Søndre Sandøy
{{Infobox islands
| name =
| location =
| archipelago = Hvaler
| country = {{NOR}} Noreg
| country_admin_divisions_title = Fylke
| country_largest_city =
| country largest city =
}}
Søndre Sandøy is the southeasternmost of the Hvaler islands and features sandy beaches, hiking trails, extensive pine and spruce forests, and significant agricultural activity. The bedrock consists of beautiful gneiss, which has been used, among other things, as facade stone for Oslo City Hall.{{Cite web |title=FINN kart - en ledende norsk karttjeneste |url=https://kart.finn.no/?lng=11.07948&lat=59.01427&tab=search&zoom=14&mapType=finnvector&activetab=search |access-date=2025-04-18 |website=FINN.no}}
The neighboring island of Nordre Sandøy lies just north of Søndre Sandøy, and both are located near the national border with Sweden. Sekken, the strait that separates the two Sandøy islands from Sweden, is only 800 meters wide at its narrowest point. The islands became popular vacation destinations for the residents of Halden very early on. Søndre Sandøy is known for its beautiful sandy beaches, most of which are private.
The island is 3.7 km long, 1.6 km wide, and has an area of 4.39 km². Today, the island is considered a vacation destination with over 500 cabins, but there are also some permanent residents (87 in 2009 according to Statistics Norway). The settlements are concentrated in two areas, both with ferry stops: Nedgården and Gravningsund. Motor vehicles are prohibited on the island without special permission.{{Cite web |date=2011-04-26 |title=Bilder fra Søndre Sandøy - Hvaler {{!}} Stig.Ulfsby.no |url=https://stig.ulfsby.no/2011/04/bilder-sondre-sandoy-hvaler/ |access-date=2025-04-18 |language=nb-NO}}
History
Among the historical landmarks, the oldest is an over 3,000-year-old burial mound from the Bronze Age at Sanderød. From there, you can see across to the burial mound on Herføl.
Additionally, there are old house foundations, likely from the Middle Ages. According to the county archivist, these were probably huts used during seasonal fishing by fishermen from the mainland.
There was particularly high activity here during the herring fishing season. In the 19th century, there were herring salteries at Gravningsundet. The remains of the salteries can still be seen. A significant fleet of sailing ships also once called this place home. In 1658, the island became a borderland, with a customs station in Gravningsund (Buvika) from 1892 to 1958. Due to its strategic location, the rowing fleet had its main station on Rød in the 1700s and 1800s. It was here that Prince Christian Frederik of Denmark landed on Norwegian soil on May 21, 1813, sent as governor. He convened the Constituent Assembly at Eidsvoll, which adopted the Constitution and was Norway's king from May 17 to August 14, 1814. The Germans had a base on the island during World War II.
Originally, there was probably only one farm on the island, which was later divided into three: Rød, Nedgården, and Løkkeberg. Buviken, Torbal, and Stuvik were tenant farms under these. All properties on the island have been separated from these three farms. Løkkeberg and Rød also had tenant farms on Herføl.{{Cite web |date=2011-04-26 |title=Bilder fra Søndre Sandøy - Hvaler {{!}} Stig.Ulfsby.no |url=https://stig.ulfsby.no/2011/04/bilder-sondre-sandoy-hvaler/ |access-date=2025-04-18 |language=nb-NO}}
During the 1900 census, the island had 325 inhabitants. In 2009, there were 87 permanent residents on the island according to Statistics Norway. Most made their living from the sea, either as fishermen or sailors, but there were also some farmers. Today, tourism is an important source of income.{{Cite web |title=Søndre Sandøy (Statistical Unit, Norway) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/norway/oslofjorden/admin/hvaler/30110102__s%C3%B8ndre_sand%C3%B8y/ |access-date=2025-04-18 |website=www.citypopulation.de}}