Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Larvik
Pop 41,400
Larvik is one of the largest towns along Norway's south coast. It's a workaday port but has
the region's most glamorous hotel, a new cultural centre and good museums. Along with
that, you'll find Norway's most accessible excavations from the Viking era and Bøkesko-
gen, Norway's largest beech forest.
THOR HEYERDAHL
Larvik's favourite son was the intrepid and controversial Thor Heyerdahl (1914-2002), a
quirky scientist, anthropologist and explorer who spent his lifetime trying to prove that
the world's oceans were vast highways that were essential to understanding ancient civil-
isations - a novel idea in the hallowed halls of scientific research.
In 1947 he sailed 6000km in a balsa-wood raft, theKon-Tiki,from Peru to Polynesia to
prove that the South Pacific may have been settled by migrants from South America
rather than Asia. His theories were supported by discoveries of similar fauna and cultural
artefacts in Polynesia and South America, and by the fact that Pacific Ocean currents run
east to west.
The film of his journey won an Oscar in 1951 for best documentary and his medal-win-
ning bravery in resisting the Nazis only added to his legend. His book describing the ex-
pedition sold an astonishing 60 million copies worldwide. The actualKon-Tikiship is on
display at the
Kon-Tiki Museum
in Oslo.
Sights & Activities
Kaupang
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE
( 90 62 27 44;
www.kaupangprosjektet.no
;
adult/child Nkr50/free, Wed activities Nkr70;
10am-4pm mid-Jun-mid-Aug)
Kaupang, 5km east of Larvik, was a former Viking town built around AD 800 and occu-
pied until 960. It is believed that up to 1000 people once lived here. Although most of the
original artefacts are now in Oslo, the custodians of the site make the most of what they
