The archipelago is, by some definitions, the largest in the world, with around 18,000 islands. The larger ones are connected by bridges or ferries so you can drive from one to another. But if you're making your way through the maze of waterways by boat, you can choose between taking a 10ft-wide route or a 16ft-wide route, depending on the size of your boat. The amazing thing is that you never really see the sea, just dozens and dozens of wooded islands.
I slept on the boat but there are a number of hotels in the archipelago such as the Strandbo Hotel (00358 2 460 6200;
strandbo.fi) near the Nagu Marina.
The area also has some good restaurants such as the Restaurant Åss Pavilion (18 19141;
visitaland.com/paviljongen/en), which serves delicious food.
But the thing I love most about the archipelago is that it's so unspoilt, and even though many of the islands do have houses and other buildings, they're discreetly located behind trees; sometimes the only clue to their existence is a little jetty and boat by the water's edge
By Griff Rhys Jones
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