Exploring Romo's sandy beaches was an amazing experience!

Join us in exploring Romo (Rømø) - from its unique beaches to its whaling history and abundant wildlife, Jutland's most beautiful island has it all!

Romo is a small island just off the southwestern coast of Jutland, and for us, it was one of the first stops on our Denmark itinerary. So we had that tingling sensation that comes when we're diving into (for us) uncharted areas - the thrill of awaiting the unknown. Fortunately, we couldn't have chosen a better spot than Romo.

The sandy island is mainly a summer destination for locals (and also Germans since it's near the border) who come here during this period to enjoy its unique beaches, tidal environment, marine wildlife, and laid-back atmosphere. The island is part of the Wadden Sea National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, which makes the whole place feel even more special.

The only thing was that we weren't really sure what we'd find here since these places are often a bit harder to explore if you come there just on a day trip. Anyway, we planned our visit once the summer was over so we could explore the island without crowds, but since we arrived on a beautiful September weekend, we had a feeling that we wouldn't escape them entirely.

Romo's largest town, Havneby, is also its main harbor.

How to Get to Romo Island

Romo is accessible by several means of transport: cycling, bus, or ferry, but since we had our own car, we'll focus on driving first. Although Romo is quite small, having a car was certainly an advantage because it made traveling around very easy and saved us plenty of time. Check out the best car rental deals in Denmark here.

Driving to Romo

Romo is technically an island, but it's connected to the mainland by a 9-kilometer causeway. It's a regular paved road, so no worries about getting stuck like on nearby Mando. The good part was that we didn't have to check any tidal schedules because this road doesn't flood during high tide. The roads on the island were also paved and in good condition. So, the only 'off-roading' we did was driving on the beaches, which was fine, thanks to the hard-packed sand.

Romo is nearly four hours from Copenhagen, two hours from Odense, and three and a half hours from Aalborg. Ribe is just 40 minutes away.

We drove to Romo via the causeway, which was nearly empty since we set out early in the morning.

Getting to Romo by Bus

Public transport does exist on Romo, and between Havneby and Skaerbaerk runs a bus 285, including a few stops along the way like Norre Tvismark - Vesterhavsvej, Kongsmark, or Juvre. From what I found, the bus only runs once a day and not on the weekends, so this service is not very convenient for tourists. If you still want to use public transport, note that Skaerbaerk, from which the bus to Romo departs, can be easily reached by train from Ribe and other cities (even Germany).

Taking a Ferry to Romo

There's also a regular ferry service between Romo and nearby Sylt island (SyltExpress and RomoExpress ferries) for both passengers and cars operated by FRS Syltfahre. The crossing takes about 40 minutes.

There's a ferry that runs between Romo and the German island of Sylt.

Discover the Wide Sandy Beaches

The main reason why we visited Romo Island was its unique beaches - Lakolk and Sonderstrand. So, what's the big deal about them? Well, believe it or not, Romo, a tiny island covering just 129 square kilometers, boasts one of the widest beaches in Europe! Even without this fact, for us coming from Czechia, a landlocked country, traveling to a seaside destination is always a special treat.

Now, we planned to enjoy the sunrise from one of its beaches, but since the day before, we spent more than 12 hours on the road and did the Black Sun tour, we sort of slept in (I'm reluctant to say overslept, so I'm just gonna leave it that we were really tired). In the end, it really didn't matter.

The sunrise at Lakolk Beach was less stunning due to the clouds, but we practically had the place to ourselves.

Even though we managed to get to Lakolk just around sunrise, the wall of low clouds on the horizon blocked the sun, so it wasn't as stunning as the evening before (that sunset was incredible!). What made the morning special was that apart from a couple of campers who spent the night there, it was just me, Lucie, and some seagulls enjoying the sound of the rolling waves. Ultimately, it's the beaches that set Romo apart, and that's why we think the island is undoubtedly worth visiting.

