Pite Havsbad

Pite Havsbad markets itself as the Riviera of the North, which is a stretch, but the physical basis is real: the Bothnian Bay is shallow and nearly fresh this far up, and a long flat sand beach at the head of it warms in the sun much faster than the open Baltic - surface temperatures in July are often better than on the south coast. Around the beach a resort has grown with a large campsite, hotel, water park, restaurants and a summer programme. Midsummer daylight here runs almost the full twenty-four hours, so the beach stays usable late into the evening. Out of season it closes down and the bay freezes.

What you actually see

• A long flat sand beach - at the head of the Bothnian Bay.
• Water warmer than the south coast - shallow and nearly fresh.
• A campsite, hotel and water park - the resort around it.
• Near round-the-clock daylight - at midsummer.

When to go

June to August. A full day.

Honest expectations

The season is very short - roughly ten weeks. July fills the campsite and prices with it. Outside summer it is closed and the bay is ice. The resort is commercial in character.

Nearby

Pitea is north; Lulea and Gammelstad are further up the coast.