Visit Swedish Kukkolaforsen
Kukkolaforsen is located 14 kilometres from the centre of Haparanda. At Kukkolaforsen, they dipnet fish from the shore, from the cliffs and from the boat. At present, dipnet fishing rights are auctioned annually.
On the shore of Kukkolaforsen, there are several fish sheds where fishermen store their equipment. Today, there are six fish sheds of different ages in the area. In addition, the Swedish rapids field has an ice shed, an office and a hut where fish are grilled using traditional methods.
The area is also home to a charming cultural village managed by the municipality of Haparanda, the oldest buildings of which date back to the 1700s. Although the mills on the Finnish side have been destroyed over time, there are still two of them left on the Swedish side. These also include a sawmill, a crossbow ramp and a timber warehouse, which tell about the diverse historical use of the area.
The Culture Village houses the Torne Valley Fishing Museum, which is open in the summer, and offers a comprehensive overview of the fishing culture and traditional fishing methods in the area. The museum showcases the history of fishing and its importance in the Torne River, where fishing has been a vital part of the local way of life for centuries. At the exhibitions, you can get acquainted with various fishing equipment and techniques that have been used in the area throughout the ages.
Kukkolaforsen offers a wide range of services, such as accommodation and restaurant services as well as programme services. Kukkolaforsen Turist & Konferens offers tourists different levels of accommodation options all year round, making the area a popular destination for locals and tourists alike.
FAQ
Here you can find answers to the most frequently asked questions about Swedish Kukkolaforsen.
Swedish Kukkolaforsen is located about 15 km north ofHaparanda in Koskitie 184, 953 91 Haparanda, Sweden. Here is information about how to get there:
- By car: Take road 99 from either north or south. Turn off to Kukkolaforsen at the large Kukkolaforsen -sign by the road.
- By bus: The nearest stop is about 400 m from Kukkolafrosen.
- By plane: The nearest airports are Kemi–Tornio Airport (67km), Luleå airport (146km) and Rovaniemi airport (147km).
Here you can find information about the services available near the Kukkolankoski rapids area:
Café and restaurant services:
Kukkolaforsen Turist & Konferens – Restaurant by the rapids. Open daily in the summer, other times by request. Kukkolaforsen 184, Haparanda, Sverige
Accommodation:
Kukkolaforsen Turist & Konferens – Hotel, cottages and camping. Kukkolaforsen 184, Haparanda, Sverige
Activities:
Kukkolaforsen Turist & Konferens – Activities.
Kukkolaforsen 184, Haparanda, Sverige
You can find the services of the other rapids at the bottom of this page. Through the regional tourism website, you can find more information of the destination: www.haparandatornio.com
The Fishing Museum at Swedish Kukkolaforsen is open daily during the summer. In winter, the museum is closed for spontaneous visits but can be opened for pre-booked groups.
Please contact Kukkolaforsen Turist & Konferens if you would like to book a guided tour.
Kukkolaforsen and Matkakoski are wonderful places to visit all year round. However, if you want to watch dipnetting and see life at the rapids, the best time to visit is in summer.
Dipnetting at Kukkolaforsen and Matkakoski takes place within the framework defined by the Frontier Rivers Agreement. Whitefish are dipnetted from early July to mid-September, and salmon from early June to mid-July. Exact annual fishing periods should be checked on the Frontier Rivers Commission’s website. During the summer months, you can also enjoy cultural events at the rapids and local food.
Winter is also a spectacular time to visit – the rapids remain often open despite the freezing temperatures, and the ice and frost formations that develop around them create a picture-perfect landscape. In the winter silence, the sound of flowing water becomes especially striking.
Inherited fishing rights regulate access to dipnetting at Kukkolaforsen and Matkakoski. These rights, which date back to the 17th and 18th centuries, are recognised in both Swedish and Finnish legislation. The dipnetting rights are tied to original homesteads, about 75 in total, which today belong to several hundred individual shareholders.
At Kukkolaforsen in Sweden, you can book a one-hour guided activity during the summer and try dipnetting yourself under the supervision of an instructor.
https://www.kukkolaforsen.se/en/aktiviteter/kukkola-whitefish-fishing-experience/
On the Finnish side at Kukkolankoski, and on both sides of Matkakoski, this activity is not available.
Whitefish dividing is best observed at the Finnish Kukkolankoski. There, the distribution tradition is alive and well, attracting both locals and visitors on summer evenings. During the summer, when turn-based dipnetting is in operation, the daily whitefish catch is divided among the shareholder homesteads according to an age-old system. The distribution takes place at the Kukkolankoski rapids field in front of the old fish shed at around six o’clock finnish time (five o´clock swedish time) in the evening, when the dipnetting shift changes. Villagers and visitors gather to catch up and hear the day’s fishing stories. The rapid sorting of whitefish into their respective piles is a spectacle in itself.
Whitefish distribution can also be observed on the Swedish Matkakoski approximately from early August to mid-September. The sharing takes place next to Ida’s Café at 6:00 p.m. Swedish time (at 5:00 p.m. Finnish time), in connection with the change of dipnetting shift.
In the “Rapids Areas” section of this website, you can find more information about the cross-border dipnetting tradition of the Tornio River and its four rapids villages.
It is worth exploring the other sections of this website:
- Dipnet tradition: This section explains cross-border dipnetting and its history.
- More information: Here you can find links to publications, newspaper articles, and research related to the dipnetting tradition, as well as projects that help preserve it. You can also read newsletters called “Dipnet letters” and follow the latest news about the tradition.
- Annual Calendar: This section provides information about life and yearly events in the four rapids villages, including Kukkolankoski and Matkakoski in both Sweden and Finland.
