Hoddevik - A Unique Place for Surfing
The city of Hoddevik was born in the shadow of two majestic mountains. Known as the Mecca of surfing in Norway, Hoddevik is a must if you are looking for white sand, clean waves and impressive views.
As a student at the University of Volda, which is 2 hours away from Hoddevik, I spent every Tuesday here. Tuesday was a day with no classes in my schedule. It was the perfect excuse to take the car and drive to Hoddevik. After my first visit here, I fell in love with the place.
With fairly consistent waves, Hoddevik is the perfect reason to pack up your tent and come here for at least a weekend. Two massive mountains have joined together to form a majestic bay where the swell starts working at 1.0-1.5 m (3-5 ft) and goes up to 5 m (16 ft). A wonderful community of surfers gathers here with their vans and tents to take part in the race for the perfect wave. The best time of the year to surf in Hoddevik is from September to November. During this time, surfing is only recommended for experienced surfers.
From June to August, the waves are usually smaller and the surf camps here open their doors to those with less experience or who want to learn about this beautiful activity.
Hoddevik is known for being a peaceful place. I always packed my armchair, my laptop, a thermos of tea, and a PB&J sandwich and came here not only to surf but also to work on my university projects. The only sound you could hear here was the crashing of the waves, and sometimes a few curious sheep would come by to see what you were doing :)
I once tried to count the houses here and I could not count more than 10. After some research, I found out that Hoddevik has a permanent population of somewhere between 15 and 25. I only tell you this information so that you understand that the people here live more like family than neighbors. That is why they are very hospitable and helpful if you need anything. In Hoddevik, near the beach, there is a free car park where camping is not allowed. But not far from the car park, you will find a small campsite with clean toilets and showers that are open to the public.
I did not see a restaurant here, but there is a small café with outdoor seating and a self-service snack bar near the car park. The good thing is that the snack bar is open around the clock and you can find a good selection of snacks and drinks there. However, if you are looking for more than just something to eat, you should plan ahead and buy your supplies before you come to Hoddevik. There is no grocery store or gas station in Hoddevik. The nearest grocery store with a petrol station is Joker Stadlandet, located in Refsnes in Stadlandet, north of Hoddevik. From Hoddevik, it is about a 20-kilometer drive to the grocery store. So make sure you have everything you need before you go here. But once you have everything packed and are ready to come here, you will be amazed at how beautiful this place is. Even as you approach Hoddevik, you will be surprised by the landscape. It goes over a mountain pass before descending to Hoddevik. So be sure to stop at the highest point of the mountain to enjoy the exclusive view of nature.
There are two surf camps in Hoddevik, both of which offer equipment rental. A group surf course costs around €95 per session, while a private surf course can cost around €185 per session. You can also rent a room here for around €95-100 per night in a twin room with shared kitchen and shower. The houses you can rent here look quite authentic, more like a wooden family home. I know I have mentioned this before, but I really like the atmosphere here. It's amazing that you can enjoy a good surf session and find such a warm and family atmosphere. And for me it was kind of cute to see sheep on the beach.
Although Hoddevik is known for being relatively consistent all year round, I have also spent some days here when surfing was not possible due to a lack of waves. On those days, people camping here can check out the other attractions Hoddevik has to offer. In the warm season, when there are no waves for surfing, you can pack your paddleboard and come paddle along the cliffs. You can also bring scuba masks to explore the underwater world. Play beach volleyball and hang out in the white sand dunes. Go fishing, swim in the ocean, and jump off the pier down in the bay. Sign up for a yoga class in the old barn on the beach. A local yogi offers drop-in classes for locals and visitors during the summer. If none of this sounds interesting to you, the two mountains I told you about offer a hiking trail to the top of the bay. The closest mountain, Mosekleivhornet (540 metres above sea level), is on the right side of the bay. The hike there can be very steep, but once you get to the top, the view is very rewarding.
