Heading to Hou

Odder Kommune

The ferries first

All year round, a steady stream of people catch one of the daily ferry departures to the islands of Samsø or Tunø. And many do so without getting to know the cosy atmosphere that literally waits just around the harbour pier at the marina and the old fishing village.

Aerial photo of the Tunø ferry approaching Tunø

Book ferry tickets

Inspiration: A trip to Tunø

Can I buy a ticket to the Tunø ferry on site?

Yes, but we recommend that you book in advance to make sure there is room.

A paradise for sailors

Behind the old historic shipbuilding yard lies the cosy marina which offers the perfect setting for yachtsmen with all the facilities one could desire. The marina is for everyone. It is nice to walk along the quay and soak up the maritime atmosphere. There is a café and an ice-cream parlour right on the water’s edge for those with a sweet tooth and, on the other side of the road, you can let yourself be tempted by delicious delicacies and cuts of meat at the butcher’s Hou Mesterslagter or find exactly what you need in the local co-op, Dagli'Brugsen Hou.

Sailing boats in a row in the Hou marina

Hou Harbour

Edith Derdau

Hou Harbour

Did you know that every year in July, the port of Hou is the setting of Hou Port Festival with music, partying, sports, entertainment and the popular Hou Drop where brave participants throw themselves into the port in creative, homemade vessels?

8 km of hiker-friendly sandy beaches

On the other side of the ferry port is Hou Beach, a high-quality Blue Flag beach. From here, the beach continues uninterrupted for 8 km to the north. If you are ready for a solid hike, we recommend walking from Hou to Saksild on the beach where you will get good views of Denmark's most beautiful, sandy beaches - for example, Hølken, Dyngby and Rude. On the journey you will pass several Blue Flag beaches.

Hou Sea Sport Center

Hou Søsportcenter

Hygge Strand Camping

Hou Strandcamping

Denmark’s most friendly beach for the disabled

The Coastal Path runs along Hou Beach. This is a wheelchair-accessible path with sea views to Hølken Strand and to the port of Hou through trails in town.

Along the way, you will pass one of Hou’s major attractions, Vandhalla, a large swimming pool with a 90-meter long slide. The water park is Denmark's most friendly for the disabled with special tools and Denmark’s only fully accessible water slide. A bathing jetty with a lift and stairs that provide you with horizontal access to the water to help you bathe in the sea.

The Coastal Path at Hou

Put on your hiking boots and head out on this 10-kilometer-long hiking trail at the port of Hou. This beautiful hike takes you along the Odder Coast to Hølken Beach and back through Hou town.

Vandhalla

Is it raining outside? Bring the whole family to Vandhalla for fun, games, exercise, and relaxation in the swimming pool. Vandhalla is disability-accessible and offers good facilities for all – from the family on coastal holiday to those who swim for the exercise.

Caféen Hou Havn

Jesper Rais

Caféen Hou Havn

Mosters Ishus

Jesper Rais

Mosters ishus

Questions and answers on Hou

Can I go to Hou by public transport?

Yes, you can. Regional bus No 103 connects Aarhus to Hou via Odder and stops at the ferry port. At less busy times, you can catch the Flexbus (In danish)from Odder to Hou. See the timetables on the Midttrafik (in danish) website.

Do you spell Hou with a ‘v’ or a ‘u’?

For many years, the name was officially spelled ‘Hov’. However, institutions and residents have preferred the spelling with ‘u’.

In 2019, the residents voted on whether to change the spelling of the name and an absolute majority voted for a change.

Therefore, ‘Hou’ is now the official way to spell the name of the town.

What to experience in Hou?

List

Map

Hou Marina

This charming port is centrally located on East Jutland’s blue main road. With its excellent facilities and proximity to the area’s great experiences, it is the perfect destination for your sailing ho...

Mosters Ishus (ice cream parlour)

It does not get much cosier than a visit to Mosters Ishus at Hou Harbour. Would you like an old-fashioned ice cream cone with a sticky topping? A grilled sandwich? Or how about an iced coffee and a bo...

Hou Beach

By the harbour and ferry city Hou lies this child friendly sandy beach. The beach has got excellent quality of water for swimming, great facilities and options for shopping quite nearby.

Hou Mesterslagter

Look inside this traditional butcher’s shop in Hou, which has a huge selection of delicious meat cuts, cold cuts, delicacies and ready meals. You will always find meat here of the highest quality and ...

The Coastal Path at Hou

Put on your hiking boots and head out on this 10-kilometer-long hiking trail at the port of Hou. This beautiful hike takes you along the Odder Coast to Hølken Beach and back through Hou town.

Vandhalla

Dagli'Brugsen Hou

At Dagli’Brugsen in Hou, you will find everything you need for your stay.We have lots of local products from the Odder area, exciting specialties and more than 300 organic products. We also offer ev...

The Tunø Ferry - Hou-Tunø

Tunø is one of Denmark’s most charming islands. You can visit the car-free island in the Kattegat by the Tunø ferry. The crossing from Hou only takes an hour and there are two daily departures in each...

Hou-Samsø

The ferry between Hou in Jutland and Sælvig on Samsø is chartered by Samsø Rederi. The beautiful crossing takes 1 hour.Samsø is one of Denmark's biggest and most popular holiday islands. The size of...

Hølken Beach

Hølken Beach is a child-friendly beach in the area between Saksild and Hou at the Odder Coast. The beach has been certified with the blue flag due to its excellent bathing water quality. It is charact...

The Mounds of Bjørnkær Castle

In the beautiful nature west of Hou, you find a well-preserved rampart which was a fortress in the Middle Ages. The castle ruin is the best preserved of its kind in the local area and a suitable desti...

Gersdorffslund

In 1657-1660 Denmark and Sweden were in a bloody war. After the war Denmark had to give up areas that are now southern Sweden. Private estates were given to the Sweden in exchange for the island of Bo...

Hou Harbour Festival (Hou Havnefest)

Hou is turned topsy-turvy when this year's port festival kicks off in the second weekend in July. As usual, the port festival offers a wonderful mix of harbour fun, sports, music, partying and enterta...

Hou Sea Sport Centre (Hou Søsportcenter)

11 new holiday houses in the best Northern style, located right by the beach. A 150 metre bathing jetty, a renovated shipyard, a large fleet of sailboats, dinghies, surfboards and the flagship Princes...

Hou Beach Camping

At Hou Beach Camping you have got cosy and intimate surroundings for your camping vacation by the East Coast of Jutland. With a beautiful sandy beach and close to Hou’s activities and ferries you can ...

Hygge Strand Camping

You find this charming caravan site in an undisturbed setting on one of the finest beaches of the Odder coastline. Here, cosiness and relaxation take pride of place. At Hølken Strand, you find the op...

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