Know Before You Go

Iceland is absolutely up and coming as one of the most highly sought-after destinations to visit in the world. With flawless vistas and adventuring like no other, Iceland is absolutely epic in every sense of the word. At its closest point, Iceland is only 300 kilometers (186 miles) to Greenland, so just take note you will probably be reaching the Northernmost point in your life. Iceland is probably the country where I felt the safest visiting, and its diversity and rather a liberal population make it safe for people of all ethnicities and the LGBTQ+ populous. 

Icelandic people are very friendly but don't expect anyone to be impressed by you. This is a proud, taciturn people. Culturally they're probably nearest to the Norwegians, but I think both nations regard the others as a bunch of bores. Everybody is courteous, but only the Baristas and Bartenders MIGHT smile at you or laugh at your joke. When they're boozing, though, they're a 20-year-old at a house party.

Iceland is an amazing nation in pretty much every measurable metric–everyone is literate (seriously) nearly everyone is multilingual, they pride themselves on being capable of solving their problems themselves, the first female PM in the world, invented parliamentary government, etc. They have harnessed their nation’s geothermal energy to be a completely self-sustaining and renewable energy source. Also, they were literally living in hand-dug earthen huts and burning peat for warmth 100 years ago in some parts of the country - you could argue they developed more rapidly than anyone in the Western World.  

Cost

Iceland is pricier than most European countries because almost everything has to be imported from other nations, but living in an expensive American city, we did not find the prices to be excessive, and booking far enough in advance will prevent prices from being unreasonable for flights and lodging. 

Food

Icelandic cuisine is not the best in the world, but it is not terrible either. In Reykjavik, you can find some pretty amazing bars with fantastic specialty cocktails. We only had one bad meal in Iceland, but other than that, everything was great, just pricey! Be prepared for a $16 hamburger.

Best Time to Visit Iceland

Depending on what you are trying to accomplish on your visit to Iceland, there are several “best” times to visit. We went in early October and it was just perfect. We found extremely cheap flights from Washington, DC ($300 round-trip–thanks to Scott’s Cheap Flights). We also were able to do all the ‘summer’ hikes we wanted to and we even saw the Northern Lights one night from our hot tub in Vik. September or October is ideal for both outdoor activities and a chance to see the oh-so-special Aurora Borealis. If your main goal is to see as much of Iceland as possible, you will want to go in the summer as that is the safest time to complete the entire ‘Ring Road’ before the weather gets too crazy. The sun will be out so you can adventure late into the night, but just don’t expect to see the Northern Lights which is one thing that should be on everyone’s bucket list.

How to Get to Iceland

I am a Scott’s Cheap Flight stan, and since I first joined their newsletter, all our trips have been booked because of an email I received from Scott and his team. We booked this trip because there were $300 round-trip tickets from Washington, DC to Keflavik, Iceland. Now that was a no-brainer for us, because average fares run from $500-$700 USD per ticket for round-trip fares to Reyjavik. 

There are plenty of other ways to score cheap tickets on your own. I also use Skyscanner and play around with the dates in Google Flights. On Google Flights, there is an option to follow prices for your specific dates/locations and get email notifications when the prices change.

Credit Cards and ATMs: You can use credit or debit cards almost anywhere in Iceland, and if not you will surely find an ATM within minutes in Reykjavik or at any gas station. Keep some cash on you for smaller purchases. Be mindful of foreign transaction fees if your card has any. American Express is not widely accepted, but can be used at several places in Reykjavik so it’s worth it to try!

Plugs

The plugs in Iceland and the rest of Europe are Type C and F. The standard voltage is 230 V, and the standard frequency is 50Hz. I recommend buying a universal adapter (make sure it has surge protection) and using a converter for hair dryers and hot tools.

Safety

Iceland has been deemed the safest country in the world from 2008 through 2020 by the Global Peace Index. Vik is a sleepy fishing village on the southern coast of Iceland and crime is almost nonexistent. When visiting the Black Sand Beach, you should express extra caution as sneaker waves have been known to take unknowing tourists out to sea suddenly.

Where to Stay in Vik

Hotel Katla 

I can’t recommend Hotel Katla enough! The rooms are spacious and clean, but the showers are a little small. I felt like we were staying in our own personal cabin despite being connected to the room next to us. We loved our stay here so much and on our second night, we were able to watch the Northern Lights from the hotel’s hot tub. 

