Rich in history and spectacular seaside nature, Ekenäs Archipelago National Park is an ideal destination on the south coast of Finland halfway between the major cities of Helsinki and Turku. The sheltered Ekenäs Archipelago includes hundreds of islands and skerries densely packed together to form a boating paradise with countless natural harbours where unspoiled nature abounds. The islands of Jussarö and Älgö offer services for boaters as well as hiking trails and historic sites to visit. The diversity of nature in the archipelago is remarkable and varies greatly from the inner archipelago near the mainland to the outer islands in the open sea. The bigger islands resemble the flora and fauna of the mainland with large forests of old-growth spruce and pine interspersed with hardwoods. Moving further out to sea the islands become smaller and rocky. These islands are home to many species of nesting waterfowl and gulls. The number one activity in Ekenäs Archipelago National Park is pleasure boating. Many visitors come in their sailboats and cabin cruisers and tie up for the night in one of the many natural harbours dotted among the islands or at the marinas on the island of Jussarö and on the mainland in the delightful summer town of Ekenäs. But the park is accessible without a private boat too. There are regular trips to Jussarö arranged in the summer and charter trips are also available In nature conservation areas, everyman’s rights do not apply in the normal way. Please always check the rules of the destination before making your trip. National parks are nature reserves, whose key task is to safeguard biodiversity and enable people to enjoy and relax in nature on the terms of nature conservation. National parks are nature reserves, whose key task is to safeguard biodiversity and enable people to enjoy and relax in nature on the terms of nature conservation. All national parks in Finland are managed by Metsähallitus.