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Voykit pocket guide · Finland
Simo
Come for one night only if you fish the Simojoki for wild salmon or want quiet villages; otherwise skip and stay in Kemi, 27 km north.
Simo is a small Lapland municipality of about 3,300 people on the Bothnian Bay, 27 km south of Kemi and 80 km north of Oulu on the E75. It is a summer place: the Simojoki is one of the few Baltic rivers with its own wild salmon stock, and the old villages of Simoniemi and Simonkylä hold the sights. There is no passenger train stop, so you arrive by car or coach and move around the same way.
- Country
- Finland
- Best months
- Jun–Aug
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (cold, dark, most services shut)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Cards and phone payments are accepted almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget €50–80 excl. bed · Mid €90–140 excl. bed · High €160+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- EU roaming applies.
- Emergency
- Emergency 112
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · European two-pin; UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Not expected; round up for great service.; Café and bar: Nothing.; Taxi: Nothing expected.; Guides: Optional.
- Water
- Tap water is excellent.
- Toilets
- Free in libraries, malls and many stations; some charge €1 by card.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee and a bun in a village café | €4–7 |
| Lunch plate, salmon soup or similar | €12–18 |
| Grocery basket for two, one day | €25–40 |
| Coach Kemi–Simo | about €7 |
| Coach Oulu–Simo | €10–18 |
| Local bus Simo centre–Simonkylä | about €3.30 |
| Fishing permit for the Simojoki | check |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- KEM · Kemi-Tornio Airport
- About 40 km (25 mi) north; daily Helsinki flights, then coach or car to Simo.About 25 mi (40 km) north; daily Helsinki flights, then coach or car to Simo.
- OUL · Oulu Airport
- About 110 km (68 mi) south; more flights, then coach or car.About 68 mi (110 km) south; more flights, then coach or car.
Typical fares
- Coach Kemi → Simo
- about €7, 30–40 min
- Coach Oulu → Simo
- €10–18, about 1 h 15 min
- Local bus Simo centre → Simonkylä
- about €3.30, weekdays only
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
No local train stop. Coaches on the Oulu–Kemi line stop at Simo centre or drop you on the highway; a local bus runs once or twice on weekdays between Simo and Kemi via the villages. Otherwise you need a car or taxi. The villages and river sites are spread over tens of kilometres.
See and do
Known for
- Wild Baltic salmon fishing on the Simojoki
- Simoniemi and Simonkylä old villages
- Simo Skirmish of 1916
- Post-glacial rebound shoreline
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kemi | Coach or car north on the E75 | About 30–40 min |
| Tornio | Coach or car north past Kemi | About 1 h |
| Ranua | National road 924 east, or coach | About 1 h 20 min |
| Tervola | Car or coach north on the E75 | About 45 min |
| Ylitornio | Car via Kemi and Tornio, or coach | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Simo centre (Simontori)
- Groceries, bus stop and riverside camping; best if you arrive without a car.
- Simoniemi village
- By the guest marina and the 1846 wooden church; cottages, quiet.
- Simojoki river, Ranua road
- Fishing lodges and caravan sites 20–37 km (12–23 mi) inland; car needed.Fishing lodges and caravan sites 12–23 mi (20–37 km) inland; car needed.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Heihay |
| Thank you | Kiitoskee-tos |
| Do you speak English? | Puhutteko englantia?poo-hoot-te-ko eng-lan-tee-a |
| How much is it? | Paljonko se maksaa?pal-yon-ko se mak-saa |
| Where is the toilet? | Missä on vessa?mis-sa on ves-sa |
| I need help | Tarvitsen apuatar-veet-sen a-poo-a |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Firm handshake, eye contact, short and direct; avoid: Hugs and long small talk with strangers
- Silence: Let pauses be pauses; avoid: Filling every quiet moment
- Sauna: Shower first, ask before throwing water on the stones; avoid: Swimsuits in nude-only saunas, or nudity in mixed ones marked otherwise
- Home visit: Shoes off; bring flowers or pastries; avoid: Keeping shoes on indoors
- Personal space: Keep a metre's distance in queues; avoid: Sitting next to a stranger when other seats are free
- Promises: Mean what you say; Finns will; avoid: Polite 'let's meet sometime' you do not intend
Scams and watch-outs
- Tick-borne encephalitis is present here; the local tick species carries it more often than elsewhere in Europe. Use repellent and check yourself after walking in grass.
- Runkaus Strict Nature Reserve is closed to the public; entry needs written permission for scientific work only.
- Duckboards on the Martimoaapa mire trails are in poor condition.
- Most camping areas and the Pahnila museum open only June–August.
- The nearest 24/7 emergency room is Kemi hospital; the Simo health station is weekday daytime only.
Low crime; the real risks are ticks carrying TBE, long distances with no phone signal in the mires, and cold water. Tell someone your route before going out on the river or the bay.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Simo yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Wild Baltic salmon fishing on the Simojoki
- Simoniemi and Simonkylä old villages
- Simo Skirmish of 1916
- Post-glacial rebound shoreline
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Simo municipality: www.simo.fi/
- Visit Sea Lapland: www.visitsealapland.com/en/
- Simojoki fishing and canoe route: simojoki.com/?lang=en
- Martimoaapa mire reserve, nationalparks.fi: www.nationalparks.fi/martimoaapa
- Matkahuolto coaches: www.matkahuolto.fi
- Wikivoyage: Simo, revision 5240890 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5240890
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Simo
Tähän osoitteeseen, kiitos
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Emergency112
No embassies in Simo; Helsinki has the embassies, and several countries keep consulates in Oulu or Rovaniemi (check).
112 works without a local SIM and in most wilderness areas with any signal.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/simo). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.