Getting to Vik from Reykjavik

The best way to get to Vik is by car from either the airport or Reykjavik. Renting a car is very easy in Iceland and the roads are similar to that of the United States. Be cautious of the wind when opening car doors as they can blow doors right off. 

Day 1 

Vík í Mýrdal is a remote seafront village in south Iceland. It sits in the shadow of the Mýrdalsjökull glacier, which covers the Katla volcano. Reyniskirkja is a wooden church dating to 1929. Reynisfjara beach has black pebbles, basalt columns, and the Reynisdrangar offshore rock formations. The cliffs of Reynisfjall mountain are home to seabirds such as puffins. Just west, the Dyrhólaey peninsula has a large rock arch.

Solheimasandur Plane Crash

I know you have seen epic pictures of this on social media, but this was probably the most miserable part of our trip. I absolutely would not do this again and I almost did not include it in this guide, if it weren’t for finding out about the new shuttle they have. 

It is a 2.5 miles each way (5 miles total) walk from the parking lot and takes about an hour and an hour back. This is not to mention that the hike/walk is freezing cold and windy. In 2020, a couple of Chinese tourists who were not prepared for the walk actually died (article here), so be wary of what you are getting yourself into. The trail itself makes you feel like you are lost on some foreign planet, but tbh it is just not worth the trek. The crashed plane is super cool and makes for great pictures. We had a good time climbing around, but the whole experience can be done in five minutes. Totally not worth an hour's walk, so definitely take the shuttle if you are dying to see the plane wreck. It costs 2,900 ISK (about $20 USD). There are also ATV tours that take you directly to the spot. Anything but walking! No really, trust me.

Vik i Myrdal Church

This classic Icelandic church is perched atop a hill with majestic mountain views of Vik as a backdrop. Built in 1929, the church is accessible by car or foot. The views from here are stunning and it is a great spot to have a mini-photoshoot or picnic.

Dyrhólaey

Dyrhólaey is translated to "the hill island with the door hole". The area of Dyrhólaey is a small peninsula that was a former island and is split into two parts- the elevated part and the part at sea level. We drove to the top, where there is breathtaking 360° views. When looking north you can see Mýrdalsjökull glacier, and to the east, you will see the beautiful black sand beach Reynisdrangar. To the west, there is an endless black sand beach coastline, and right in front of the peninsula, there is a huge black arch of lava reaching out into the sea. 

Dyrhólaey Lighthouse

Dyrhólaey Lighthouse marks the southernmost point of mainland of Iceland and is the perfect viewing place. We were freezing up here, but the views were epic and we came back here to watch for the Northern Lights at night due to its darkness. 

Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach

A ten-minute drive from Dyrhólaey will take you to the parking lot of the famous Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach. In 1991, National Geographic voted Reynisfjara as one of the Top 10 non-tropical beaches to visit on the planet. In October, the sun sets around 6pm, so we were able to view one of the most dramatic and gorgeous sunsets of our lives here, and I recommend you do the same. Upon arrival to the beach, you will be immediately drawn to these rocky sea stacks sitting off the shoreline, known as Reynisdrangar. These basalt columns formed thousands of years ago and tourists will all be climbing on top of them for pictures. Again, I am a total GOT nerd and this was one of the filming locations in season 7 when Jon Snow goes “North of the Wall”. This beach was also used as the backdrop for Planet Eadu in Rogue One, and nearby Eyjafjallajokull became the icy planet of Hoth in The Last Jedi.

Icelandic Lava Show

This show allows visitors to safely experience hot molten lava in close proximity! This is done by recreating a volcano eruption and showing it melt over ice. This is a great way to see some of the “fire” part of the land of fire and ice if there are no volcanic eruptions going on. Hearing the crackle of molten lava while your face is warm from the drastic temperatures, this show is an experience like no other.

Tickets are 5,900 ISK ($43 USD).

Dinner at The Soup Company

Next door to the lava show, is a fantastic soup spot that will warm you up even on the coldest Icelandic day. The Soup Company in Vik is a family-owned restaurant that has grown in popularity over the years. They are known for their ‘red hot lava soup’ that is super spicy with prime beef, black beans, and vegetables. They also serve paninis, salads, and options for vegetarians and vegans. Don’t miss a meal here while you are in Vik!

