Laholm’s twelve-kilometre sandy beach stretches from Båstad to the mouth of the Lagan River; Mellbystrand is one of the coastal towns along this beach. The town offers different focal points for planning a trip: the coast and water sports, or trails and nature in the Hökafältet nature reserve.

Sandy Beach and Protected Coastal Landscape

A 128-metre-long bathing jetty was built in Mellbystrand in 2025, below Birger Pers väg. There are also large sand dunes in northern Mellbystrand. These coastal features add specific landmarks to the long stretch of beach for anyone looking to focus their stay on the beach and landscape.

The Hökafältet nature reserve is in northern Mellbystrand. It is a dune area with open dunes, wetlands and forest, and forms part of the larger protected coastal area of Laholmsbuktens sanddynsreservat. This is part of the Natura 2000 network. For those who want to experience different types of landscape as well as the beach, Hökafältet offers a distinct nature-focused option.

Trails in Hökafältet

Hökafältet has a 2.5-kilometre loop that is lit and suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs. Except during daylight hours, the lighting is on from 04:30 to 24:00. Its length, accessibility and lighting hours make it easy to include this loop as a separate trail option in your stay.

The different lengths and routes make it easy to compare the trails: the loop is 2.5 kilometres long; the marked Buktenbanan mountain bike trail is 12 kilometres long and is considered family-friendly. It runs through Hökafältet in Mellbystrand. The Kattegattleden also passes through Hökafältet. This means there is a lit loop and two other trail options with their own distinct characteristics, without needing to combine them into a single tour.

Birdwatching and Water Sports

Mellbystrand’s coastal location makes it suitable for birdwatching. Particularly large numbers of seabirds pass through during the spring and autumn migrations. There is a birdwatching tower at Lagaoset in the northern part of Hökafältet. The seasons offer different highlights: in spring and autumn, seabird migration is a specific reason to plan time on the coast for birdwatching.

Water sports are also part of the coastal experience. The shallow water makes Mellbystrand suitable for kitesurfing. Many surfers meet at Kolonivägen, where the water is suitable for both beginners and experienced surfers. These details distinguish two interests: kitesurfing is associated with Mellbystrand’s shallow water, while Kolonivägen is highlighted as a meeting place for surfers of different experience levels.

Getting Around the Coast

If you are planning to travel by bus, route 225 is one option to consider: it runs hourly from Laholm along the entire coast. If you want to include a specific connection in your plans, check the timetable before setting off. This lets you take the route’s coastal coverage into account without assuming a particular stop.

When choosing Mellbystrand as a place to stay, you can easily set your priorities: the long sandy beach and bathing jetty offer a coastal experience, while Hökafältet complements them with dunes, wetlands, forest and a range of trail options. Bird migration and water sports provide further, distinct reasons to plan your trip around the season and your personal interests.

Discover more destinations: Mästocka, Skottorp, Skummeslöv, Veinge, Skogaby, Knäred, Laholm and Vallberga.

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