Vaala is a municipality in Eastern Oulu region, Finland.
Understand
Vaala centre lies where the river Oulujoki starts, at Oulujärvi, which is the fifth largest lake in Finland. Niskanselkä, the part of the lake north of Manamonsalo (about a third of it) belongs to the municipality.
Get in
Regional road 800 (called Vaalantie) runs through the village centre of Vaala. The nearest highway is the national road 22 between Oulu and Kajaani, passing 2 km to the north-east.
There are also trains. The 🌍 Vaala railway station in the town centre has several trains daily, but no other services.
There is a marina in the south part of the centre, at Saharanta. 1.5-m boating route from Sotkamo, 1.8-m fairway from Kajaani, 3,5-m fairway from Paltamo.
Get around
By bus
Coaches passing by can be used, see Matkahuolto.
By taxi
- Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi
See
- 🌍 Vaala Church (Vaalan kirkko), Järvikyläntie 3 (in the centre). The church of the municipality from 1961, designed by Dag Englund.
- 🌍 Säräisniemi Local History Museum (Säräisniemen kotiseutumuseo), Säräisniementie 345 (a 15-km drive south of the centre).
- 🌍 Kassu Halonen Art House (Kassu Halosen taidetalo), Kivarinperäntie 24 (on the Manamansalo island 23 km to the south-east; 50 km by roads).
- 🌍 Lamminaho Farm Museum (Lamminahon tila), Lamminahontie 231 (8 km north-west of the centre).
Do
- 🌍 Lumman reitti, Jylhämäentie (starts across Oulujoki). A hiking trail with a length of 5.3 km.
- 🌍 Oulujärvi Hiking Area (Niskanselkä). 24 hr daily. Hiking and boating area including several islands and shores of Niskanselkä, including part of Manamonsalo (with camping, shelters and trails) and some islands 4 km from Vaala centre. Free.
- 🌍 Rokua National Park (a 20-km drive west of the centre). National park with a compact collection of glacial formations. Family-friendly trails over wooded sandhills with lichen-covered ground. Part of the northernmost UNESCO Geopark (as of 2022).
- 🌍 Saharanta Beach (Saharannan uimaranta), Saharannantie (on the shore of Lake Oulujärvi, in the south part of the centre).
Buy
- 🌍 S-Market Vaala, Kolehmaisentie 1 (in the centre). M–Sa 07:00 – 21:00, Su 09:00 – 21:00. A grocery store.
- 🌍 K-Market Tervaportti, Vaalantie 26 (in the centre). M–Sa 07:00 – 22:00, Su 09:00 – 22:00. A grocery store.
- 🌍 Pänikkä ja Piironki, Vaalantie 25 (in the centre), ☏ +358 44 984 6906, info@panikkajapiironki.fi. M–Th 10:00–15:00, F 10:00–17:00, Sa 10:00–14:00. A local general store.
Eat
- 🌍 Finlandiano Pizzeria, Vaalantie 22 (in the centre). M–Th 10:30–21:00, F 10:30–22:00, Sa 11:00–22:00, Su 12:00–21:00.
Drink
Sleep
- 🌍 Siitari, Vaalantie 12 (in the centre), ☏ +358 8 563-9000, info@siitari.fi. A hotel and restaurant. For one person: €49/day; for two people: €69/day.
- 🌍 Gasthaus Vaala, Vaalantie 13 (in the centre), ☏ +358 400-60-0345. €55/day.
- 🌍 Taikaloora, Haminatie 4 (at Saharanta), ☏ +358 50-587-0814.