Day 2: South Iceland

For your last full day in Vik, I suggest you head a bit further northeast to the village of Jökulsárlón. This day will really put the ‘ice’ in Iceland, as you will see several glacier lagoons and the world-famous “Diamond Beach”.  Today is also the most driving you will do on this trip, so bring lots of water and snacks for the road.

Yoda Cave (Hjörleifshöfði)

Drive ten minutes down the road and you will find the cave that was the filming location of the first scene in Rogue One where the main character Jyn hides as a child. The cave also is shaped like Yoda, so if you are a Star Wars fan in any capacity, I suggest you take five minutes to see the cave. We got kind of lost trying to find it, because there is not much information online outlining how to get to the cave, so we hiked around a bit thinking that was necessary. You do not need to hike at all and can drive directly up to the opening of the cave. If you keep driving past the hiking trailheads, you will find the mouth of the cave and can walk right in. 

Skaftáreldahraun Lava Field

Put “Þjóðvegur Rest Stop” into your GPS for a great stop along your drive to view the Skaftáreldahraun Lava Field. This mossy wonder is out of this world cool and a great place to stretch your legs along the Ring Road. 

Fjadrargljufur Canyon

Down the road from the lava field, you will turn onto the road that takes you to Fjadrargljufur Canyon. This stunning canyon’s origins date back to the Ice Age, and was formed by erosion from glaciers pushing through the rocks and palagonite. Currently, the river Fjaðrá flows through it and there is a fantastic 2.0-mile out-and-back trail that will take you to all the viewpoints. If you have a drone, this is a really cool spot to fly it and we saw several other people doing that such thing–we forgot ours and it was too far of a walk to the car to get it. 

Generally considered an easy hiking route with minimal inclines, it takes about an hour to complete. You could also just walk up to the first couple viewpoints if you want to save time and see other things today.

Glacier Lagoon Boat Tour

There are two super cool glacier lagoons located right next to each other. The first one you will reach is Fjallsárlón and it is much smaller than its sister lagoon Jökulsárlón. Both lagoons offer boat tours, but we opted to visit Fjallsárlón because the timing of the tours worked better for us. The tour at Fjallsárlón runs every hour and costs 8,300 ISK ($60 USD) a person. They also offer private tours, but our small group was perfect and our guide was hysterical. Jökulsárlón Lagoon offers two types of tours. One on a larger boat and another on a dingy like the one we went on in Fjallsárlón. The smaller tour costs 11,000 ISK ($80 USD) and the larger tour group costs 6000 ISK ($43 USD). 

We really liked our tour at Fjallsárlón, but it depends on what you want to do. Regardless of which lagoon you choose to do the boat tour on, definitely visit both glacier lakes to take in the views and see the quickly melting Vatnajökull glacier before it is gone forever. ;( 

After the tour, we ate at Fjallsárlón Frost Restaurant for lunch, but it really was not good, so I recommend finding somewhere else to eat. 

Diamond Beach

Located next to Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, you can visit the magnificent Diamond Beach (Breidamerkursandur in Icelandic), where mini chunks of icebergs shine like diamonds as you weave your way between them. This beach makes for a lovely stroll along the coast, and if you are lucky, you may even spot seals peeking their heads over the wave crests. The iceberg pieces come from Breidamerkurjokull Glacier, a glacial tongue of Europe’s largest glacier Vatnajokull.

Vatnajokull National Park

If you still have energy left by the end of your trip and aren’t sick of waterfalls, take one last hike and explore the area of Skaftafell and journey to the spectacular waterfall: Svartifoss. Skaftafell is a nature reserve located in Vatnajökull National Park along the Ring Road you will drive home. It is an oasis in nature featuring diverse landscapes and features. The waterfall hike is 3.2 km (2 miles) and rated on AllTrails as ‘easy’. The hike should take about an hour out and back and features several waterfalls along the way. The first one is called Hundafoss and it's the is the tallest, the second is Magnúsarfoss and it's the smallest, but the third and coolest waterfall is Svartifoss. The waterfall features basalt columns surrounding it and is very unique in comparison to the other main waterfalls in southern Iceland.

Head back to Vik for your final night. We ate at Ströndin Bistro and Bar and had a lovely meal. I recommend it if you are staying in Vik for the night. Enjoy one last night in Iceland and try to spot the Aurora Borealis for the final time.