Vaala is a municipality in Eastern Oulu region, Finland.

Vaala centre lies where the river Oulujoki starts, at Oulujärvi, which is the fifth largest lake in Finland. Niskanselkä, the part of the lake north of Manamonsalo (about a third of it) belongs to the municipality.

Regional road 800 (called Vaalantie) runs through the village centre of Vaala. The nearest highway is the national road 22 between Oulu and Kajaani, passing 2 km to the north-east.

There are also trains. The 64.55795626.8426891 Vaala railway station in the town centre has several trains daily, but no other services.

There is a marina in the south part of the centre, at Saharanta. 1.5-m boating route from Sotkamo, 1.8-m fairway from Kajaani, 3,5-m fairway from Paltamo.

• 64.56144526.8394991 Vaala Church (Vaalan kirkko), Järvikyläntie 3 (in the centre). The church of the municipality from 1961, designed by Dag Englund. (updated Jul 2022)
• 64.44488126.7696712 Säräisniemi Local History Museum (Säräisniemen kotiseutumuseo), Säräisniementie 345 (a 15-km drive south of the centre). (updated Jul 2022)
• 64.382327.12433 Kassu Halonen Art House (Kassu Halosen taidetalo), Kivarinperäntie 24 (on the Manamansalo island 23 km to the south-east; 50 km by roads). (updated Jul 2022)
• 64.58906326.7328024 Lamminaho Farm Museum (Lamminahon tila), Lamminahontie 231 (8 km north-west of the centre). (updated Jul 2022)

• 64.55641926.8150791 Lumman reitti, Jylhämäentie (starts across Oulujoki). A hiking trail with a length of 5.3 km. (updated Jul 2022)
• 64.48127.0152 Oulujärvi Hiking Area (Niskanselkä). 24 hr daily. Hiking and boating area including several islands and shores of Niskanselkä, including part of Manamonsalo (with camping, shelters and trails) and some islands 4 km from Vaala centre. Free. (updated Sep 2023)
• 64.55611126.513 Rokua National Park (a 20-km drive west of the centre). National park with a compact collection of glacial formations. Family-friendly trails over wooded sandhills with lichen-covered ground. Part of the northernmost UNESCO Geopark (as of 2022).  
• 64.55166226.8408384 Saharanta Beach (Saharannan uimaranta), Saharannantie (on the shore of Lake Oulujärvi, in the south part of the centre). (updated Jul 2022)

• 64.55806726.8324711 S-Market Vaala, Kolehmaisentie 1 (in the centre). M–Sa 07:00 – 21:00, Su 09:00 – 21:00. A grocery store. (updated Jul 2022)
• 64.56035126.8433522 K-Market Tervaportti, Vaalantie 26 (in the centre). M–Sa 07:00 – 22:00, Su 09:00 – 22:00. A grocery store. (updated Jul 2022)
• 64.55980326.838813 Pänikkä ja Piironki, Vaalantie 25 (in the centre), ☏ +358 44 984 6906, info@panikkajapiironki.fi. M–Th 10:00–15:00, F 10:00–17:00, Sa 10:00–14:00. A local general store. (updated Jul 2022)

• 64.55974426.8417051 Finlandiano Pizzeria, Vaalantie 22 (in the centre). M–Th 10:30–21:00, F 10:30–22:00, Sa 11:00–22:00, Su 12:00–21:00. (updated Jul 2022)

• 64.55817926.8361851 Siitari, Vaalantie 12 (in the centre), ☏ +358 8 563-9000, info@siitari.fi. A hotel and restaurant. For one person: €49/day; for two people: €69/day. (updated Jul 2022)
• 64.55822926.8347822 Gasthaus Vaala, Vaalantie 13 (in the centre), ☏ +358 400-60-0345. €55/day. (updated Jul 2022)
• 64.55187526.8333573 Taikaloora, Haminatie 4 (at Saharanta), ☏ +358 50-587-0814. (updated Jul 2022)

• Oulu
• Paltamo
• Kajaani