Island sights in Estonia
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Osmussaare
There's a harbour at Dirhami, a few kilometres north of Tuksi, where a knowledgeable captain can take you to Osmussaare, a small island 7.5km from the mainland that was once inhabited by Estonian Swedes. It's known to them as Odensholm, the legendary burial place of the Viking god Oden. The island's cemetery and chapel ruins are reminders of the Swedish presence prior to their forced exodus by the USSR. After they were driven out a Soviet army base was built here in the early 1940s.
The island is uninhabited, so if you plan to camp, bring food and water with you.
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Hiiumaa Islets Landscape Reserve
Saarnaki, Hanikatsi, Vareslaid and other islets off southeastern Hiiumaa form the Hiiumaa Islets Landscape Reserve. This is a breeding place for some 110 bird species including avocets, eider ducks and goosanders, as well as a migration halt for swans, barnacle geese and other species. Over 600 plant species - more than half of Estonia's total - occur here.
It's possible to spend a night on deserted and peaceful Saarnaki or Hanikatsi provided permission is sought first from the reserve centre at Salinõmme on Hiiumaa.
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Vilsandi National Park
Vilsandi, 6km (4mi) long and in places up to 3km (2mi) wide, is a low, wooded island, the largest of 161 covering an area of 18,155ha forming the Vilsandi National Park off Saaremaa's west coast. One of the island's highlights is a working ostrich farm. Early May to mid-June is the best time for visiting - there's a ferry from Papisaare.
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Sőrve Peninsula
Small cliffs rear up along the west coast of the 32km (19mi) southwestern Sõrve Peninsula. This is where the island's magic can really be felt. A bike or car trip along the coastline will expose you to some fabulous views. This sparsely populated strip of land saw some of the heaviest fighting of WWII, and some of the scars remain.
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