Tankar is a small rocky island about 20 km off the coast of Kokkola, topped by a red and white lighthouse that has been guiding ships through the Gulf of Bothnia for over four centuries. In summer, a passenger ferry runs from Kokkola harbour to the island and back, taking about an hour each way.
The island is tiny — you can walk the perimeter path in under an hour — but the experience of being out on the open gulf, with the mainland invisible and the sea on all sides, is memorable. The lighthouse itself is one of the oldest operational lighthouses in Finland. The island also has a small chapel and a summer café in the restored lighthouse keeper's buildings. The birdlife is exceptional: Tankar is a protected nature reserve and a major seabird colony.
The ferry runs from June to August; check the current schedule with the Kokkola tourist office. Bring a windproof jacket even in summer — the island is fully exposed to the gulf winds.