In one beautiful remote island with just 305 residents, the stunning northern lights dance in the sky from early September until late March. The lack of light pollution means you can see it from anywhere on the Norwegian island, but what makes November so special is it's the start of the 'polar night', when all 305 of Sommarøy's residents lose daylight.
The sun won't rise again until January, and while some may struggle with the lack of natural light, the sheer darkness is a backdrop for the stunning blue and green light show. Plus, there is "no safari, hike or outdoor sleeping necessary" because the Northern lights are "right there on your doorstep", according to Sommaroy Artic Hotel Tromso.
Residents get their fix of daylight from May to July, when they have 69 days of midnight sun, but this bizarre light schedule led residents to make a movement to abolish time completely, because "if you want to paint your house at 2am, it's OK. If we want to take a swim at 4am, we will," according to Kjell Ove Hveding, who was the leader of the campaign on the island in 2019.
The islanders called for formal opening hours to be abolished and people to be allowed to "do what we want, when we want" - making Sommaroy known as the place where time does not exist.
The movement turned out to be a PR stunt, and an incredibly successful one at that, attracting worldwide attention, but the point still stood.
Residents on the campaign page said: "Here we enjoy every minute of the midnight sun, and yes, a coffee with friends on the beach at 2am is a normal thing."
Visitors enthusiastically got involved, with some attaching their watches to the bridge as they entered the island to enjoy winter activities like dog sledging, snowshoeing tours, and fishing, which is a major part of the economy, without time constraints.
Even the drive to Sommaroy is worth mentioning; a stunning one-hour journey from Tromso city through fjords and mountains in remote northern Norway. Direct flights from London to Tromso take under four hours.
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