Pulling in tourists from around the country, Pite Havsbad is the main beach resort along Sweden’s northeast coast. It’s a major attraction during the summertime, when families arrive to splash around on the two beautifully sandy beaches that stretch north along the coastline.
The resort itself is around 10km south of Piteå and has a bit of a holiday camp feel to it, with a central hotel building, plus red wooden bungalows and loads of pretty pitches for tents and caravans dotted among the tall pine trees.
It’s a massive complex, set around a tropical-themed indoor water park with five flumes and a sun terrace that’s bathed in artificial sunlight – a welcome treat if you’re here outside the main summer season.
Apart from the pool, Pite Havsbad has a spa offering all manner of coconut-scented body scrubs and massages, plus a huge, American-themed restaurant that puts on cheesy music shows (think Abba tribute acts). There’s also a kids’ club with its own bowling alley, a recording studio, an adventure playground and a ball pool.
The main beach is just steps away from the hotel building, and is perfect for swimming and sunbathing – well, at least for a couple of weeks per year. Note that the far eastern end of the first bay is a designated nudist area.
During wintertime the resort is still open and has some good deals on accommodation, but it’s cold enough this far north that the sea freezes and the sand goes rock hard. Needless to say, you’ll need a heavy-duty bucket and spade and a very warm jacket to have much fun on the beach.
As the tourist infrastructure in Piteå itself is still pretty limited, the resort is the easiest place to go if you want to arrange tours of the local area. Staff can fix you up with dog-sledding adventures and even trips aboard an ice breaker that cuts its way across the frozen sea.
Entry
You don’t have to be a guest at Pite Havsbad to use the beach – just park up at the resort and walk down. Tickets for the indoor water park cost 155 SEK on weekdays (90 SEK for kids under 12). Other activities at Pite Havsbad are charged separately.
Getting there
Pite Havsbad is just off the E4, around 10km south of Piteå. There’s plenty of parking at the resort.
If you’re relying on public transport, you’ll need to take a yellow city bus from Sundsgatan, near Piteå’s main bus terminal. A number 1 or 11 bus will get you all the way to the resort (the station is called Havsbadet). Tickets can be bought from the driver using cash. At the time of writing a single journey costs 24 SEK.
Note that outside of the main summer season (July and August), this service is limited to Saturdays. If you get stuck, SverigeTaxi (+46 911 800 00) should be able to take you to the resort from Piteå for around 220 SEK.
Pite Havsbad
Hotellvägen 50
Piteå
+46 911 327 00
Check rates at Booking.com
