The Blue Lagoon in Iceland is probably the most famous geothermal pool in the world. It is certainly the prettiest and most luxurious. There are hundreds of geothermal pools all over Iceland; but, people travel all the way to Iceland just to visit this one. Trust me, I get it. It is every bit as beautiful as it looks online. So, here is all you need to know about the Blue Lagoon in one neat little post. You are welcome!
The most important thing you need to know about your visit to the Blue Lagoon is that you need a reservation; and I sure hope you made your reservation way in advance of your actual visit, because if not, I am sorry, but no lagoon for you! Only a certain amount of people are allowed into the lagoon per day and reservations are a must.
You can book your reservations online. They have four different packages, ranging from standard to luxury, that include different benefits. The most basic package includes entrance into the lagoon and use of their silica mud masks for about $50.00. The luxury package includes entrance, the mud mask, use of a towel, a free drink, an algae mask, use of a bathrobe and slippers, reservations (but not the cost of the actual meal) at their restaurant (LAVA), wine with your meal, a product set, and access to the exclusive lounge for about $234. In my opinion, the premium package (which includes everything that the luxury has except for the product set and exclusive lounge access) is the way to go, and that is what we did. With this package, you don’t need to worry about bringing your own towel, slippers, and bathrobe.
If you are on a budget, the standard package is fine; just remember to bring your own towel, cover-up or robe (you need this because it is freezing once you get out of the water!), and slippers. You may want to also bring your own snacks or lunch because food at the lagoon, like in the rest of Iceland, is very expensive. There is a water fountain. Otherwise you have to purchase your drinks.
When you make your reservation, you will select a time. Depending on the day and time of year, the lagoon is open from 8:00 a.m. through 11:00 p.m. Also, it is open every single day of the year! In my opinion, the earlier you come, the better. If you come right when they open (at 8:00 a.m.), you will practically have the whole place to yourself! The picture above was taken around 9:00 a.m. The later you come, the more people you will be sharing the lagoon with. When planning your visit, keep in mind that from April 23 to April 27, 2017 the Blue Lagoon will close for renovations.
This makes deriving precise and meaningful discount cialis prescriptions Parkinson’s disease stats for such countries, as well as about issues such as race and Parkinson’s disease, problematic. For ages men were terrified by the mere thought of erectile dysfunction and had nothing to do but to deal with the problem when it was starting to affect men in their 20s and 30s. buy levitra If we like this tadalafil cialis are stressed, it goes up. Ensure that ED medications are safe for you to have sexual activity* have low blood pressure or have high blood pressure that is not controlled* have had a stroke* have had a seizure* or any family members have a rare heart condition known as QT prolongation in light of the way that the branded free samples levitra works. levitra is Sildenafil citrate. Also, from the reservations page, you can book your transportation to the lagoon. Buses will come pick you up from your hotel or even from the airport if you are doing a layover visit (Yes, this is a thing)! Transportation will run you about $30 round trip. You can also drive yourself and park in their lot. From the reservations page, you can also request a reservation for an in-water massage at an additional cost.
If you are coming from the airport, there is a handy luggage check area where you can leave your bags while you visit the lagoon. If you forgot to bring your swimsuit, no worries, they will rent you one along with a towel, robe, and slippers!
Once you arrive, you will take a winding path to the entrance. Just before the entrance are little trails you can take to see the outside of the lagoon.
When you walk in, you will line up based on the package you purchased to check-in. At check-in, they will assign you your towel, robe, and slippers, and give you a bracelet that acts as your locker key and your credit card on the property.
From the check-in, you will be escorted to the locker room where you will choose a locker. You must shower before entering the lagoon. The locker rooms have restrooms and shower facilities, but don’t expect the same amenities as a spa. They have a soap and like one blowdryer, so bring your own toiletries and blow dryers if you need them for afterwards. 
The locker rooms lead out to the lagoon entrance area. There are two ways to enter the lagoon: from the inside pool that has a door that leads to the outside or from the outside using a sloped ramp. There are places to hang your towels and robes inside and outside, but space is very limited. 
Once inside the lagoon, there are shallow and deep areas. There are also saunas and steam rooms as well as swim up bars where you can buy drinks and from where you can get your mud and algae masks. If you plan to take pictures while inside the lagoon, make sure you bring a waterproof case for your camera or phone.
The water temperature is between 98 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit (37-40 degrees Celsius). Apparently, there are 9 million liters of water in the pool that renews itself every 40 hours. It is about 2 feet at its shallowest point and 5 feet at its deepest point. There is no visibility under the water. Because it is so hot, it is important to stay hydrated before, during, and after your visit. Also, the sulfuric water can really dry out your hair, so load it up with conditioner and try not to get your hair wet.
The water is made up of silica, algae, and other minerals. The water is looks blue because the silica reflects sunlight; however, the water is actually a whitish color.
The Blue Lagoon has three dining options. There is a small snack bar right outside the locker rooms on the ground floor, a cafeteria, and a full-service restaurant. If you want to eat at the restaurant, you must make advanced reservations. You can order a la carte or from a three-course pre-fixe menu. The food is tasty, but be prepared to splurge on lunch. We did the pre-fixe menu, and our meal was about $125.00 for lunch!
In addition to their exclusive lounge, there is a rest and relaxation area, a gift shop, conference rooms (so you can hold a meeting or event here!), and a full service hotel (as in you can sleep at the Blue Lagoon, which has its own set of perks!).
Also, if you are going to get a massage or other treatment, you are taken to a secluded pool that has these floating beds where your treatment takes place. Every few minutes they dip you into the water to keep you warm.
Although it is majorly touristy and pretty pricey, the Blue Lagoon is certainly worth a visit. I loved that we went during the winter. There is something sort of surreal about being in your bathing suit while the ground is covered in snow, and you are bathing in super hot water while snowflakes hit your face. It was definitely a memorable experience!
