Where is the best place to see the Northern Lights?
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If you want to witness the otherworldly beauty of the northern lights, this winter is your best chance in half a century to do so. Claire Wrathall suggests some vantage points, plus four places to experience the nocturnal summer sun of the 'white nights'.
SVALBARD, NORWAY
Located in the Barents Sea between the Norwegian mainland and the North Pole, Svalbard is a large but sparsely populated archipelago, home to just 2,600 people as well as polar bears, reindeer, walruses and seals. There may not be roads in the conventional sense, but its capital, Longyearbyen, on the island of Spitsbergen, has a comfortable hotel called Basecamp Hotel (three-night stays from NOK3600, about £336), with slate floors, rustic wood and sealskins. Better yet, its lounge has a roof set with vast observatory windows through which to watch the northern lights without having to brave the literally Arctic temperatures outside. Other activities include snowmobile safaris and dog-sledding, notably a 70km husky trek across Spitsbergen to the Tempelfjord, where the Noordelicht, a restored schooner, is frozen into the landscape. (Think of Frank Hurley's mesmerising photographs of Shackleton's Endurance and you'll get the picture, but be comforted by the thought that warm snowmobile suits, shoes, goggles, helmets and facecovering caps are provided.) The ship has 10 cabins (with shared bathrooms), and it's forbidden to leave it without an armed guard because of the danger from polar bears, but it's an unforgettable place to stay. From there it's a further 150km to Isfjord Radio Adventure Hotel at Kapp Linné, a restored radio station with 23 rooms (doubles from about £167 with breakfast and dinner).
When to go The best chances of seeing the northern lights are likely to fall between November and March. Avoid the weeks around full moon.
How to get there Book through Basecamp Explorer (basecampexplorer.com).