Oh, and I almost forgot - you can drive on Lakolk and Sonderstrand! However, while Lakolk and Sonderstrand are technically linked, you can't drive from one to the other directly. So we jumped back in the car and headed to Sonderstrand, making a stop at Spidsbjerg. The most direct route was 12 kilometers, but we also stopped at Havneby, so our drive was a bit longer.

Cruising along the more than two-kilometer-long Sonderstrand Beach was really cool!

The biggest perk of being able to drive on the beaches is pure convenience. The distance between the beach entrance and the furthest point we could drive was about two kilometers! And the sea was still at least two hundred meters away! If we had to walk that whole stretch (and back), it would've taken almost an hour! While the beaches were unique, the flat scenery wasn't nearly as exciting as hiking the coastal trail at Lodbjerg Lighthouse in Thy National Park. We were just glad we didn't have to cover this stretch on foot.

Romo is home to one of Europe's widest beaches!

Hike the Spidsbjerg Trail

Since Romo is mostly flat, the 19-meter Spidsbjerg hill is one of the highest points on the island – we had to conquer its peak! The hill is in Kirkeby Plantation, so we chose Romo Church (St. Clement's Church) as our starting point because it was on the way and had free parking.

The trailhead to Spidsbjerg was just beside Romo Church.

The trail was short, easy, and empty - no surprise since it was still pretty early. We didn't run into any other people, but we did encounter a small army of mosquitoes. Lucie left our insect repellent in the car, thinking we wouldn't need it, so that was less than ideal. Spidsbjerg was only about 1.5 kilometers from the parking lot, and I think we made it there in record time to escape from those blood-sucking critters (no running this time, though).

Obviously, Spidsbjerg is more of a sandy mound than a real hill (it's no Isbjerg or Ejer Bavnehoj). It took us just a few moments to climb its 50 wooden stairs (it felt like fewer, though). The morning was beautiful, and the views from the top were lovely - it really made us realize just how flat Romo is!

We found Spidsbjerg to be an easy, enjoyable trail with lovely views.

Go Windsurfing and Kite Surfing on Romo

With its wide sandy beaches and strong winds, Romo is a hotspot for windsurfing and kite surfing. While we didn't come here to try these, it's easy to see why others are hooked. The main season runs from May to August, so aim for those months if you want strong and steady winds. If you're unsure where to start, Lakolk Beach is the place to be.

Another thrilling activity is blokarting, which combines windsurfing and go-karting - sail-driven three-wheeled vehicles racing across the beach. Sønderstrand is the top spot for blokarting. They claim it's easy for anyone to pick up (you get some quick instructions and a helmet), but I'm not totally sure about that.

In addition to windsurfing and kite surfing, kitebuggying is also popular on Romo.

Travel Insurance

We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.

Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.

World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.

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Learn About the History of Whaling at Nationalmuseets Kommandorgard

Lucie had Nationalmuseets Kommandorgard on her list, but when we saw the empty parking lot, we knew the museum wouldn't be open. Unfortunately, we were right. We snapped a few photos of the beautifully restored farm with its traditional house and red-bricked barns with thatched roofs and moved on.

Unfortunately, Kommandorgard, the former whaling captain's house, was closed at the time of our visit.

If you get the chance, Kommandorgard, which was a whaling captain's home in the 18th century, offers a fascinating peek into the past. You'll learn about Romo's whale-catching history and the daily lives of its people. The barn houses a huge sperm whale skeleton, and the house, with painted ceilings and Dutch blue and white tiles, shows how profitable whaling was. Admission is 70 DKK for adults.

See the Whalebone Fence

Romo's sandy beaches were the highlights of our road trip, but it was the island's interesting whaling history from the 17th to the 19th centuries that truly took us by surprise. In the little settlement of Juvre, up in the north, we discovered a relic of this bygone era. In the past, many men from Romo ventured on whaling expeditions to Greenland and Svalbard, and on their return, some even built houses using whale bones instead of timber.

Our visit to the fence made from whale jawbones brought back by Danish whalers was a brief 5-minute stop.

