Blue Lagoon

Day 10: Hnapavellir to Grindavík

The Blue Lagoon is one of the most popular attractions in Iceland. In was formed in 1976 when the runoff from the nearby geothermal plant created a pool in the lava field. This was due to the silica in the water which is what also gives the water its milky blue colour. People started to bathe in the warm waters and found the minerals to be beneficial for the skin. 

It has now developed into a large spa and has seen a significant increase of tourists in recent years. For a better experience of the Blue Lagoon, we decided to stay at the Silica Hotel. It is only a ten-minute walk away and has its own private lagoon that is fed with the same water as the Blue Lagoon. 

EAT

Lava Restaurant

STAY

Silica Hotel

Day 11: Blue Lagoon to Keflavík

A stay at Silica Hotel includes premium admission to the Blue Lagoon and you can choose to go at anytime during your stay. Most people need to reserve a time slot days in advance. 

The Blue Lagoon opens at 08:00 during high season so we went right when it opened to avoid the crowds. We collected our cold beverages at an in-water bar on one side and slathered on white mud masks at the other. The white mask is composed of the silica in the water and is supposed to cleanse the skin. There are also saunas and steam rooms to relax in. We were there for less than two hours but felt we could have stayed a bit longer. Unfortunately it was our last day so we had to leave for the twenty-minute drive to the airport.

At the end of the trip, we both felt eleven days was the right amount of time spent driving around the country. It was an incredible road trip and the Blue Lagoon was the perfect way to end it. 

bluelagoon.com

South Iceland

Day 9: Fáskrúðsfjörður to Hnapavellir

The south of Iceland is quite popular due to its proximity to Reykjavík. There are also several sights all within a short distance: 

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
Skaftafell National Park
Reynishverfi Beach
Sólheimasandur Plane Crash
Skógafoss
Seljalandsfoss

One of our favourites was the glacier lagoon because of the massive icebergs that wash up on the black sand beach. It is possible to walk right up next to one but you have to watch out for waves rushing in that sweep you away! The Reynishverfi beach is also quite impressive. There are huge basalt columns coming out of the ground on one side of the beach and the famous Dyrhólaey Arch is on the other end. 

Most of the sites are easily reached from the ring road. However, the Sólheimasandur plane crash site is another story. In 1973 a United States Navy plane crashed on Sólheimasandur's black sand beach. Luckily everyone survived and the plane was just left on the isolated beach. It used to be possible to drive to the plane crash but very recently the owners of the land have closed the path for vehicles. We thought it couldn't possibly be that long of a walk but we were wrong. It is a very cool sight (after all how many plane crash remnants exist in the world?) but you have to be committed to a forty-five minute walk through a barren desert of black sand to get there. And don't forget, you have to walk back. 

Eat & Stay

Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon