Shortcuts
What makes Aasiaat special?
Aasiaat – the “land of a thousand islands” and almost as many whales receives fewer human visitors than many of the smaller Disko Bay settlements. This, despite Aasiaat being Greenland’s 5th largest town and home to unexpected galleries of both famous and not-so-famous artworks.
The heart of an archipelago of low-lying islands, what Aasiaat lacks in vertical height, it makes up for with its enormous coastline. Intricate waterways that freeze over during winter shelter both summer and winter whales and become mazes to explore by boat, kayak or dogsled. While Greenlandic sled dogs howl for snow and ice amongst Aasiaat’s vibrantly coloured houses.
How to get to Aasiaat
Aasiaat is located on an island in the south-west part of Disko Bay. International and domestic visitors can reach Aasiaat by transferring onto a direct flight in Kangerlussuaq or Ilulissat. For most of the year, you can also reach Aasiaat by sea. It is one of the ports along the route of the Sarfaq Ittuk passenger ferry, and it is also possible to arrive via local transfers from elsewhere within Disko Bay.
The best times to visit are:
- February – April (dogsledding, snowshoeing, skiing, northern lights),
- June – September (hiking, boat tours, whale watching, fishing),
- May and October – January for off-season conferences.
The events in Aasiaat are the Midnight Sun Marathon, typically held every June, and the Nipiaa Rock Festival in August.
How to get around Aasiaat
Although Aasiaat is quite spread out, you can reach most of the main attractions on foot from the centre. If you want to travel faster, you can also hire bicycles. To get to the airport, you will want to call a taxi to transport you and your gear. For excursions in the area, the most common way to get around is with a boat and on foot (summer), and on dogsled, ski or snowshoe (winter). There is no dedicated tourist information office. However, the friendly people at the Hotel Søma Aasiaat are happy to help.
Useful phone numbers
- Police (+299) 70 14 48
- Hospital (+299) 89 22 11
- Taxi (+299) 49 94 99 (this company has an app called App-Taxa) + (+299) 89 27 00
Discover local stays, tours & tastes!
What to do in Aasiaat
The best way to experience Aasiaat is to follow the lead of the locals.
During summer, this means getting out on the water to explore the extensive coastline that encompasses the thousands of islands in the Aasiaat archipelago. Sail or kayak past the enormous icebergs that have made their way across from the Ilulissat Icefjord, visit the whale graveyard, dare to bathe in the not-so-hot spring on your way to exploring and hiking on whatever deserted island around Aasiaat takes your fancy (the largest has an abandoned settlement called Manermiut on its western tip), or spend a few hours soaking up daily life in one of the two small settlements near Aasiaat. Then catch your own dinner on a fishing trip that is likely to land cod, Atlantic wolffish, redfish, or Greenlandic halibut. Make sure you purchase a fishing license first.
The other favourite pastime amongst locals in Aasiaat is year-round whale watching. winter whales such as the Bowhead (Greenland) Whale frequent the waters around Aasiaat when all others have migrated South. They then relinquish their territory to the Minke, Fin, and playful Humpback whales who appear for a few months during the summer and are often seen very close to Disko Bay’s town of the whales.
One of the best ways to get close to these amazing animals and explore the thousands of islands around Aasiaat is to hire a kayak. You never know what you might find while paddling through the sheltered waterways of the archipelago, calling in wherever looks interesting and camping on your own private island.
When the snow arrives and the sea freezes over in Aasiaat, locals swap their hiking boots for skis (new tracks made every week) or snowshoes and park their boats to release their sled dogs. On any given day, you can join local fishermen sitting by holes in the sea ice as they wait for their catch. Or, embrace the thrill of a traditional dog sled excursion to explore the area around Aasiaat as the Inuit have done for thousands of years. Then, during the long nights, you simply have to walk outside to marvel at the magical Northern Lights dancing overhead, though hiking a small distance from the centre of town offers the best (darkest) views.
Self-guided Activities in Aasiaat
When you are not out on the water or trailing along behind Greenlandic sled dogs, Aasiaat itself is an interesting town to explore.
Take a stroll along the harbour in the direction of Hotel Søma to check out which vessels are in port and to watch shipwrights hard at work repairing all manner of boats.
Art lovers should wander around town to discover enormous murals and finely-worked sculptures that lie hidden in obscure places and open to the elements. The most obvious of these is a sculpture of the Danish royal family that stands outside the large black church. Venture inside to see a model of a traditional women’s boat hanging from the ceiling and several paintings on the back wall that depict various religious stories, then head up the hill to Aasiaat’s assembly hall where 21 paintings by the famous Danish artist, Per Kirkeby, are mounted. Created during a 3-month visit in 1969, they are seen by few but rumoured to be worth a small fortune! The local bingo-playing community is always happy to share this hidden cultural gem with travellers from around the world.
For those interested in history, the Aasiaat museum has a wealth of information about the area, and one of the best displays of kayaking and dog sledding of any museum in Greenland. You can also ask here to see inside the traditional turf house located up the hill near the church.
The museum is housed in the old Governor’s residence of 1860, one of several colonial buildings that stretch away from the harbour along the edge of Disko Bay. The other that is well worth a look is the Old Girls’ School, now Aasiaat’s public library. Walk past the endless apartment blocks (remember to look for the murals) to discover this stunningly beautiful colonial building that is often perfectly reflected in the small shallow lake at its base.
Good to know
- The main high school for North Greenland is located in Aasiaat. Students from all over North Greenland live in Aasiaat to attend.
- Aasiaat is the only major town in Greenland that has no impressive mountain nearby
- Aasiaat radio is another name for Greenland’s coastal radio, which maintains distress and safety control for ship traffic in Greenlandic waters
- Aasiaat literally means “spiders” in the Greenlandic language, though there are no more spiders here than anywhere else in Greenland and the name is a little ambiguous. Its Danish name was Egedesminde, which means Memory of Egede, when it was a colony
- Aasiaat has two supermarkets – Pisiffik and Pilersuisoq – as well as several smaller kiosks and boutiques. You should bring any camping equipment with you, but there are basic camping equipment in a small shop called Anuni and upstairs in the Pisiffik.
- For souvenirs, you should try the Hotel Søma Aasiaat and the museum.