Part I-Svalbard, The Arctic: Landing in Longyearbyen, Polar Bear Warning Signs, Coal Mines & The Global Seed Vault

Planning the Trip to Svalbard (Summer 2025)

Never in a million years did I think I would travel to the Arctic. But the opportunity presented itself. I knew it was possible to take two weeks off in summer, which is the norm in France. I had a few options in mind, but I developed an intense urge to venture to a remote place, distant from normal civilization. There is no better place than Svalbard. It is as raw and wild as it can get. Svalbard is a remote Norwegian archipelago located in the Arctic Ocean, north of the Arctic Circle. It consists of nine main islands, with Spitsbergen being the largest and the only one with permanent settlements. More than 50% of the land is covered by glaciers and icy fjords.

Svalbard experiences the midnight sun from late April to late August (24 hours of sunlight) and polar night from late October to mid-February (24 hours of darkness). The population is small, around 2500 people, most of whom live in Longyearbyen. Although it's often said that polar bears outnumber people in Svalbard, scientific surveys show there are only about 300 polar bears within the archipelago itself. However, the broader Barents Sea region, including surrounding sea ice and Russian territories, hosts about 3000 polar bears. Other wildlife includes the Arctic fox, reindeers, walruses, seals and several sea birds.

So, this remote island near the north pole clearly offered an adventure that was hard to resist. But I had a couple of issues to overcome. Firstly, I was pretty late in the season and was concerned that the expedition would no longer accept reservations. Travellers usually book their trips 6 months to a year in advance. In fact, I noticed that their website already had bookings open for summer 2026. For context, I made my decision to go to the Arctic in March 2025 for a trip scheduled in June 2025. The website showed that, if I wanted to go on the June 2025 trip, the only option left was to book a private cabin- which was very expensive and far beyond my budget. And that was my second issue: money.

I frantically called the operator, who was based in the Netherlands. I almost pleaded with the lady to find me a spot in a shared cabin, which would nearly halve the cost. She somehow managed to do some internal re-shuffling and agreed to put me in a shared cabin. The final hurdle was the payment. Usually, the company works on a one-shot payment, but since the amount was significant, I asked her if there was any way I could pay in instalments. Initially, she said this was against company policy, but after I persisted, she agreed. Everything was finally sorted out, and it was only after I paid the first instalment that I realized I really was going to the Arctic.

Flying to Norway

After some intense days at work just before departure, I finally packed my backpack the day before and left for the airport early in the morning to catch the flight to Bergen. I spent a full day in Bergen exploring the city and the nearby fjords by boat. The next day, I took a train from Bergen to Oslo, which is considered one of the world’s most beautiful train rides. I stayed in Oslo for the night before catching a flight to Tromsø (which is considered the “Gateway to the Arctic”). The view outside the window while landing was magical—an entirely different aura. Nothing like anything I had experienced before. The surreal feeling of entering the Arctic realm hit me hard in Tromsø, and I couldn’t take my eyes off the landscape.

The landscape at Tromso airport

The landscape at Tromso airport

After clearing passport control and customs (since Svalbard is a special territory), I finally boarded the flight to Longyearbyen, which took about 1 hour and 45 minutes. We landed in Longyearbyen in the late morning. I still couldn’t believe that I was standing in the Arctic Circle. It was a strange feeling.

Arrival at Longyearbyen airport

I took a taxi from the airport to my guesthouse, Gjesthuset 102, which was a 20-minute drive. My curiosity and excitement took over, and I immediately started asking the driver about polar bears. He told me it was pretty rare for them to venture into town, although he admitted that caution was always necessary, as you never knew when one might appear.

The guesthouse was located on the edge of town. It was the cheapest accommodation I could find, and I must say it was a decent place to stay. During check-in, the receptionist also advised me not to wander beyond the polar bear warning sign located about 100 meters from the guesthouse.

Drive from Longyearbyen airport to guesthouse

My guesthouse on the edge of town

I dropped off my luggage in the room and walked towards the town center to get lunch and buy some gear I had forgotten (like gloves, head cover, etc.). It was about a 30-minute walk.

The view of Longyearbyen town

The road connecting the guesthouse to town centre

Mountain range surrounding Longyearbyen town

Reindeer grazing near town centre

At the restaurant, I struck up a conversation with the waiter, who told me about an old man in the restaurant who offered local sightseeing tours. He had apparently gone out for a smoke, but I was promised he would return. After finishing my lunch, I found him and asked if I could join him. This man had spent almost his entire life in Svalbard, including his childhood. We talked about how Svalbard had evolved since the old days and, of course, about polar bears. He shared some interesting stories. Since I had nothing planned for the afternoon, I booked a tour with him to see around Longyearbyen.

Credit Card Problem

I met the old man later in the afternoon, and, luckily, it was just me and another lady on the trip. Since my credit card had been giving me issues that morning, I told him I’d rather pay before departure, just in case. The last thing I wanted was my card not working at the end of the trip. That would be embarrassing, to say the least . And, as I feared, the card didn’t work. I was about to get out of the car myself before he kicked me out, but, surprisingly, he told me not to worry, and that we’d focus on the tour first and sort out payment later if necessary. It was really nice of him to do that; not many guides would be so lenient.