It seems like everyone went to Iceland in 2016. Instagram was littered with photos of the Blue Lagoon and the Northern Lights. Facebook and travel magazines touted the cheap airfares to Iceland and relatively short travel time. At least one person you know went to Iceland in 2016 (hell, even the Kardashians went!), and we were no exception. In early 2016, after returning from our New Year 2016 trip from Paris, I decided that we would spend New Years 2017 in Reykjavik, and I went into full research and planning mode.
The first thing you should know about the Reykjavik Food Walk team is that they are uber (as in, “super,” not the car service!) friendly, responsive, and accommodating. They respond to emails and are happy to give you suggestions and recommendations both before and during your stay. They will even help you secure dinner reservations (which, you will find out in my next post, are crucial if you want to actually eat anywhere in Reykjavik). I found them an absolute pleasure to work with and would recommend this tour to anyone (actually, I insist that you take it). It really is a great way to orient yourself to the city, while eating some great local favorites.
Each of the 13 nights, children place a shoe in their bedroom window. If they were good all year, they will find a treat in their shoe the next morning. If they were bad, they will find a rotting potato. Also, if Icelandic children don’t receive and wear a new article of clothing on Christmas Day, the Christmas Cat will come and eat them! The Yule Lads are descendants from Gryla, an ogress who lives in the Icelandic mountains. She also eats bad children! I think this is why Icelanders are so nice! Growing up, all they hear is about how they are going to get eaten if they are bad. Anyway, if you are interested in these folk tales, you can learn more about them 
During the four-hour tour, you will also taste 13 traditional dishes, including Icelandic lamb soup, 
You know what else I learned on this tour? If you ever you planned to go to jail, make sure you go to jail in Iceland. First of the 300,000 people in Iceland, only 89 are in jail. Also, until recently, the jail was located in this quaint little building in downtown (no bars, just views for days!):
You get a room with a view! Also, if you have a job and have to support a family, no problem! You can just check yourself out of jail and go to work and home for dinner as long as you check yourself back in at a reasonable hour! (Who is the arbiter of reasonable? I don’t know, and they don’t either!) But, you know what the BEST part is about jail in Iceland? On Sundays, they take the prisoners out for ice cream!!!! Not a bad deal, right?
Day 2:
For some reason, these people were there in traditional viking garb, but we didn’t mind because they made for great photos!
Up next was the amazing Reynisfjara beach, better known as the black beach. But, this is no ordinary beach. You CANNOT swim here. The wind is wicked strong and the waves are the most insane waves I have ever seen in my life. Like ever. In fact, tourists are warned to not stand too close to the shore, because more than one has been swept away by the swell and drowned. 
When BAE matches the beach: 
Seriously, these waves though… 
Our final stop was to the 
Day 3:
Dill serves classic Icelandic fare with a modern twist. It is a small place that offers two tasting menus. We had to do the shorter menu, because the weather had cleared up, and this was the first day since we arrived that the 
And here is what you get with a professional camera, with the right lens, set to the correct settings, and resting on a tri-pod:
Day 4:
You also visit 
And, you stop at the 
But, perhaps my favorite part was an impromptu stop to meet the friendly 
They are so friendly and cute, so please do not eat them!
This was the perfect way to spend the last day in 2016! But, we had a whole evening of celebration ahead of us, which began with arguably our favorite restaurant in Iceland – Apotek. We came here first on the last stop of our food tour to enjoy a delicious dessert made by their pastry chef, who is so talented that he is the official pastry chef to the government of Iceland. Honestly, I understand why they chose him. We came back for NYE dinner, where we enjoyed a delicious pre fixe 5-course dinner with champagne for under $200 USD for a couple. On NYE. This, by the way, was one of the cheapest meals we had in Iceland. That’s not a joke. 
At midnight, we took to the streets to see the
And, of course, no NYE celebration is complete without a late night snack from Iceland’s most famous hot-dog stand! Bill Clinton (and the Kardashians) ate hot-dogs here. 
Day 5:
Booking the tour was super easy. The Elding team is very responsive to emails and very accommodating to its passengers. We made our way to the harbor and easily found Elding’s office for check-in. Just down the road from their office is the dock where you can find their boats. If you are worried about getting sea sick, they have a bowl full of Dramamine (both in the office and on-board), and you are free to help yourself!
Once on board, you are issued a jumpsuit which doubles as a life suit and an extra layer of warmth because it was freezing out! Check out this sexy #OOTD:
The boats are triple deckers, with the first deck being the internal cabin which is equipped with restrooms, a snack, bar, and barf bag stations! The second and third floors are exterior. The boat has a guide and spotters who do the work of finding dolphins and whales for you. As I mentioned, the day we went, the seas were very very rough, but the staff was very attentive and helpful to passengers that were not feeling well.
The tour lasts for about four hours, and while we did not get to see any whales, we did see 
Since we didn’t get to see whales on our tour, I was curious about what the tours that do get whale sightings get to see, and Elding was kind enough to provide me with photos taken from some of their other tours where whales were spotted, including humpback whales, 
In addition to whale watching tours, Eldin also offers fishing tours, northern lights tours, and, when in season, tours out to 
For the remainder of the afternoon, we walked the city streets to admire the street art and to visit the inside of the Hallgrims church, including a climb to the top of the clock tower to get some amazing views of the city!
Thus ended our five-day adventure in Iceland. We had such a beautiful time. I hope this post inspires you to plan your own trip to this (mostly) unspoiled nature lover’s paradise. Be sure to check out my future posts on Iceland to help you get ready for your trip. And, as always, I’d love to hear from you. Send me an email or leave a comment if you have any questions about this trip or Iceland in general.
