FAROE ISLANDS 08 2025
法羅群島是由18個小島所組成的，在去到這裡之前，很多人都會問說：「法羅群島在哪裡？ 」知道這個地方，是在 2014 年去冰島時，得知可以從丹麥坐船到冰島，中間會停靠法羅群島，雖然心一直掛念著就是沒有那個時機點，中間還去了兩次冰島，直到2025年七月中的最後一刻，突然決定要去法羅群島。在查詢如何從倫敦出發的時候，我們才發現原來可以從倫敦直飛，剛好就這樣決定出發去法羅群島，還只有五到八月的時間且一週只有兩班飛機，這裡的國際機場，應該是我去過最小巧的機場了，入境出境都在同一個窗口，從倫敦飛來的班機其實不少人呢。
法羅群島真的是一個很特別的地方，風很大，羊很多，還有世界最大的海底圓環，但是也因為過路費特別貴，我們還特地繞路走別的隧道，雖然時間上比較長，但是收費省下很多，畢竟在法羅群島的生活開銷完全仰賴進口，旅遊旺季也很短，所有的費用都很高，唯一除了加油費用比丹麥便宜以外。
在這裡羊的數量比人還多，男人比女人還多，靠很多的移民人口來維持這個地方，所有的食物都得靠進口，食物很貴也不算好吃，雖然餐廳不多但也還有米其林摘星的餐廳在港口邊，物價應該比冰島和瑞士還昂貴，第一天抵達聽計程車司機說著，本來法羅群島一直想要跟冰島一樣變成觀光勝地，但是十年過去了，還是沒有辦法達到冰島那樣，在這旅遊了幾天後，其實我不太確定這裡的人們會想要變成冰島那樣的觀光聖地。前兩天我們都在首都，走路都可以到的距離，租車後面才租幾天方便行動，這裡的風景很難以形容，一開始想帶著 Pentax 67 上山，因為伴侶說可以幫我背，但這裡的景色實在太遼闊、太寬太寬，讓人覺得相機怎麼拍都捕捉不了。不過這也沒關係，因為那些畫面已經留在我心裡。有趣的是，許多登山路口都放著一個箱子，需要付入場費，而且不便宜；但想著要維持這樣的自然景觀並不容易，也就能理解了。
這裡的地形真的很特別，因為島太多，所以當初規劃行程的時候也是有點麻煩，開車雖然都不算遠，只是這裡的天氣也是很難預測，在 James Bond 的電影裡，其中一座島就是在這裡取景，但我們這次沒有前往，因為必須搭直升機或船才能抵達。法羅群島的天氣說變就變，本來預定好一天要去看 Puffins，那是一座叫做 Mykines 的島，但是因為風浪大和下雨，我們必須取消這個行程，船票也不便宜，雖然沒有收到取消通知，我們兩個為了安全起見，還是放棄了這個行程，所以很多人會建議最好是把去Mykines這個島放在行程的最前面，被取消的機率是很高的。
我是主要的駕駛我平常也沒什麼在開車，在這自駕的過程中，雖然是沒有什麼太大的難度，就是自己會緊張一些，加上不熟悉陌生的車子，車子慢慢得滑出去我驚慌失措，還被當地人駕駛狠狠的瞪了，好像告訴我WTF？再來進入隧道時有種陰涼的感覺，有一次進到完全手鑿的單向隧道，但是出了隧道口覺得很值得，簡直是世外桃源（雖然法羅群島這個地方就讓人有種與世隔絕感）。還有到了最後一天開車的時候，霧大到伸手不見五指，真的是看不到路的那種，開車的時候我很緊張，當地人都是老神在在，速度極快。
法羅群島是一個非常安全的地方，我們住過的每間 BnB、租過的車，門都沒上鎖，鑰匙就放在屋內或車內，跟倫敦差別天與地，讓我們很不習慣。我們在首都Tórshavn去了當地的黑膠唱片店TUTL records，店員推薦我們當地的歌手叫做 Teitur，最有趣的是他有首個叫做 SISU，而歌的來源是當地產的汽水飲料，我們也特地買來喝看看，瓶子的印刷圖案很復古，因為租車的關係，我們整路都在聽 teitur 的音樂，為我們的旅程更添加了法羅群島的回憶。
The Faroe Islands are made up of 18 small islands. Before visiting, many people asked "Where are the Faroe Islands?" I first learned about this place in 2014, when I went to Iceland. I discovered that you could take a ship from Denmark to Iceland, with a stopover in the Faroe Islands. Although I always wished to go, I never had the chance. I even went to Iceland twice more. Finally, at the last minute in July 2025, I decided to go.