One of the few remaining signs of this commercial whaling era is the whalebone fence near the old whaling station in Juvre (Hvalkaebehegn ved Hvalfangergarden). Without prior knowledge and the GPS coordinates (55.174585, 8.557389), we might have missed this historical gem entirely. While the fence is not that spectacular (it's just a fence, after all), its historical significance is undeniable. And just so you know, whaling still happens today in Greenland and the Faroe Islands, both of which are part of Denmark.

Discover the WW2 Bunkers

Since we had some extra time, we took a quick detour to Tvismark Forest Plantation to see the remnants of the Atlantic Wall the Germans built during WW2. It would've made more sense to stop there on our way out from Lakolk Beach, but we kind of missed it the first time and went back after seeing the whalebone fence. The parking lot was just under a kilometer from the main Romo intersection, so it wasn't a big deal.

The bunkers on Romo were part of the German defensive network during World War II.

We went on our own since guided tours are not that frequent and are usually in Danish or German (though they do occasionally have English tours). Walking around Tvismark Forest and seeing different bunkers was cool, but we would have loved a guide to go with us to learn more about this interesting part of Romo's (and Denmark's) history.

Apart from the graffiti-covered tilting bunker, all bunkers were inaccessible - either locked off or buried in the sand. If you're interested, check out the tours at Tønnisgård Centre. The bunkers we saw in Romo were pretty basic and just gave us a taste of what was to come. There were plenty of bunkers along the coast, but our favorites were the Tirpitz Museum and Hanstholm Fortress. If you're into WW2 history, don't miss these spots!

We easily discovered several WWII bunkers during our walk around Tvismark Forest Plantation, without needing a guide.

Cycle Around Romo Island

Since we drove, arrived early, and were short on time, renting a bike on Romo didn't make sense for us. But cycling is one of the most popular activities here! The island is flat, the distances aren't too great, you can explore the whole place, ride on the beach, and anyone can do it. It's perfect for those not in a rush.

On Romo, you can easily cycle on the beaches too!

The best part was the separate biking paths parallel to the main road, so you don't have to worry about traffic - great for families with kids. Even the causeway connecting the island to the mainland has bike lanes! If you don't bring your own bike, you can rent one in Kongsmark at Romo Cykler.

Bird Watching, Seal Tours, and Oyster Safari

Romo is a great destination for those who love wildlife and nature. If you're unsure where to start, the area around Romo Dam (that's the causeway linking Romo to the mainland) is ideal for birdwatching. For more serious birders, a specialized tour can help you see more species up close. We saw lots of birds, but mostly from afar - we think a guided tour would've definitely made a difference.

Romo is a popular spot for birdwatchers, though you'll need a guided tour to access some of the prime viewing spots.

Another popular activity on Romo is a boat trip to see spotted seals in their natural environment. We tried spotting seals during our journey across Jutland but only had luck in Grenen, not Romo (or any other spot). Another cool thing to do is an oyster safari (typically from fall to spring), where you can hand-pick fresh oysters, learn about them, and enjoy their taste afterward.

Explore Beyond Romo

While Romo is one of the top spots in Wadden Sea National Park, there are a few other awesome places you should check out, too.

Mando Island

Twice a day, the tide completely transforms the scenery of Wadden Sea National Park, and you can see this best on Mando Island (Mandø). During low tide, you can easily drive, walk, or cycle to the island. But when high tide hits, you better be back on the mainland unless you want to get stuck or take the tractor-pulled bus tour. Besides being a top spot for birdwatching, there's a small settlement with Mando Mill, a few farms, and places to stay like Mando Kro.

As a tidal island, Mando can only be accessed by a dirt road during low tide.

Wadden Sea Centre (Vadehavscentret)

Wadden Sea National Park is famous for its unique ecosystem with tidal mudflats, marshlands, marine life, and bird migration. If you're into museums, the Wadden Sea Centre is the best place to learn about all this. Despite the steep price, we loved this modern museum with its fascinating exhibits and learned a lot - for instance, the tide difference in Wadden Sea NP is 1.7 meters, and more than 15 million birds pass through every year on their journey along the East Atlantic Flyway.

The Wadden Sea Centre was the ideal spot to visit after we had finished exploring Romo.

