Meet the World's First Phone-Free Tourist Island

The Eastern Gulf of Finland is sprinkled with islands, inviting swimming spots, and charismatic coastal villages. It is home to a 35-mile-wide national park, where the island of Ulko-Tammio is located—and it is an area that more people are becoming interested in visiting.

“The eastern side of the Gulf of Finland is home to a unique group of islands you won't find elsewhere. According to our research, interest in the islands of the Eastern Gulf of Finland is also on the rise among Finnish tourists looking for a nearcation destination,” says Mats Selin, an expert in island tourism at Visit Kotka-Hamina.

But this summer, there will be something distinctly missing from scenes of Ulko-Tammio: selfie-takers, social media scrollers, one-sided conversationalists, and others who live their lives attached to their phones.

“The island of Ulko-Tammio, which is located off the coast of Hamina, will be a phone-free area this summer," says Selin. "We want to urge holidaymakers to switch off their smart devices and to stop and genuinely enjoy the islands."

There won't be lockboxes to physically sequester visitors' phones, the suggested digital detox is voluntary—but we can imagine there'd be plenty of side-eye directed at anyone brave enough to trot out their device for a selfie session.

As described by the campaign, the aim is to encourage vacationers to switch off their smart devices, take a break from social media and enjoy nature.

"Technology is part of our everyday lives, and many people find it difficult to put their phone down even on holiday. Sharing your holiday activities on social media might feel more important than simply enjoying the moment. We take our smartphones with us everywhere, so many people are always within reach and spend any idle moments they have scrolling through their social media feed."

“We encourage visitors to put their phones away voluntarily and to focus their senses on nature rather than on their phones. This is a great initiative that could be implemented in other nature and recreational destinations, too,” says Joel Heino, Manager, Outdoor Recreation and Visitor Management at Parks & Wildlife Finland.

Summer vacation is a great time to try to detach from one's phone for a bit. We are often with family in locations of natural splendor—why not be fully present? Even if you aren't reveling in the rugged beauty and rare birds of Finland's Baltic Sea, you can try a digital fast wherever you may be traveling. Bring a sketchbook or an actual camera if you want, just try to avoid the siren song of the screen.

Terhi Mustonen, psychologist and Program Manager of the Limitless Gaming and Limitless Social Media programs at the Sosped Foundation explains that there are more benefits than meet the eye. “People are not meant to be glued to screens all the time. Even a short digital fast can be useful and improve our well-being and help relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression,”  

“Switching off your phone, exploring nature and meeting people face to face are bound to boost your mood and well-being. We spend countless hours scrolling our social media feeds, so taking a short break from them means you have more time for new experiences. I’d like to see more initiatives like this that promote digital fasting,” says Sari Castrén, psychologist and Research Manager at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.

For more information about the Eastern Gulf of Finland National Park and the island of Ulko-Tammio, head over to Visit Kotka Hamina.