58.214443, 24.124722
GPS: 58° 12' 52" N, 24° 7' 29" E
Manija is like a little brother to Kihnu Island and its inhabitants are part of the same ethnic group as the population of Kihnu. For centuries, this small and rocky island was used as a pasture by the manor owners on the mainland, and as a stopover by fishermen. In 1933, when Kihnu Island was determined to be too small for its population, 22 families moved from Kihnu to Manija. As a result, there are very strong cultural connections between the two islands. Currently, the island has less than 40 inhabitants and several households are used as summer homes.
A ridge of erratic rocks stretches across the entire island and the only road of the island runs on top of it. The largest erratic boulder in all of Pärnu County, Manija Kokkõkivi, also stands next to the road in the middle of the island. At the south-western edge of the island, right on the shoreline, an eight-metre lighthouse built in 1933 defies the winds. In 2008, the Manija Island Centre was opened at Vaigu Farm, which also hosts the local library and the museum room.
You can walk from one end of the small, five-kilometre-long island to the other in just a few hours, which means that making such a trip should not take you more than a day. Since Manija is only half a kilometre wide at its widest spot, you can see the entire island from the road. However, Manija also offers quiet opportunities for resting in nature and visitors can stay at the cosy Riida agritourism farm.
Location: Ülejõe 1, Lavassaare, Pärnu linn, Pärnumaa, 87001
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