While researching how to reach there from London, we found there were direct flights, but only had from May to August, twice a week. The international airport there is probably the smallest airport I've ever been to; immigration and departure are at the same counter. There were actually quite a few people on the flights from London.
The Faroe Islands are truly a unique place. They're very windy, have many sheep, and have the world's largest underwater roundabout. However, due to the extremely high tolls, we deliberately detoured through cheaper tunnels, which took longer but saved a lot of money. The cost of living in the Faroe Islands is inflated as they are dependent on imports, the peak tourist season is very short, and all expenses are high, except for fuel, which is cheaper than in Denmark. Prices are probably higher than in Iceland and Switzerland.
There are more sheep than people, and more men than women. The islands are sustained by a large immigrant population, and all food is imported. The food is very expensive and not particularly delicious. Although there aren't many restaurants, there are still Michelin-star restaurants near the port in the capital.
On our first day, a taxi driver told us that the Faroe Islands had always wanted to become a tourist hotspot like Iceland, but after ten years, they still haven't achieved that level. After traveling here for a few days, I'm not entirely sure if the people here actually want to become a tourist paradise like Iceland. We spent the first two days in the capital, within walking distance, and rented a car for a few more days for convenience. The scenery here is indescribable. I brought my Pentax 67 up the mountains because my partner carried it for me, but the views were so vast and expansive that it felt impossible to capture them all with a camera. That's okay though, because those images are already etched in my memory. Interestingly, many trailheads had an unmanned money box with an entrance fee, which wasn't cheap; but considering how difficult it is to maintain such a natural landscape, it's understandable.
The terrain feels totally unique, and with so many islands, it makes it a bit complicated to plan a trip. While the driving distances aren't far, the weather is unpredictable. One of the islands in the James Bond movies was filmed here, but we didn't go this time because it requires a helicopter or boat to reach it. The weather in the Faroe Islands is notoriously unpredictable. We had booked a day to visit puffins, on an island called Mykines, but due to rough seas and rain, we had to cancel. Many people recommend prioritizing a trip to Mykines early on, as the chances of cancellation are high.
I was the main driver, and I don't drive much normally. While the drive itself wasn't particularly difficult, I did get a bit nervous. Being unfamiliar with the car, I panicked when it slowly slid out of control, and a local driver glared at me, as if to say "WTF" Entering the tunnels felt cool and shady. At one point, we went into a completely hand-carved one-way tunnel, but emerging from it felt totally worth it - the scenery opened up in front of us. On the last day, while driving, the fog was so thick you couldn't see your hand in front of your face; you literally can't see the road. I was very nervous driving, while the locals were all calm and relaxed, driving extremely fast.
The Faroe Islands are a very safe place. Every Airbnb we stayed in and every car we rented was unlocked; the keys were left inside the rooms or cars. It was a world of difference from London, which we found quite unusual. We even found a local vinyl record store in the Faroe Islands. The clerk recommended a local artist called Teitur. The most interesting thing was that he had a song called SISU, and the song's theme was a local soft drink. We bought some to try; the bottle's printed design was very retro. Because we were renting cars, we listened to Teitur's music the whole way, adding even more memories of the Faroe Islands to our trip.