The sea is still the most important vein of infrastructure here. The Municipality of Rødøy has two primary traffic arteries. The outermost one is Nordlandsekspressen, a system of express boats that connects communities along the coast from Bodø to Sandnessjøen. The coastal highway, RV 17, also has to take to the sea on part of the route through Rødøy, and this ferry crossing also crosses the Arctic Circle. Human settlement in Rødøy dates far, far back, and ships and maritime culture has always been essential, as it is a literal lifeline for living and thriving in these parts. When Viking King Haakon the Good wanted to protect the realm from invasion, and secure the coastal fairways, he implemented the leidang system. This was a fleet-based defence system, which relied on a series of torches on mountain tops being lit to raise the alarm. One such torch was placed on top of Rødøyløva, and historical records show Rødøy constituted a skipreða, a ship's crew, responsible for equipping a large ship in the event of war.
The Municipality of Rødøy has many cultural heritage sites. On the Rødøy island, there's Rødøy Church, which is a large, cross-shaped church from the 1880s. Rødøya has been a place of worship for centuries, and there has been a church on the island since medieval times. The Municipality of Rødøy has two listed heritage sites: Selsøyvik old trading post and Myken lighthouse. Myken lighthouse is Rødøy's contribution to the Footprints in the North project.
The municipality has a lot to offer in terms of activities; there are several sports associations, many different interest groups, and a music and cultural school. There are libraries in the community centre in Tjongsfjord, on Rødøya and Myken.
The Municipality of Rødøy has a lot to offer visitors and residents who want to explore nature. The natural landscape is dramatic and varied, from the open ocean west of Myken, to Melfjord and its tributary, Nordfjord, which reaches far into the mountains. Between the open ocean and the long fjords, with steep, imposing sides, is the archipelago. The largest islands are Nordnesøy, Storselsøy, Gjerøy and Rødøy. Rødøy (8 km2) is known for its characteristic mountain, Rødøyløva, the Rødøy lion (440 m.a.s.). Rødøyløva is made up of reddish serpentinite rock. Viewed from the fairway, it looks like a mighty sfinx or lion.
Fakta om Rødøy kommune
Navnet: Rødøy skriver seg antakelig fra den sterke rødfargen på et fjell på selve Rødøy.
Beliggenhet: Øy- og fjordkommune på Nord-Helgeland i Nordland, med grenser i sør og vest til Lurøy, i øst til Rana og i nord til Meløy.
Folketall: 2021: 1206.
Utstrekning: 711 km2. 1,7 innbyggere pr. km2.
Administrasjonssted: Vågaholmen.
Kommunehistorikk: Rødøy kommune opprettet i 1838. I 1884 ble Meløy kommune skilt ut. Siden har Rødøy hatt uendrede grenser.