Kihnu Island
Kihnu Island
4.5
About
Kihnu island is a peculiar alloy of contemporary and the past. Proclaimed by UNESCO Kihnu culture space is living and functioning till nowadays. Kihnu women wear every day self woven traditional skirts (kort), already small children know Kihnu dances and songs and Kihnu dialect is taught in the school.The sea surrounding Kihnu island is low and stony, around the island there are a lot of little islets. Kihnu strait is the high importance gathering place for birds and nesting area for birds endangered in Europe.7 km long and 3,3 km large Kihnu island has perfect size for exploring it by bicycle!
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4.5
17 reviews
Excellent
12
Very good
2
Average
0
Poor
3
Terrible
0
anneW622YV
7 contributions
Jul 2021
we visited first time Kihnu island and we expected to see authentic local culture, to enjoy fresh food, fish caught by local fishermen, homemade beer and fresh food from local gardens. We wanted to purchase some local handicraft but the result was absolutely waste of time. shops and museums were closed at day time on Thursday. the only restaurant which was open, the food was far from our expectations, the taste was not good and it was not even healthy. Service was terrible and unfriendly. I dont remember when I met last time so many unfriendly and unhappy people. We were invisible to the locals, nobody even cared to say hi or how could we help you.
I am sorry to say but I am not going to recommend to visit this island.
I am sorry to say but I am not going to recommend to visit this island.
Written 25 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Eattravelenjoy
Sydney, Australia129 contributions
May 2021 • Couples
You can travel to Kihnu easily from Munalaid harbour about 40 minutes drive from Pärnu . The boat trip takes one hour .
There are plentiful of rental bikes in Kihnu Harbor and it costs only ten euros for a whole days rental . The lady in the rental shop was really friendly and she wore a local dress as many other local ladies do . Such a lovely custom !
I got a flat tire and when I called the rental company it took only 7 minutes before I got help and a new bike ! Just amazing service .
We rode the bikes for hours and visited all the interesting places in Kihnu, the lighthouse, museum and the church. Every person we met were so friendly and welcoming .
A perfect summer day which will be remembered .
There are plentiful of rental bikes in Kihnu Harbor and it costs only ten euros for a whole days rental . The lady in the rental shop was really friendly and she wore a local dress as many other local ladies do . Such a lovely custom !
I got a flat tire and when I called the rental company it took only 7 minutes before I got help and a new bike ! Just amazing service .
We rode the bikes for hours and visited all the interesting places in Kihnu, the lighthouse, museum and the church. Every person we met were so friendly and welcoming .
A perfect summer day which will be remembered .
Written 13 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
acorna
Vilnius, Lithuania4,433 contributions
Aug 2019
I always wanted to visit the smaller Estonian islands, so this travel was a real treat. We were also very lucky: weather was wonderful and no mosquitoes, we had Estonians in our company, who pointed out and explained details of the island life, tradition of women’s national clothes among everything. We visited tiny orthodox church, museum and the lighthouse, tried out unusual local rye bread baked with herring inside and crowne the visit with an excellent lunch of fish soup, smoked fish and famous Estonian Kringel pastry. This is what I call a perfect summer outing!
Written 24 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alan W
Dunfermline, UK19 contributions
Aug 2019
Took a day trip over leaving on the bus from Parnu (one euro!). Ferry was also cheap and hired a bike for 7 euros on arrival. Unfortunately the monday we were there all 3 of the cafes on the island were closed. We did manage a cup of tea at the Lighthouse and a few drinks/snacks at the little stall near the ferry. Plenty to see on the island and it's an easy cycle as it's so flat. Enjoyed the little museum too.
Written 19 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lynne S
Winters, CA595 contributions
Jun 2018
The ferry ride takes you to a land back in time. You can walk around most of the island though a bike would be more leisurely. Transport by bench seat truck is possible too. Well worth a peaceful day.
Written 21 July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cindyfrog
clonakilty29 contributions
Aug 2017 • Couples
Great island to explore by foot or bicycle. Quiet beaches with shallow water. Interesting museum, and lighthouse.
Written 29 August 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
karinvoodla
Tallinn, Estonia241 contributions
Aug 2016 • Friends
I visited Kihnu in the end of August with my mother's colleagues and their families. The nature is absolutely beautiful and reflects ethnic Estonia very well. Just get a bike and drive around- it's so small :) It will give you the chance to see the nature but at the same time you'll see beautiful gardens and houses. If you're lucky, you'll see people wearing ethnical clothes too ;)
Oh and the local bread is also very very tasty ;) But be ready for windy weathers and mosquitos! Also for locals offering to drink some alcohol with them :D
Only problem I had was with the mean locals. I think they were so tired of all the tourists this summer that they weren't very happy or welcoming with other Estonians (and that's probably because they thought we won't leave any tips).
It's a place where Estonians go to get some rest from their busy daily lives. So I tried to be very reasonable but people who live there throughout the year, just didn't want to be helpful. This kind of attitude just ruined my whole weekend and didn't give me the feeling I want to go back.
Oh and the local bread is also very very tasty ;) But be ready for windy weathers and mosquitos! Also for locals offering to drink some alcohol with them :D
Only problem I had was with the mean locals. I think they were so tired of all the tourists this summer that they weren't very happy or welcoming with other Estonians (and that's probably because they thought we won't leave any tips).
It's a place where Estonians go to get some rest from their busy daily lives. So I tried to be very reasonable but people who live there throughout the year, just didn't want to be helpful. This kind of attitude just ruined my whole weekend and didn't give me the feeling I want to go back.
