Travel Diaries: Avoid Iceland’s Tourist Traps!
Ok sorry, that was a click-bait headline. Iceland doesn’t have many tourist traps. Are you kidding? The place is freaking divine! But there were some things we enjoyed less. Keep reading to learn what to do and what not to do in South Iceland!
I use ⛔ to symbolize a “tourist trap” for things that are over-hyped and 💎 to show a “hidden gem” or identify places that are not on the tour bus route. Here’s an example: tour buses are a ⛔. Rent a car instead!
📍Snaefellsnes
Day 1, we landed in Keflavik with rain pouring from the skies. When in Iceland, expect lots of ☔❄️. As soon as we landed, we started driving to Snaefellsnes.
Side note: I wasn’t a huge fan of Icelandic food, so I would recommend researching restaurants beforehand. Outside of Reykjavik, most restaurants have the same menu so by day 3, you get tired of reading “Soup of the day, House Salad, Fish Stew, Lamb and Cod”. However, we did have a few excellent meals and I have outlined those in the itineraries below.
Day 2, we woke up bright and early to explore Snaefellsnes; my second favorite place in Iceland and perhaps on Earth. The area is breathtaking and certainly doesn’t shy away from flaunting its many riches. Keep in mind that anything outside Reykjavik is pretty much in the boonies; the nearest gas station to our accommodation was 45 minutes away! I had forgotten my toiletries kit in the plane so I had to spend the night without a toothbrush. I asked my husband if it would be romantic to share a toothbrush and he looked at me like he would rather set his hair on fire.
Itinerary:
- Duration: 2 nights
- Things to do: Anarstapi 💎, Gatklettur and Kirkjufell Mountain 💎. Devote a lot of time for driving between vistas because you will want to stop every 5 minutes to take pictures.
- Lodging: Stayed at Lava Water. The place is new, clean with excellent wifi, but the rooms are TINY. I would stay somewhere else next time.
- Where to eat: Rjukand Kaffi. Best donuts and cakes ever. Try their freshly baked Icelandic kleinur doughnuts — dear god, it’s so good!
📍 Golden Circle Area
Day 3, we went to Reykjadalur hot springs. You have to hike an hour each way to get to the hot springs. The hike, itself, is annoying because there is some horse shit and flies on the trail, but this stops halfway up where the horses are left in some sort of horse-parking lot. Once you dip into the stream, however, it is effing MAGICAL. I absolutely loved this because it felt unreal soaking my entire body in a hot running stream, surrounded by mountains and fresh air. Protip: there are 3 pools and the higher up you go, the hotter it gets.
After the hot springs, we proceeded to Gulfoss fall. A huge tourist attraction, but I can’t call it a tourist trap because the falls are impressive. We checked out Strokkur Geysir as well.
Itinerary:
- Duration: 1 night
- Things to do: Reykjadalur hot springs 💎, Gulfoss Falls and Strokkur Geysir
- Lodging: Stayed at Vantsholt Guest House. Comfy rooms with really good breakfast in the mornings. With low prices, I recommend staying here!
- Where to eat: Hraðlestin in Reykjavik; an Indian restaurant with delicious, authentic food. Save $$: skip the thali and get the a-la-carte.
📍 Vik
Day 4, we started driving towards Vik. We stopped at Skogafoss and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls. These falls are stunning and you can walk behind them! The day was bright and sunny, so we were rewarded with a rainbow as well. After a quick lunch, we were on our way to Black Sand beach.
Black Sand beach is probably my least favorite place in Iceland and most definitely a tourist trap. The ebb and flow of the ocean didn’t compare to that of tourists stepping in and out of tour buses. There were tons of people taking pictures, from brides with flowing gowns to fashion bloggers in skimpy outfits to tourists flashing the peace sign.There was even a camera guy and two dudes with reflective screens running after a model. It was an absolute circus.
Right next to the beach, however, is a place most people miss. Dyrhólaey. Dear god, it’s breathtaking. We watched the sunset and were in absolute awe.
Itinerary:
- Duration: 1 night
- Things to do: Skogafoss, Seljalandsfoss, Black beach ⛔, Dyrhólaey 💎
- Lodging: Stayed at Hotel Dyrhólaey. I don’t recommend staying here.
- Where to eat: Midguard Base Camp. A tour company with an excellent restaurant and delicious food. I’m not a fan of tours, but they are super honest. When I asked if they do the Northern Lights tour, they replied “No. We think it’s a scam. You just need to find a patch of clear sky and you will see it on your own.” So remember that the Northern Lights tour is a ⛔!
📍 Hofn
Day 5, we started driving from Vik to Hofn. This drive is insane. It’s gorgeous. It’s, sigh, it’s divine. The drive starts out innocent enough, with endless fields of lava rock covered in moss. At some point, you spot the first glacier. You ooh and aah, only to turn a corner and find a bigger glacier. You take another turn and there’s an even bigger one! This was definitely the highlight of my trip: seeing Icelandic glaciers outdo each other.
Our first stop was Fjadrargljufur canyon. A short uphill hike takes you to the top of the canyon where you can see a magical, aquamarine stream.
After lunch, we drove to Jokusarlon Glacier Lagoon and the Diamond beach. The glacier lagoon is famous, but most people miss the Diamond beach right across the street, where pieces of iceberg float from the lagoon into the sea, and end up on the shores of the black beach. The end result looks like huge diamonds strewn against the black sands.
Itinerary:
- Duration: 1 night but I recommend you do 2 nights. Too much to do.
- Things to do: Fjadrargljufur canyon 💎, Jokusarlon Glacier Lagoon, Diamond beach 💎 and Skaftafell park
- Lodging: Magma hotel 💎. Brand spanking-new. I HIGHLY recommend staying here. Every room has a view of a lake and, unlike all other hotels in Iceland that have old furniture and dank carpets, this one is updated, modern and clean. The prices won’t break your bank either.
📍 Westman Islands
Day 6, the sun was out, the skies were clear, and it was WARM. We decided to take advantage of the weather and ride the ferry to Westman Islands, a tiny island off the coast of Iceland. Make sure to take your car with you in the ferry because it is tough to get around the island without a car. The ferry ride itself is gorgeous on a bright, sunny day. Westman Islands also has a huge puffin population that you can go observe while hiking, but keep in mind that the island is VERY windy. Do not go to this island in the winter!
Itinerary:
- Duration: Few hours
- Things to do: Puffin watching, Eldfell volcano hike 💎
- Lodging: Somewhere near Reykjavik, not worth mentioning
📍 Blue Lagoon
Day 7, our last day, we had a flight at 6:30 pm. We had pre-booked a noon appointment at the Blue Lagoon so off we went. Blue Lagoon restaurant is a ⛔ — expensive and mediocre! However, the lagoon, itself, is a relaxing, unique experience and it was the perfect way to end our vacation. If you can, keep Blue Lagoon for the last day, because it’s the cherry on top of your perfect vacation. We spent 2 hours here and then headed to the airport, our travel-hungry hearts satiated at last.
Here are a couple more pictures about the food, restaurants and lodging I mentioned:
