Vaala is a municipality in Eastern Oulu region, Finland.

Understand

The town centre of Vaala along the regional road 800

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

Vaala railway station

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 1 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

Kassu Halonen Art House

• 1 Vaala Church (Vaalan kirkko), Järvikyläntie 3 (in the centre). The church of the municipality from 1961, designed by Dag Englund. (updated Jul 2022)
• 2 Säräisniemi Local History Museum (Säräisniemen kotiseutumuseo), Säräisniementie 345 (a 15-km drive south of the centre). (updated Jul 2022)
• 3 Kassu Halonen Art House (Kassu Halosen taidetalo), Kivarinperäntie 24 (on the Manamansalo island 23 km to the south-east; 50 km by roads). (updated Jul 2022)
• 4 Lamminaho Farm Museum (Lamminahon tila), Lamminahontie 231 (8 km north-west of the centre). (updated Jul 2022)

Do

• 1 Lumman reitti, Jylhämäentie (starts across Oulujoki). A hiking trail with a length of 5.3 km. (updated Jul 2022)
• 2 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. (updated Sep 2023)
• 3 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).  
• 4 Saharanta Beach (Saharannan uimaranta), Saharannantie (on the shore of Lake Oulujärvi, in the south part of the centre). (updated Jul 2022)

Buy

• 1 S-Market Vaala, Kolehmaisentie 1 (in the centre). M–Sa 07:00 – 21:00, Su 09:00 – 21:00. A grocery store. (updated Jul 2022)
• 2 K-Market Tervaportti, Vaalantie 26 (in the centre). M–Sa 07:00 – 22:00, Su 09:00 – 22:00. A grocery store. (updated Jul 2022)
• 3 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. (updated Jul 2022)

Eat

• 1 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. (updated Jul 2022)

Sleep

• 1 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. (updated Jul 2022)
• 2 Gasthaus Vaala, Vaalantie 13 (in the centre), ☏ +358 400-60-0345. €55/day. (updated Jul 2022)
• 3 Taikaloora, Haminatie 4 (at Saharanta), ☏ +358 50-587-0814. (updated Jul 2022)

Go next

• Oulu
• Paltamo
• Kajaani