Written 16 September 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kristīne M
56 contributions
Aug 2016 • Solo
Little island with one bar is place to go when your mind is overloaded and you have only few days to rest. Take bicycle (a lot of places where you can rent one) and go. It was rainings all time I was here but it wasn't a problem. Reccomend to have meel at Kurase bar and visit lighthouse. There is no need for car - island is only 7 km lenght so you can see all walking or going by bike. Very peacfull place.
Written 18 August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
susihunt
Lahti, Finland405 contributions
Jun 2016 • Friends
The best way to examine the island is bike ride. Bicycles can be rented from port. Enjoy the beautiful landscapes and villages.
Travel to the island leaves a good impression.
Travel to the island leaves a good impression.
Written 8 July 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
occhiolist
Hong Kong, China144 contributions
Jul 2015 • Solo
Last summer I spent three weeks travelling from Vilnius to Tallinn, taking a pretty typical route. But one place I visited that might not be on many people's lists was Kihnu Island. I became interested in it after I read about its unique culture and colourful traditional weaving (I love weaving), so I was pretty excited when I realised that coming up from Riga I could get a bus to Parnu, take the ferry over to Kihnu and have a night on the island before continuing north to Saaremaa.
Looking at the ferry schedules I think it would be possible to visit Kihnu as a day trip (although be aware that public buses between Parnu and Munalaid don't match up with every sailing; I wanted to sail from Munalaid rather than Parnu, as the boat left earlier, but there just wasn't a bus to take me from Parnu to Munalaid). I was very glad I stayed overnight, but ideally you should aim for two nights so that you don't have to worry about missing the ferry. Also note that if you want to continue north to Saaremaa by public transport and you take the ferry back to Munalaid, you need to take a bus back to Parnu and catch a different bus from there to Saaremaa.
Visiting the main "sights" only requires a few hours by bike (I borrowed one from my guesthouse, but I think there's a place near the port that offers them too). The museum is small but surprisingly modern, and has a little shop that sells a good map of the island (the island's tiny, so you can't get that lost, but if you have a short amount of time it's useful to know exactly where you are). There's a church opposite the museum but it was closed when I visited. At the southern end of the island, the lighthouse shouldn't be missed; I don't like heights but it wasn't a scary climb. Heading back up I stopped at the souvenir shop - or shed, rather - marked on the map a little south of the port, where I was excited to find a length of the woven cloth for sale (it's normally made into skirts, which I have no use for; it's also not cheap, so if you love weaving make sure you have a wad of cash on you).
There are no other specific places to aim for - just enjoy cycling the quiet roads, hiking through the woods, taking photos of picturesque farmhouses and contemplating the windswept coastline. The island may not offer dramatic scenery but I found it beautiful. Here I should offer two disclaimers: firstly, I am British but live in Hong Kong, so this island offered both novelty (from my daily urban life) and nostalgia (for childhood holidays on British coasts). Also, the weather when I was there was utterly perfect; I imagine I would have found the place less enchanting in a chilly rainstorm. Still, I would highly recommend it as an insight into Estonian island life. If like me you love your guidebook's description of Saaremaa's secluded coastal wilderness but you can't drive, Kihnu is a much better option, because you're not reliant on infrequent buses to take you around.
Looking at the ferry schedules I think it would be possible to visit Kihnu as a day trip (although be aware that public buses between Parnu and Munalaid don't match up with every sailing; I wanted to sail from Munalaid rather than Parnu, as the boat left earlier, but there just wasn't a bus to take me from Parnu to Munalaid). I was very glad I stayed overnight, but ideally you should aim for two nights so that you don't have to worry about missing the ferry. Also note that if you want to continue north to Saaremaa by public transport and you take the ferry back to Munalaid, you need to take a bus back to Parnu and catch a different bus from there to Saaremaa.
Visiting the main "sights" only requires a few hours by bike (I borrowed one from my guesthouse, but I think there's a place near the port that offers them too). The museum is small but surprisingly modern, and has a little shop that sells a good map of the island (the island's tiny, so you can't get that lost, but if you have a short amount of time it's useful to know exactly where you are). There's a church opposite the museum but it was closed when I visited. At the southern end of the island, the lighthouse shouldn't be missed; I don't like heights but it wasn't a scary climb. Heading back up I stopped at the souvenir shop - or shed, rather - marked on the map a little south of the port, where I was excited to find a length of the woven cloth for sale (it's normally made into skirts, which I have no use for; it's also not cheap, so if you love weaving make sure you have a wad of cash on you).
There are no other specific places to aim for - just enjoy cycling the quiet roads, hiking through the woods, taking photos of picturesque farmhouses and contemplating the windswept coastline. The island may not offer dramatic scenery but I found it beautiful. Here I should offer two disclaimers: firstly, I am British but live in Hong Kong, so this island offered both novelty (from my daily urban life) and nostalgia (for childhood holidays on British coasts). Also, the weather when I was there was utterly perfect; I imagine I would have found the place less enchanting in a chilly rainstorm. Still, I would highly recommend it as an insight into Estonian island life. If like me you love your guidebook's description of Saaremaa's secluded coastal wilderness but you can't drive, Kihnu is a much better option, because you're not reliant on infrequent buses to take you around.
Written 17 January 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fernando G
New York City, NY1 contribution
What date can I witness a traditional festival in Khinu. I wll be there first week of June.
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KIHNU ISLAND - 2023 All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go
Frequently Asked Questions about Kihnu Island
- Hotels near Kihnu Island:
- (0.23 km) Kuraga Kodumajutus Kihnus
- (2.74 km) Miku Talu Majutus Kihnus
- (2.82 km) Kihnu Sadama Öömaja
- (2.83 km) Pihlaka Guest House
- (3.06 km) Uibu Homestay