Tour of Longyearbyen

Longyearbyen is the northernmost town in the world and serves as the administrative center of Svalbard. Its history began in 1906, when American businessman John Munro Longyear established the Arctic Coal Company and started mining operations in the area. He named the settlement after himself, and it became officially known as Longyearbyen in 1926. The first permanent buildings and infrastructure, including a pier for shipping coal, were constructed that year, marking the town's industrialization. Before this, the region had seen whalers and occasional explorers since the 17th century, but there had been no permanent settlements.

In 1916, the Norwegian company Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani, took over the mining operations. For decades, coal mining was central to Longyearbyen’s identity.

During World War II, German forces destroyed almost all of Longyearbyen, leaving only a handful of buildings. After the war, the town was rebuilt, and Norway stepped up its role in the administration and modernization of the region. In the 1970s, the Norwegian government began transforming it from a mining outpost into a more typical Norwegian community, complete with families, schools, and urban infrastructure.

Coal mining continued to decline in importance, and by the late 20th century, tourism and scientific research had become the main economic drivers.

Coal Miner's statue in Longyearbyen

The Polar Bear Warning Sign

Just outside Longyearbyen is the famous polar bear warning sign. It serves as a clear reminder that the area surrounding the town is polar bear territory, and that encounters with these powerful animals are possible. It marks the boundary where serious safety precautions must be taken.

Within Longyearbyen town limits, there is a designated safety zone where carrying polar bear protection equipment is not required. However, as soon as you leave the boundaries of the settlement, it becomes mandatory to carry proper safety gear, including a firearm and deterrents such as flare guns. This is critical, as polar bears can come close to human settlements, especially as climate change pushes them inland in search of food, altering their usual hunting grounds.

The sign has become an iconic symbol in Svalbard. It is a powerful reminder that the Arctic wilderness begins just beyond the edge of town.

Me at the polar bear warning post

A partially frozen lake just behind the post

Common Eider Breeding Point

The common eider is a large sea duck. Males have distinctive black and white plumage, while the females are brown. They are well known for their soft feathers, which are highly valued for insulation. In Longyearbyen, common eiders generally breed on small islands and islets near the coast. These spots provide natural protection, as the surrounding water makes it harder for predators like Arctic foxes to reach the nests. Eiders usually breed after the sea ice melts, when the islands become isolated. If ice connects the islands, it gives foxes easy access to the nests.

One clever survival strategy seen in Longyearbyen is that some eiders choose to nest near human settlements. Arctic foxes tend to avoid areas with human presence. By nesting near people, the eiders reduce the risk of losing their eggs to predators. This is a good example of how wildlife can adapt and benefit from human activity

Common eider breeding point outside Longyearbyen

The arctic tundra landscape near the breeding location

The arctic tundra landscape near the breeding location

Coal Mines

Mine Number 7 is currently the last active coal mine. It supplies coal to the town's power plant, although it is expected to close soon. All other mines in the area have been closed.

In earlier times, coal was transported using a pulley and aerial tramway system that moved the coal from the steep hillsides down to the port. This system allowed coal transport even during the harsh Arctic winter.

Reindeer grazing in the tundra

Viewpoint at Mine 7

Another mine (now closed) with the aerial tramway system in the background

Driving towards coal mine 7

The Global Seed Vault

The Global Seed Vault is located deep inside a mountain near Longyearbyen. It is a secure backup facility designed to preserve the world’s crop diversity. Access is strictly prohibited to the general public.

The vault stores gene banks around the world to protect food crops against disasters, war, or accidents. Often referred to as the "Doomsday Vault," it is designed to safeguard global food security in the event of a worldwide catastrophe.

It is built more than 100 meters inside solid rock and is kept naturally frozen by the surrounding permafrost. It is one of the most secure biodiversity conservation projects on Earth.

The Global seed vault

Polar bear kills camper near Longyearbyen Airport during Covid

There's a viewpoint not far from the Seed Vault that offers a breathtaking panorama of Longyearbyen Airport’s runway and the endless Arctic wilderness unfolding in all directions. Standing there, I was reminded of a chilling incident our guide shared, a reminder that here, nature still reigns supreme.

In August 2020, tragedy struck just beyond the very airport visible from this vantage point. A group of campers were staying at a campsite nestled beside the airport. At around 4:00 a.m., without warning, a young polar bear, just three years old, wandered into the campsite. Inside one of the tents, a 38-year-old Dutch man, who had been working at the campsite for several weeks, was sleeping. The polar bear attacked, wounding him fatally before others at the camp could intervene. The commotion woke the other six campers, who managed to shoot at the bear with their firearms. Although the bear was driven off, it made it only as far as the airport car park, where it succumbed to its wounds shortly afterward.

In 2020, with the drastic decrease in tourist activity and human presence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this quieter environment may have made it easier for a polar bear to venture closer to the town than usual, a phenomenon that is quite rare.

The viewpoint near the seed vault (the area just behind the runway is where is the attack occured)

Descent route from seed vault back to town

Toward the end of the tour, we decided to give the credit card another try, but still no luck. Despite multiple attempts, it simply wouldn’t go through. I explained the situation to the guide and assured him I'd get in touch with the bank right away to sort it out, asking if it would be okay to settle the payment a bit later.

To my surprise and relief, he remained completely calm and understanding. Not once did he show any sign of frustration. With a warm smile, he simply said, “I trust you’’.

True to my word, I contacted the bank the very next day, got the issue resolved, and promptly wired him the remaining amount. His gesture left a lasting impression on me.

Svalbard's remote location in the High Arctic