The Black Sun

Romo is awesome for birdwatching, but the marshes on the mainland are where the real magic happens. Millions of starlings migrate through Southern Jutland every year, and their flocks can get so massive they sometimes block out the whole sun - that's the Black Sun phenomenon. We did the Black Sun Tour the evening before arriving in Romo, and it was pretty amazing!

Marsk Tower

We passed this viewing tower once we drove through Skaerbaek, only later to realize that it's one of the most popular attractions in the area. The 25-meter-tall wooden structure is located in Marsk Camp and offers interesting views of Southern Jutland - the whole scenery around you is just flat!

Where to Stay on Romo Island

We really wanted to stay on Romo Island, but being the last-minute planners we are, all the affordable spots were taken. Lucie found this old and outdated cabin with 80s decor near the beach (and with poor reviews; the rating was around 5.0) while we were still driving through Germany. Despite the negative feedback, it had a perfect location for catching a sunrise on the beach.

But it was almost 1500 DKK a night, so, during a rest stop, I looked beyond the island and found a way cheaper Motel Sydvest near Ribe. Even though the motel was pretty outdated, we chose it instead, figuring we could just wake up twenty minutes earlier to hit the beach before sunrise.

We hoped to stay on Romo, as some apartments and holiday homes had incredible locations, but everything was too pricey for us.

We found out that Romo has plenty of places to stay, but most are apartments and holiday homes with few reviews, which means it's always hit or miss. Locals love these spots, and they book out months in advance. If you're looking for a traditional hotel, your only real options are Hotel Lakolk and Hotel Kommandorgarden.

They're basically summer hotels with outdated decor, so don't expect much in terms of quality, but they're in great locations. There's also Enjoy Resorts Romo, which has a fully equipped kitchen, and First Camp Lakolk Strand Camping, which is great for campervan travelers (they also have cabins).

How Much Time to Spend on Romo Island

To be honest, unless you're here for the wild beaches, Romo doesn't offer a ton for regular tourists. It really depends on what you're into. If you're not coming for a summer vacation, half a day should be enough to explore the island without rushing.

We spent about 45 minutes driving around, an hour on the church and Spidsbjerg walk, and a couple of hours on the beaches and sunrise. We also checked out Havneby and some smaller spots like the bunkers and whalebone fence. Overall, four to six hours should be enough for day-trippers like us who aren't into kitesurfing or windsurfing or who don't plan on spending the whole day at the beach.

Romo is a popular summer destination, perfect for extended stays.

If you're in a rush, a couple of hours are enough to see the beaches and drive around, but you might feel a bit pressed. Plus, Romo is all about taking it easy. Locals love to stay longer since it's a prime holiday spot, but we'd suggest not overdoing it. There's so much more to see in Jutland, so we'd hit the road the next day (if you plan to stay overnight). For starters, don't miss out on Mando Island, which is nearby! It's way less developed and perfectly complements a visit to Wadden Sea National Park.

We've already talked about a few awesome spots on Denmark's west coast, but here are some more to add to your list: Rubjerg Knude Fyr, a really cool lighthouse in the sand dunes; Thyboron, with its Battle of Jutland Memorial Park; and Grenen, Denmark's northernmost point.

When to Visit Romo Island

We think spring and autumn are the best times to visit Romo Island. You can dodge the summer crowds and enjoy the rich wildlife, especially the migrating birds. The weather is mild and ideal for outdoor activities like walking, cycling, and guided tours. We arrived in September on a lovely sunny day, and the weather was nearly perfect - not too hot or cold and not very windy. But remember, the weather can be unpredictable.

At the beginning of fall, Romo was still remarkably beautiful.

Summer is the most popular time, so expect crowds—we'd suggest avoiding it if possible. The endless beaches help escape the masses, though. The only issue might be finding accommodation, as locals often vacation here in summer, so book ahead. Winter is perfect for crowd-free visits, but it can get pretty chilly - pack extra layers.

Travel Resources

Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.

Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.

Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.

We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.

Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.

Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.

Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.

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How to Spend a Day on Romo, Denmark (+ Tips)