Holidays to Iceland aren’t exactly your stereotypical summer break; There are no warm beaches, no straw umbrellas sticking out of a pina colada and no sand in the swim suits. However, trips to Iceland have become increasingly common over the past couple of years, with a number of big travel brands reporting an increase in sales.
In fact, despite the population of Iceland being only 320,000, the Blue Lagoon now gets approximately 400,000 visitors per year!
This is largely due to the greater awareness of this destination being spread virally, with stunning shots of the Northern lights, the Gullfoss, Vatnajokull National Park and Tjomin. The beautiful scenes I want to talk about today is the Blue Lagoon, located in Grindavík, down in South West Iceland. This is a geothermal spa, meaning you can strip off down to your swimsuit and enjoy beautiful scenes you simply won’t see anywhere else in the world.
Highlighted by holiday companies as the ultimate in relaxation holidays, it is now listed as one of the top 10 spa locations around the world. Being based in Iceland however, holidays & accommodation can be quite expensive, so try to book away from the stereotypical times, such as the school holidays, to find a great deal.
Worried about being stuck around plenty of other tourists? The area contains 6,000,000 litres of gorgeously milky blue water, meaning there is plenty of space for everyone.
I have to be honest, this is a popular tourist attraction for couples, so you might feel a bit awkward going on your own or with friends, as many people will show overly zealous amounts of public affection.
I’m never sure about the truth surrounding the health aspects of the spa, but if you are to believe what you hear, there are many minerals, like sulfur and silica, which are known to help battle against skin diseases.
What To Pack
So many people head off to the Blue Lagoon without everything packed away. Not to worry too much, as you can hire everything onsite if you want to save some room and some back pain. But if you are looking to save those extra few pounds then remember to pack some towels, a bathing suit and bath robe.
Before you head over there, you might also want to make up some sandwiches, as food onsite is VERY expensive.
It will also cost you about 30 euros for entry, while this will include locker space, so pack a padlock if you can.
How Hot Is The Water
This is a question I was asked a couple of times. From what I have been told, it can vary between 37-39 Celsius. That’s pretty much my perfect bath temperature, strongly contrasting with the cold air.
How Do I Get There?
You can quite easily book a trip from Reykjavik, the location you will most likely be staying in. From here, its just a 45 minute journey, so try to book an early morning trip, so you can spend the entire day down there.