The most common way to get to Saaremaa is by ferry from the mainland or, in summer, also from Ventspils in Latvia. Planes arrive from Tallinn, Helsinki and Stockholm.
Small marinas welcome the brave, who sail in on yachts. Once on the island, one notes that time and life move at a slower pace. “Driving back home” is not an option! The sea will stop you and insist that life is to be enjoyed and relaxed. There are days in autumn when even the ferry can not help -the sea shows its moods and decides that everyone will stay until it is ready. On really cold winter days, can the sea be overcome as an ice bridge connects the island to the mainland.
And yet, isolation has its charm. Taking a walk through the shallow water to a small islet far beyond Vilsandi, one can feel surrounded by separation from the hustle and bustle of mainland life. Estonia is a border of Europe, Saaremaa is the most western part of Estonia, Vilsandi is a small island behind Saaremaa, and then there is lots of water. In some ways, it has the feel of a fairy tale setting.