also one of the most productive agricultural areas in the entire Arctic, with many small farms utilizing the flat spots between the mountains.
In recent years, the Lofoten Islands have become famous for their dramatic landscapes, where mountains plunge directly into the blue sea. This has made the archipelago one of the most popular tourist destinations in Norway, with most visitors coming for active holidays, including surfing, hiking, viewing the northern lights, or climbing.
Additionally, Lofoten has a rich food production, offering many culinary experiences.
Ballstad is one of the biggest fishing villages in Lofoten and also one of the most popular spots for tourists. In the village, you can see street art from various artists from around the world, most notably the wall painting at the shipyard, one of Europe's biggest murals, painted by the local artist Scott Thoe. Ballstad has seven different restaurants, offering everything from gourmet dining to traditional and everyday meals. The village also features a popular Sherpa stairway leading up to Nonstind mountain.
At the fishing village of Ballstad, we will be staying at the historical site of Kremmervika Havn. Kremmervika is one of three parts of the harbor and used to be a vibrant area where fishermen packed together between February and April during the seasonal fishing period. The accommodation consists of old, traditional rorbuer used for fisheries. This tourist facility is said to be the first rorbuer that transitioned from housing fishermen to hosting tourists as early as the 1960s. It was even so popular that the Norwegian Prime Minister Trygve Bratteli returned every summer to vacation and enjoy his passion for fishing.
Kremmervika Havn has meeting rooms, a restaurant, and some spa facilities.
Information about travels
The end of the main road in Lofoten is often referred to as "the end of the world." Traveling to the "end of the world" may seem complicated, but with four airports on the islands, Lofoten is one of the most accessible Arctic destinations. If you decide to fly, choosing the right airport is key. You will land just a few hundred meters from the town of Leknes and exactly 12 minutes from Ballstad.
The regular travel
The most common way to travel is by plane. (Also called "the buses of the north.") From Oslo, there are connections in Bodø to bring you to Leknes Airport. You will find tickets at sas.no, wideroe.no, and norwegian.no. Bodø also has connections to Copenhagen twice a week via Scandinavian Airlines.
The cheaper but more complicated way
A cheaper, but slightly more complicated option, is to fly from Oslo to Harstad/Narvik Airport and take a bus to Leknes Bus Station. However, buses are infrequent, and the journey takes about five hours. You can find flight tickets at sas.no or norwegian.no, and check the bus schedule at reisnordland.no or via the app with the same name.
From Northern Europe to Harstad Narvik and with bus connections
Harstad/Narvik Airport is a hub for travelers to the Lofoten Islands, with direct flights from Copenhagen every Saturday starting May 24th. There will also be direct flights from Milan, Bergamo, Frankfurt, Palma, and Zurich, if you are traveling from further afield. These flights are not regular, so be sure to check availability. Further travel might be complicated via public transport, but you will find information at reisnordland.no or the app. Renting a car together with fellow travelers could also be a good solution if arriving at Evenes
From Northern Europe through Tromsø
The biggest chance to spare some money and in the same time arrive close to the NordMAB venue is to go through Tromsø International Airport. The airport hosts about 20 international connections, including regular flights to Helsinki, Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Rovaniemi. From Tromsø, there is a daily flight to Lofoten that departs at 14:00 every day.
Green corridor through Norway
For a more environmentally friendly journey, you can take a train to Bodø (vy.no) and then continue on the coastal route at 15:00 (havila.no or hurtigruten.no). Be aware that this route takes over a day of traveling from Oslo.
Green corridor through Sweden
You can reach Lofoten by train from several places in Sweden, including Stockholm. Tickets can be purchased at Vy.no. Upon arriving in Narvik, you will need to take a bus to Leknes (check reisnordland.no). This is a very time-consuming way to travel, but it is environmentally friendly and reliable.
By car
Lofoten is connected to the mainland via Narvik. If you arrive in Bodø, you can take a ferry to Lofoten. The alternatives are to arrive at Moskenes via Bodø or at Svolvær via Skutvik. Both harbors are about an hour from Leknes.
Transportation from the Airport
Participants will need to take a taxi from the airport to the Kremmervika Havn. The ride takes approximately 15 minutes and costs around 300 NOK. Taxis can be booked online at 07750.no/lofoten or by calling 07550 from a Norwegian number. For international callers, please dial +47 22 38 83 09.
Alternatively it is also possible to take a bus to the venue from Leknes. Leknes is about 10 minutes walk from the airport so it can be an alternative on a sunny May day. To get information about buses you can use 177nordland.no
Important note
We recommend booking tickets for NordMAB early. A combination of tourism booming and the prices of flights reduced means that fight for airtickets are harder than any of the fights the norse vikings experienced back in the days. The flights for specific dates might sell out as early as one month ahead.
If the travel advice seem a bit overwhelming, feel free to contact us at ingridmarie@loveutvikling.no or orjan@loveutvikling.no – we'll be happy to overwhelm you a little more!
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