Mon Island is not on the top 100 list to do in life, but we decided anyhow to visit it. We defiantly did not do enough research before coming to Denmark or to the Isle on Moen. A few things we did knew – there are more pigs in Denmark than people and Danes eat their licorice with a cold cup of milk. Will we get bored on Mon Island?
We figured out very quickly that the Isle on Mon is very pleasant and much fun.
Table of Contents
This is our recommendation of things to do on Mon Island:
Day 1 & 2 – Gavnoe and a walk in the woods
It is a 90-minute drive from Copenhagen. On the way there we decided to stop at Gavnoe Slot which is a beautiful well-groomed estate. It has a huge park with beautiful tall trees and flowers. You can visit the estate which has also a museum. The museum shows how people lived 200 years ago (and more) in this estate. Everything is very simple and aesthetique. The fun part is Tree Climbing Park. 7 trails up to 30 meters built on trees. The kids loved it. It is a natural forest and the trails are nicely done from easy to hard. For the hardest trial, there is a minimum height of 140 cm which is required.
If you have time on the way back to Copenhagen and if it is on the weekend stop at Bonbon Land which is the best amusement park for kids in Denmark.
We arrived at Mon in the evening and settled in at our Airbnb apt. which was in a huge farm with horses. The apt. was beautifully decorated, modern and comfortable. The Isle of Moen is a very popular tourist destination for locals and Europeans, so there is a big choice of Guest Houses, Airbnbs, B&B, hotels, camping sites, and motorhome parkings. Motorhomes were everywhere so it is a choice many visitors take when visiting Mon. The island has many parking options for motorhomes in beautiful locations next to lakes or even close to Mons Klint.
First order of things – a walk in the forest next to the farm. We were told that the forest was man-made a hundred years ago. Still, the forest felt completely natural with huge trees, berries bushes, and animals. We had a 30 minutes walk enjoying this man-made nature.
Day 2 & 3 – Mons Klint and the Golf Hotel restaurant
The next day we visited the highlight of Mon. Mons Klint is a protected nature reserve. 150-meter tall chalk white cliffs overlooking the sea. They are majestic and very beautiful.
You can visit the cliffs in more than one way – hiking, biking, and from a helicopter. There are many trails around the cliffs – we chose to descend using the wooden stairs. A few hundreds of steps and you get to the beach. There you look at the white cliffs from below enjoying this beautiful scenery. We walked along the beach and climbed back up. Another visit worthwhile making is to the geo-center on top of the cliffs.
After reviewing a few restaurant options for dinner we stumbled upon a hotel restaurant in a local brochure. Usually, I don’t go to hotel restaurants, but this time this was our chosen path. The restaurant is in the Golf Hotel on the island. The restaurant overlooks the golf course. The meal we had was the best meal we had on this trip and also for a very long time. A 3-course menu will cost you 395 DK- around $60. The food that was served was local Danish food – muscles, steak, salad with strawberries, fries, and much more. The quantity and quality were nothing short of perfect. Well-balanced tastes with great sauces. The quality of the ingredients was very high and how it was integrated with the sauces was done by a master chef. I will not recommend being on Mon without having at least one meal there.
Day 4 – Hiking on Mon Island, beach, and Nyord
Mon has a trail that surrounds it – the Camøno. A trail to that goes for 175 km. If you have a few days there you can choose a few hiking or biking trails. Along the trail, there are many options for camping or other accommodations. The terrain is quite easy as the island is completely flat so you can cover lots of ground fast. We of course had a very limited time to hike but wanted to try the Camono, so we choose a small part of it. We went back to the area of Mons Klimt and walked a 4 km hike starting at Mons Klimnt Camp. The hike went through the woods and around 2 lakes. It is a great short walk in green lush nature.
After the walk, we went for a swim. There are nice sandy beaches next to Nyord. The water was relatively cold but the experience at whole very nice. Clean water and air and a nice afternoon swim.
We then drove to the little island of Nyord and left our car at the parking outside the main village. The village is made of a few dozen colorful houses. There are a few coffee shops there if you would like to have a coffee and a sandwich. It is a very peaceful place that reminds you of when the world used to be simple. The locals sell fruits and souvenirs on tables without being there. They just show the price and ask you the leave the money in a jar.
Takeaway from a few days on Mon Island
A vacation on Mon Island is very peaceful and down-to-earth. There are lots to do on this island and you can pick and choose the experience you are looking for. A more active hiking and biking style vacation or a more leisure like for good local food and lots of beach time. The people are very friendly and everything is very easygoing. If Moen wasn’t on your bucket list maybe it is worthwhile pushing it up a little bit up the list.
