ICELAND—Far More Than The Blue Lagoon
While most people think only of visiting the Blue Lagoon when considering travel to Iceland, there are far better reasons to visit. I can’t say Iceland is loaded with culinary pleasures, but the sheer beauty of it’s landscape makes it a must see—the local beer ain’t so bad either. Find out the best time of year to view the Northern Lights and one particular thing you shouldn’t buy here.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:
1. NORTHERN LIGHTS
The best time(s) of the year to see the Aurora Borealis in Iceland is between September and mid-April because these are the months which have nights of full darkness. But, seeing them while visiting is not guaranteed. The universe threw me a bone by revealing them during my redeye flight in late February, 2018, but I did not see them while in country. My scheduled night tours were cancelled (and money refunded) due to zero visibility.
Tip: Download the “My Aurora” app for alerts about the Northern Lights & Borealis.
2.BUDGET FLIGHTS = expensive stays
Icelandair and WOWAir are the two main airlines from the USA to Iceland, with WOW being the budget airline. Don’t be fooled by WOW’s $300 (USD) flight price. Like most budget airlines, nothing is complementary, and should you want to check your bag it’s so expensive you’ll wish you had opted for the regular Icelandair flight. I flew on WOWAir but I’m a minimalist packer. Regardless, the flight over will be the cheapest expense of your Icelandic experience. Save your money for in-country activities which are very expensive.
3. sleep in a buUBble
Because my trip was spontaneous and not well planned, I missed out on this often booked-out multi-day tour which takes you to Iceland’s hotspots. You must book this several months in advance, it’s pricey (as all Icelandic tours are) but it’s said to be amazing and you sleep in a bubble under the stars. Check out the Thrillist article here.
4. DUTY FREE!!!
Do yourself a favor and spend your money on excursions instead of booze. The drinks are costly even by NYC standards. Take full advantage of Duty Free prior to your arrival but DO TRY some of the local beers while there.
5. Layer like an onion
What you pack can make or break your experience—I can’t stress this enough. Waterproof clothing saved my life during the coldest, wettest, and windiest days I’ve ever experienced. Pack waterproof hiking boots and gloves, snow pants (if you visit in winter), thermals and long underwear to be layered under waterproof clothing, wool socks, a couple of tight wool knit hats, a warm jacket, and other clothing that you can layer and reuse. This was the only place in the world where I cared more about being warm than looking remotely “together”. Also, the weather can turn on a dime—it can be sunny, snowy, sleeting or raining all within a half hour window.
Don’t think you'll be able to mimic the Icelandic language. Click to watch two Americans making fun of ourselves while doing an Icelandic weather report in front of Seljalandsfoss.
6. BLUE LAGOON
This was taken from our private suite area inside the lagoon.
While the masses flee to Iceland for this manmade geothermal hot tub, really consider spending a week in the country to see it’s natural resources. The truth—the Blue Lagoon is very over priced, and according to local guides, not entirely sanitary. That said, I’m still glad I visited. Most visitors make this their first or last Icelandic stop because of it’s proximity to the airport. The lagoon is a 20 minute drive from the airport, and a 50 minute drive from Reykjavík. Buses run from one to the other quite frequently. If you’d like to actually get into the lagoon, you must book in advance. My poor planning forced my travel mate and me to opt for the most expensive package option. Very pricey, but it was so cold outside that the private indoor lagoon quarters were a nice break from the wind and hail. Would I pay for this again? No. Book well ahead of time, here.
Tip: Choose the earliest daytime bracket to visit. You can grab your free beverage and watch the sun rise while inside the lagoon. I found it to be a pretty cool life moment—especially after a redeye flight there.
7. KNOW WHERE YOU’Re SLEEPING
Iceland is not a place where you can just wing it and go with the flow in terms of finding sleeping accommodations. If you wait until the last minute you’ll either pay top dollar for an expensive hotel or be left to lodge in less than desirable conditions. During the month of February (which is peak season), anticipate spending anywhere between $150–$300 a night for a hotel room for two. My travel buddy and I stayed in two different AirBnb’s for much less—$118/night. I highly recommend staying here, the Old Bicycle Shop turned AirBnB where we stayed 3 nights. It was central to everything in Reykjavík, it felt like home, and we fell in love with the live-in cat, Pumpkin.
Tip: Better accommodation prices can be found during the shoulder seasons March/April, and September/October. Hotel prices skyrocket in peak seasons.
8. The H20 ‘SCANDAL’
The biggest scam in Iceland is charging tourists for bottled water. Iceland has the purest tap-water you are likely to find anywhere in the world. I often filled up my S’well Bottle with water downstream of the waterfalls (deemed safe by my tour guides). Bring a refillable bottle, don’t buy water!
MUST DO’s In Reykjavik:
9. HallgrímskirkjA (church & observation tower)
Situated in the heart of of Reykjavík, this pixelated-looking church is one of the city’s best known landmarks and is architecturally stunning on the inside. Take the elevator to the top of its observation tower and glance out at the colorful houses below. This is the highest observation point with the best views of the country’s capital city.
