Blue Lagoon: Worth It?

In short: yes! Thanks for reading!

Kidding. Though if that’s all you needed, yes you should definitely go! It’s pretty easy to access from the airport and the city center.

Most people say that the Blue Lagoon is super touristy and it is but in my opinion, there’s a reason things are very touristy and that should be reason enough to see it. Take a picture in or near it, walk around it, learn a little history. I don’t see why touristy should equal bad. It usually just means the cafe they have nearby is overpriced and if you agree just don’t eat there.

From what it seems, most flights from the US land at Keflavik very early. We landed from Boston around 5 in the morning and couldn’t check in until around 3 at our hostel. So we needed something to do for about 8 hours. So we caught the first bus from the airport to the main bus station and then on to the springs for their opening at 8.

You can either buy a package before hand or when you get there but I think it takes longer if you do that. We picked one of the cheaper packages but not the cheapest. I paid extra for a drink at the bar and an algae mask. Of course Rich got a glass of sweet wine that I actually liked and didn’t get the name of it. Past that you can also opt for a package with a massage and a reservation to the on-site restaurant or for the real luxury you can get access to an exclusive lounge.

When you get there, there is one area where you can stow your larger suitcases if you came from the airport before walking up the path to the main building. Have your reservation email printed or open on your phone so they can scan it and give you the bracelet. They’re color coded based on which package you paid for and they are sneaky little devils that like to come loose. Don’t lose them in the water though, you’ll probably never find them and have to pay a fine of sorts.

Then you are allowed in the changing rooms to put your bathing suit on and tons of conditioner in your hair. Don’t do what I did and forget a hair tie if you have have long hair. The sulphur in the water will make your locks crispy. So use that conditioner! It smells nice anyways so enjoy.

Unless you have a phone that’s waterproof, I would suggest only taking it out to take a few pictures from the side and the. Put it back in your locker. I never put mine in the water or even close to it, but I think the steam damaged it as the battery doesn’t last as long as it used to since that trip. I haven’t figured out if it was the cold or the water that made my battery go from 80 to 0 in an hour but best to stay on the safe side.

We went in December and the day we were there the high temp was about 15 degrees Fahrenheit. When we first stepped into the water it was about 9. So there was definitely some fear from all of us there about the cold. But luckily there is an area inside you can walk through that gets the water up to around your waist before you open the door to the cold outdoors. Because the water is so warm I never felt like I was going to freeze.

We literally stayed the entire day, exploring most parts of the lagoon. It was beautiful to see the sun rise! However I would suggest spending less time so that you don’t need to buy food as it is expensive and not worth it. I’m glad I got to try Bitafiskur there, but I didn’t like it. But you decide how you feel about it! It wasn’t the only new thing I tried that weekend (read: fermented shark-not nearly as bad as it smelled but still wouldn’t have again unless Brennivin was involved; whale-like fishy steak, definitely would have again).

The Blue Lagoon is beautiful and has tons of stuff to do. You can use the free mud masks, try an algae mask (I liked it much better), get an in-water massage, or chill in the sauna or steam room. Even in the winter time you can walk around and take pictures or explore. Make sure you find the waterfall and cave!

In my opinion, you can’t go to Iceland without seeing the Blue Lagoon. It’s like going to Paris and not taking a selfie in front of the Eiffel Tower. Sure it’s touristy and the locals might think you’re lame for it, but it’s your experience to have! And it’s a damn good one, especially if you have a quick layover before hitting mainland Europe and just want to relax between flights!