The island of Vilsandi, Kihelkonna Commune, Estonia is located in the Baltic Sea. It covers an area of some 9 square kilometres, and is the westernmost populated island in Estonia. With other smaller surrounding islands Vilsandi makes up Vilsandi village. Many men from Vilsandi and neighboring islands became Master Mariners, and some worked in China prior to WWII, including Peter Mender, Johann Kalmar, and Siim Roos.,
The island can be reached on foot by wading from Saaremaa, or by truck or boat.
Much of the island is now covered by the Vilsandi National Park, which grew from a bird reserve founded in 1910. It is a highly sensitive ecosystem due to the use of the area by many migratory birds as a breeding and nesting ground. Hunting is absolutely prohibited. This park is a popular tourist destination not only for local Estonians, but also people of Finland who are visiting Estonia in greater and greater numbers
