Highlights

• Unspoiled Arctic wilderness
• Longyearbyen, the main city on Spitsbergen
• Dog sledding and snow mobiles in the winter
• Ice caves
• Cafe Huskies for coffee and cuddles
• Arctic sun and sunset
• Alpine touring , cross-country skiing
• Sassen-Bünsow Land National Park
• Chance to see the Northern lights
• Boat excursions during the spring, which offer the best chance to see a polar bear
• Spot the reindeer, which are shorter and fatter on Svalbard
• Try different types of foods including reindeer, whale and seal
• Svalbard Global Seed Vault- you can only see the building but it’s an important place
• Svalbard Museum
• North Pole Expedition Museum
• Coop Svalbard Store for souvenirs and there is a similar version of the stop at the airport

Before you go

• Svalbard is a sovereign part of the Kingdom of Norway, though you do need to have your passport to travel there
• There are limited places to withdraw Norwegian Krone, so it is better to bring some from mainland Norway
• Winter weather is cold, dry and usually windy
• It is a law that one must carry a loaded gun when outside of the town (Safe zone) due to the risk of polar bears charging
• Dress in layers and bring appropriate clothing during the winter, although most excursions will provide outerwear
• Book excursions at least a few weeks in advance or they may sell out
• Ensure that your travel insurance covers the location and types of activities
• Svalbard information is available online and at the tourist office in Longyearbyen
• Tap water is safe and tasty
• For restaurants, if you really want to try a place it is best to book. Some places are only open for dinner

Transport

• Both SAS and Norwegian run regular services from Oslo or Tromsø to Longyearbyen. However, check the schedules as they do not flights every day. We took Norwegian airways, and flew from Oslo via Tromsø
• Upon arrival at Longyearbyen airport, you can either take a shuttle or taxi to town. The shuttle leaves after all passengers have come out with their luggage but it’s a small airport so this doesn’t take long. As of March 2023, a one-way ticket was 100 NOK and return 170 NOK. The shuttle stops at all hotels and the first stop is Mary-Ann’s Polarrigg.
• Walking around Longyearbyen is easy though in winter, good snow boots are recommended. You must stay within the safe zone. Outside of the city, you need to be with someone who has a gone. You can travel by taxi but there are limited roads. So the other option is snow mobile!
• We used these three day tour companies and were happy with all of them! Basecamp Explorer Spitsbergen for dog sledding, Spitzbergen Adventures for snow mobile, and Poli Arctici for snowmobile and ice cave

Accommodation

• We stayed in Longyearbyen at Mary-Ann’s Polarrigg. It is a quaint lodge with small bedrooms and shared bathroom facilities. There is a large living room and a kitchen for those who would like to cook
• It is just a few minutes walk to the main street of Longyearbyen
• You may want to have ear plugs and eyeshades
• There is a minimum heating requirement so pipes don’t freeze, so it is very warm inside!
• The staff were all very friendly and welcoming. We had questions and they were always willing to answer and give us tips
• The breakfast buffet was fantastic and there was always fresh cake! The Vinterhagen restaurants is also very good.
• Our only complaint was that there is no way to go to breakfast or the restaurant indoors, so we had to put boots on to walk one minute outside each way

Currency

The official currency in Svalbard is the Norwegian Krone. As of March 2023, there are 12.8 NOK to one British pound.

I recommend to check the currency conversion just before you leave as this fluctuates

Food

Overall, we were very impressed with the quality of food in this remote location. Also, the prices were relatively high but about the same as other places in Norway.

When we first arrived in Longyearbyen, we headed straight out for dog sledding. So, when we got back to the hotel around 20:30, we were starving. Luckily, Mary-Ann’s Polarrigg has an excellent restaurant called Vinterhagen. We had our dinner there in the cosy, greenhouse setting. First, they offer an amuse bouche, and for us that was smoked duck on a cracker. Then we had the Arctic salmon with vegetables and potatoes, and a side of bread. The salmon was delicious and flavourful, without being fishy. It was a lot of food and we left fully satisfied. For those who are feeling like trying new foods, there was also whale and reindeer on the menu.

On the second evening, we had dinner at Stationen, a pub restaurant. It’s a dark, cosy restaurant that serves the local beer by Svalbard Bryggeri AS. Their fish and chips were tasty and plentiful.

And our last evening meal was Japanese food at Nuga. We could not decide between sushi and ramen so we got both! The sushi platter was fresh and delicious. And the ramen has well-browned caramelised pork belly, and the broth was very tasty. Great food especially considering the remote location.

Cafe Huskies was our favourite hang out spot in the town. You can enjoy coffee, cake and cuddles with dogs. Both times we went, we saw the same three dogs, but photos show that they rotate from time to time. Their poppyseed cake was delicious! And they also sell some locally-made souvenirs.

Another cute local cafe was Fruene AS, which seemed to be a cross between a cafe and a knitting shop. They also had some interesting handmade souvenirs and homemade chocolates. We definitely enjoyed the chocolates, cake, pizza, and sandwiches.

Finally, our most unique meal was during our snow mobile trip. We had rehydrated food in a bag by Real Turmat. My choice was Thai vegan curry with rice. Just add hot water, let it sit for 8 minutes and it is ready to eat. I think I didn’t use quite enough water, so I still had crunchy bits. Not my favourite but good enough to survive!