Put on your parka for this cruise stop. While Longyearbyen in Svalbard is primarily known for it’s cold temperatures and the Northern Lights, there’s a lot of very interesting and fun things to do in this remote city beyond the typical tourist attractions.
First, you can go polar bear watching. Svalbard is home to many polar bears, as it is one of the coldest areas in the world. You can hire locals or tour agencies to take by via snowmobile to known polar bear hideaways, and after waiting for a little bit, you can oftentimes see polar bears walk around, go swimming or look for food. Similarly, you can rent a snowmobile to explore the area or just for fun, from either a local or from a travel agency. Most residents in the area don’t own cars but own snowmobiles, so getting one to rent for a few hours is very easy and accessible. It is a great way to see the town, and see the area, and it is a really exciting experience to ride in a snowmobile in such a remote and snowy area.
After that, you can visit the famous Russian mining colony in Barentsburg. Second to Longyearbyen, Barentsburg is the second biggest settlement, and is build around a coal mine run by Russia. Now, there is only a skeleton crew now but you can still see the old coal mine and tour the small town. Because it’s so cold in that area, most of the USSR-era buildings are still standing so you can see what the town looked like in the communist era. It’s a great experience because it’s like being transported back in time 40 years.
Then, you can visit the Isfjord Radio Station, a remote radio station that was at one time the only connection to the mainland. There is now a boutique hotel there, where you can get some food and drinks. But much of the radio infrastructure is still preserved, so be sure to take a tour around the building and check out the old technology. The hotel is also very opulent and luxurious, and is a great place for a nice cup of coffee. You will hopefully run into a few reindeer on the way to the radio station.
Dog sledding anyone?
You can also go dog sledding in Longyearbyen, which was the traditional way to get around the town before snowmobiles. You will still see many residents hauling items or transporting themselves by dog-sled. Most residents have at least one sled and a few huskies to run their errands, and you can easily rent one for a few hours or for a short spin. You can also attend a short workshop where you can learn how to be a musher and play with the animals. You will ultimately be able to steer the dog sled on your own, and drive around yourself. There is a lot of beautiful wildlife in the area. You can take a short boat trip around the area to see birds, whales, walruses and the occasional arctic fox.
Then, you can visit the Global Seed Vault, which is an amazing engineering feat. Tucked below the frozen ground on a hill near Longyearbyen, this building has seeds from every corner of the world permanently stored inside. They’re stored there in case one of the plants goes extinct, in case the world needs to revive any plant. Nations can each place seeds from their own nation into the vault, where they’re guarded in case of disaster.
Downtown Longyearbyen
In downtown Longyearbyen, you can go shopping for souvenirs, local clothing, artifacts and some artisanal items. You will find lots of handcrafted items and fur items, but most of the shopping is local and cultural items, rather than luxury shopping. While you’re shopping, you can stop by the church in Longyearbyen and take a photo in the northern-most church in the world. It is not extravagant, but it’s worth a visit and has a small cafe attached with good food and coffee.
Lastly, and most importantly, the reason most people come here is for the northern lights. If you have time and are lucky, on a clear day, you’ll be able to see the northern lights. You can do it yourself or you can hire a tour group to take you out to pre-determined areas to see the lights.