10. Explore by foot
From Hallgrímskirkja church you'll want to travel the nearby streets of Reykjavík's city center, best explored on foot. To truly soak up the culture, visit the main shopping streets: Laugavegur, Bankastræti, Austurstræti, Lækjargata, and Skólavörðustígur. All are located in the central area of Reykjavík and nearly impossible to pronounce—but do try!
11. Braud & Co
While the outside of this establishment looks to have been painted by an artist under the influence of psychodelics, locals claim this is Reykjavík's best bakery and home to the best warm pastries you’ll ever try. Ask for the local favorites and they’ll know what you mean. These were hands-down some of the best sweets I’ve ever eaten. I’d choose a layover in Iceland to have these again.
12. SNAPS BISTRO BAR
After a few days of walking around in Reykjavík, we noticed this restaurant was always buzzing with people. Rule of thumb while traveling—if a restaurant is always busy, it’s usually very good. A popular locals spot with a great atmosphere, Snaps serves upscale pub food and strong cocktails. We went one day for brunch before heading out to explore the city by foot.
13. Harpa Concert Hall/Old Harbour
Located along the waterfront in the Old Harbour, this architectural stunner is one to spend some time in and around. Check online to see which local events are happening during your stay. We were able to see a really great 360 IMAX display of Iceland.
14. Lebowski BAR
My travel buddy and I gravitated towards this bar during our evening’s in Reykjavík's. There was always loud music, big crowds of dancing locals, and lots of cocktails flowing. The atmosphere was exactly what I’d want from a semi-dive, semi-retro bar. Be warned—the locals here party hard and go until the sun comes up.
TOP TOUR SITES:
Whether on a several day guided tour or choosing to rent a car and do it on your own, the following are the main sights to see while in Iceland. Because we were on a limited timeframe, we had to prioritize what we wanted to see and do which lead us to choose a two day excursion with Nice Travel. The tour took us down the southern coast to see the many beautiful waterfalls and then up the eastern coast to witness the glaciers. I found this travel company on Viator. We did not rent a car because the weather conditions were very severe during our time in the country and we didn’t want to get stranded. That said, when I return in warmer months I’d love to explore by car.
15. Seljalandsfoss
This is often the first big waterfall you’ll view on a guided tour and is located right off of Route 1 (the major road). There’s a small tea/coffee spot on the grounds below as well as public bathrooms.
16. Skógafoss
The Skógafoss is one of the biggest waterfalls in the country with a width of 15 meters (49 feet) and a drop of 60 m (200 ft). The spray it produces often creates a single or double rainbow on sunny days. Climb the staircase on the eastern side of the waterfall to the upper viewing platform and look down. None of my photos could do it justice.
17. Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
Reynisfjara is widely considered to be the most beautiful example of Iceland’s volcanic black sand beaches. In 1991, National Geographic voted Reynisfjara as one of the Top 10 non-tropical beaches to visit on the planet. While it is very dangerous to near the water’s edge, the rock formations and caves are really beautiful to see. People often stand in the rock formations for a good photo op.
Pictured left: This is my bud Missy. Missy loves photos.
18. Svínafellsjökull—Pig Glacier
When nearing Jökulsárlón along Route 1 (the main road around Iceland), we stopped to admire “Pig Glacier” where we took perhaps the best photos of our trip. This middle destination ended up being one of my favorite stops of the entire tour. Svínafellsjökull, the “pig mountain glacier,” is approximately 1,000 years old and one of the bluest glaciers in Iceland. You may recognize this location from a popular t.v. show. Hint, it starts with a “G”.
FUN FACT: Pig Glacier has been a shooting location for many Hollywood movies and TV shows, such as Lara Croft, James Bond, Batman, Interstellar, and Game of Thrones. Svínafellsjökull is the most visited glacier hiking area in Iceland.
19. Jökulsárlón—Glacier Lagoon
Jokulsarlon or 'Glacier's-River-Lagoon' is a large glacial lake in southeast Iceland. As you stand there you’ll see massive icebergs drift by. It is considered as one of the natural wonders of Iceland and is absolutely stunning.
FUN FACT: The icebergs in Jökulsárlón are composed of ice that is over 1,000 years old.
20. DIAMOND BEACH
Located just across from Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, this black sand beach formally known as Breiðamerkursandu contains massive chunks of ice which have broken away from glaciers and washed up on shore. In the sunlight these translucent chunks resemble diamonds. For this reason the area was nicknamed the Diamond Beach. We saw several seals swimming in the waters in front of us. Diamond beach was one of the main attractions I wanted to see during my stay and it did not disappoint.
21. Blue Ice Caves
After jumping in a (super) Jeep which was like riding in a monster truck, a guide drove us on top of Glacier Lagoon to an ice cave experts deemed safe for us to enter. After being provided crampons to put on over our hiking boots, we climbed through ice chambers underneath the glacier. The ice caves only form in the winter when glacial water freezes, so you can only do this in winter. This was one of the coolest things we did in Iceland.
While it was impossible to see everything during a week in Iceland, we covered a lot of ground. Locals claim you must return during the opposite season to see an entirely different countryside. There are more than 125 volcanic mountains in the country, a handful of which are still active, and another handful that could easily awaken and become active as the country changes and grows. I recommend you visit Iceland. Game of Thrones fans—click here to view the filming hotspots
