Norway or Kingdom of Norway in the official records is a unitary sovereign state situated at the Northwestern part of Europe, in which its main territory consists of a western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula; the remote island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard. It shares borders with Sweden on a long eastern line, Finland and Russia to the north as well as facing the North Atlantic Ocean and the Barents Sea. It has an area size of 385,252 square meters, with varying climate; the southern and western parts are fully exposed to Atlantic storm fronts, while the east of the coastal mountains are in a rain shadow and the Oslo lowlands have the sunniest and warmest summers of them all.

The capital of Norway is Oslo, both a county and municipality, being the most populous city in the country. Founded since the year 1040 and established as a trading place in 1048, it later gets elevated to a bishopric in 1070 and a capital under Haakon V of Norway around 1300, with its influence being reduced due to the union with Denmark since 1397. It was destroyed by fire and rebuilt later as Christiana to honor the ruling King Christian IV before renamed as Oslo again in 1925.

The culture in Norway is unique, rich and longstanding, with the Norwegian farm culture that is sustained even to this day being a major influence in contemporary Norwegian culture. The culture has deep roots from adapting to the scarce resources as well as the ancient property laws. It also focuses on achieving independent identity in areas of literature, art and music.

It is of little surprise that the official languages of Norway are the Norwegian and Sami languages, with over 95% of the population speaking Norwegian as their first or native language. The written form of the Norwegian language has two versions, namely Bokmål and Nynorsk, with the former being used by 80% to 90% of the population. Aside from that, there are also indigenous languages like Kven and Romani languages, as well as the foreign languages such as Serbo-Croatian, Arabic, English and many more. The English proficiency is pretty high among the Norwegians too, scoring top five in the EF English Proficiency Index.

Norwegian cuisine is traditionally based off the ingredients readily available in the mountains and wilderness of Norway, focusing mostly on game or quarry and fish. Globalization later influenced its modern cuisines and bringing in pasta, pizzas, tacos, and the likes that are more commonly found in Western Europe.

How to Get There?

By Flight

A flight ticket from Kuala Lumpur to Oslo would cost you roughly around RM3,000 to RM3,700 per pack which is dependent on the choice of airline and the date of travel. Boarding to Oslo Airport would be the easiest since it is the biggest airport in Norway, being the main hub for Scandinavian Airlines and Widerøe. There are also other airports such as Sandefjord, Moss and Stavanger, but they are also connected to Oslo via local flights. As you arrive at the Oslo Airport, it is convenient to get public transportation such as train and bus services. Although not officially part of European Union, Norway is still a part of the Schengen Agreement, therefore just like other European countries, coming into Norway via other Europian Union and other member countries may not require border control checks.

Besides flight, there are also buses coming into Norway from Sweden, mostly operated by Nettbuss Bus4You and SweBus as well as Gothenburg and Copenhagen. There are also other coach lines coming from Denmark and minibuses from Poland. The train services also connect Oslo from Stockholm and Gothenburg,

Navigating around the country could be long and time-consuming using public transportation due to the craggy coastline. Hence, the best way to enjoy Norway is by having own transportation or going around on domestic flights. However, this does not stop the government from providing public transportation, in fact, trains and buses are still necessary to access certain areas and national parks.

By Boat

Given the landscape of Norway, there are a lot of ways to get to the country via the sea. A cargo line is operated by DFDS from Ghent in Belgium to Brevik, while Colour Line handles a daily ferry service from Kiel in Germany to Oslo. There are also several ferry services going from various ports in Denmark as well as England and Faroe Islands.

Meanwhile, going with car ferries are also crucial in certain coastal regions, however for regions with a lot of fjords and islands, an extensive network of catamaran express boats will shuttle between towns and cities.

By Train

There are train services going to Oslo, Trondheim and Narvik regions from Sweden, handled by Swedish Railways. As you get into one of these regions, most of the domestic train services are handled by Norway State Railways going to the whole country with the exception for the lack of North-South line in West Norway between Stavanger and Trondheim, as well as in North Norway, north of Bodø. If you intend to travel by train for the most part of your trip, purchasing a Norwegian Rail Pass is a good idea to get the tickets at a bargain price.

What to Do There?

Lyngen Alps

Situated on the Arctic Circle, Lyngen Alps is one of the rugged mountain range stretching 90 kilometres towards Sweden, having an alpine character that is popular among extreme skiers that would start from Jiekkevarre summit sitting at 1,833 meters. However, there are also other pastimes that could be done here that are less extreme such as dog sledging and rock climbing. It is also possible to observe the Northern Lights phenomenon from this area and get awed by the mesmerizing natural light show.

Oslo City

Being the capital of Norway, Oslo certain has a lot to offer the visitors. From its various museums to old buildings, Oslo is certainly worth exploring. Some of the highly attractive sites include the Oslo Cathedral which is the first church to be built in Norway and has been retained since the 11th century.

There is also the Arkansas Castle during the medieval ages which were built to protect Oslo from an outside enemy invasion. Throughout times, its function has changed into a renaissance castle and also a prison. At present, it is used by Norwegian Ministry of Defense and certain areas are open to the public such as the banquet rooms and the chapel which are very beautifully decorated.

Museums are also aplenty in Oslo, mostly paying tribute to their Scandinavian heritage and heroes. An example is the Kon-Tiki Museum which keeps a collection of memorabilia from Thor Heyerdahl, a famous Norwegian explorer, with different sections focusing on different explorations undertaken by Heyerdahl. There is also the Viking Ship Museum housing a range of artefacts from the Viking period, which includes ornaments in local graves as well as the restored Viking ships, with the famous one being the Oseberg Boat. Last but not least, there is the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History which keeps track of the country’s rich culture all the way from the year 1500, with some parts about Norwegian folklore and art.

Geirangerfjord

It is not exaggerating to say that Geirangerfjord region is one of the famous fjords in Norway, particularly because of the spectacular views offered by this fjord which is second to none. It is of little wonder that Geirangerfjord is included in the UNESCO World Heritage list. Stretching into several miles further, some of the wonderful highlights include highlights include Alesund in the north which is known for its icy Norwegian scenery, Sunnylvsfjord which has some of the prettiest vistas over the countryside and Dalsnibba summit of 4,905 feet which is certainly worth hiking.

Where to Stay?

Scandic Oslo Airport

Located less than five kilometres away from Oslo Airport, the premium four-star hotel is perfect for stays in between flights or if you are just tired after a long trip heading to Oslo. The arrangement is neat with very comforting Scandinavian elements being peppered nicely around the room and hotel. There is also a decent package of facilities and services that would help to give you the convenience you would appreciate.

Scandic Seilet

This three and a half star hotel is found in the Møre og Romsdal county, being very close to the sea thus having some of the most breathtaking seafront views around plus the striking architecture of the hotel building. Being close to the Molde city centre, it makes it easy for travellers to explore the serene town.

Cochcs Pensjonat

Yet another hotel in Oslo, this one is more on the budget side while being able to provide the wonderful staying experience that is unique to Norway. Its location is strategic in the sense that access to tourist attractions are really within walking distances. The hotel building is classic and vintage, and this is maintained even in the interior. The rooms are clean and spacious, allowing magnificent city views of Oslo.