Refviksanden

Refviksanden runs for about eight hundred metres on the northwestern side of Vagsoy, and it is the beach that appears in every article claiming Norway has Caribbean water: fine white shell sand, marram-covered dunes behind, and shallows that turn a genuine turquoise when the sun is out, because the pale bottom reflects light. The illusion ends on entry, since the water rarely exceeds fifteen degrees. Its exposed aspect brings surfable waves, and a small surf scene uses it alongside the Stad beaches. Behind the dunes lies grazing land and the small settlement of Refvik. Facilities are minimal, with a car park, toilets in season and no kiosk, and the beach is rarely crowded even in August.

The landscape

• The white shell sand - a long pale beach unusual for the latitude.
• The turquoise shallows - bright water over the reflective bottom.
• The dune belt - marram grass dunes behind the sand.
• The Atlantic swell - waves that make it a minor surf spot.

When to go

June to August for the warmest water and longest days; the colour needs sunshine to show, so clear weather matters more than the month. Autumn and winter bring the biggest waves and near-empty sand.

Things to know

The water is genuinely cold and a wetsuit is normal for anything longer than a dip. Wind is frequent and can drive sand across the beach. There is no kiosk, café or lifeguard, and toilets are seasonal.

Nearby

Kannesteinen rock is on the same island; Maloy town and the Stad peninsula lie south and north.