If you've ever searched "Things to do in Iceland" or have traveled to this Nordic Island nation, you are probably well aware that The Blue Lagoon is at the top of the list for tourist traps.
Yes, we fell into that trap. And yes, it was totally worth it.
After 2 months of backpacking through Europe, it finally came time to fly back to the good ol' U.S. of A. And, lucky for us, our affordable last-minute ticket back home surprised us with a 13 hour layover in the beautiful island of Iceland.
Not wanting to waste even a second of the last moments of our adventure, I immediately started searching for what we could do in our short time there. But, in my research, something kept popping up more than any other. Although many people told us that the Blue Lagoon was a tourist trap and overrated, it was something that has been on my bucket list and something I was still craving to give a try, regardless. And, after all, it was the end of months of adventuring, we could use a little kick-back.
So, with our flight arriving in the very early hours of the morning, we caught a few hours of shut eye in the airport and then hopped on a shuttle across the volcanic countryside. Although it was October, there was already a bit of residual snow on the ground, and the half hour ride showcased the beauty of one of the most original landscapes we had ever seen. Iceland is made up almost entirely of volcanic rock or "new earth," and with all that volcanic rock you wont see foliage like much of the rest of the world. In fact, even though it's deceiving, it isn't actually grass that grows on most of the Icelandic surface, it's moss. Moss stemmed from the humid, seaside environment and growing thick enough to make the fields look like they're lined in astro-turf. The shuttle ride over showcased the beauty of the land and, right on time, our shuttle pulled up to the Blue Lagoon right as the doors opened.
When we arrived, and walked down the narrow pathway to the Lagoon, we marveled at the magical light blue water that steamed from the earth. The Blue Lagoon, is a perfect mix of man-made and natural miracles living side by side. The springs carved and cemented near a mining expedition and the natural heat of the earth rising up to warm the waters. When you check in, they give you a waterproof wristband that has your package features loaded onto it, and you can also attach your credit card on it to easily purchase extra items while out in Lagoon. After changing into our swimsuits (and conditioning our hair), we walked outside and waded into the warm water.
Since we arrived right at opening, there weren't a whole lot of people in the water yet and it felt almost like an exclusive experience. We had been told that it was always overcrowded so it seemed that, much like Venice, we luckily arrived at the right time.
This was one of the most relaxing experiences I have ever encountered, we aimlessly waded in the water for hours, stopping by at the in-water bar for an included drink and silica mud mask. The bathrooms also offered as much conditioner as you need and it's necessary to come outside wearing a thick coating on your head as the Lagoon's natural waters can dry out your hair extremely fast. The cold air contrasted by the hot water made for the most spa like experience we could possibly imagine.
After traveling for 2 months, our wallets were pretty thin so we decided to go with the Comfort Package which is the basic package and includes:
Entrance to Blue Lagoon
Silica Mud Mask
Use of Towel
1st Drink of your choice
I felt that this package was more than enough to get the full experience of The Blue Lagoon, we arrived around 8am and left around 12pm. By the time we left, the lagoon was much more crowded than when we had arrived so if I could give any piece of advice if you decide to go, it would be to go right at opening to avoid the crowds.
For more information please visit the official website at https://www.bluelagoon.com
If the Blue Lagoon is on your bucket list, please share this blog and happy travels!
