Hello community!

I'm new here and just wanted to introduce myself and say hi!

I'm from Costa Rica, currently taking a gap year to travel. I've been based in Edinburgh for the last 6 weeks or so, and I'm visiting Iceland at the moment.

Any recommendations, tips & tricks for Iceland are welcome! I like exploring some off-the-beaten-path locations, aka, not the "uber-touristy" stuff, and hopefully meet some locals and get a bit of cultural exchange.

Excited to join a community of hopefully like minded travelers

Lovely to meet everyone and thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Here's a picture of an Icelandic horse!

- Nao

[ Edit: Edited on 19 Mar 2024, 11:47 GMT by naocayasso ]

You might want to add a couple of details regarding your planned travel in Iceland such as season, location, duration, physical fitness in order to filter out unhelpful suggestions.

As my original post says I’m currently traveling Iceland, so it’s the end of the winter. I’m based in Reykjavik for a week. No suggestion is unhelpful. Thanks.

"As my original post says I’m currently traveling Iceland...."

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Unless you have already done so, I would think taking a look at the latest volcano eruption would be interesting.

https://www.euronews.com/travel/2024/03/18/iceland-volcano-2023-how-likely-is-an-eruption-and-how-will-it-affect-travel#:~:text=Residents%20of%20Grindavik%20were%20told,around%20Grindavik%20are%20closed%2C%20however.

The link above says the airport is still open.

The world is huge! Only you know what your interests are.

I’ve only been in Iceland in the summer, so I can’t say what is open and pleasant in March. Most people based in Reykjavik for a short time do the Golden Circle, which is rather boring. If you want to get off the beaten track head to Heimaey in the Westman Islands. You can get to the ferry port on the mainland by rental car or bus. You don’t need a car on Heimaey. The best things to do are hike up to the rim of the crater of Eldfell and if you are especially intrepid the hike to the top of the northern cliffs.

Some other places that are far but can be toured by car in a day or two are the southern coast (Reynisfjara and Jokusarlon) and Snaefellsnes peninsula.

There’s quite a bit more information about Reykjavik and surrounds in my blog.

I think most things within easy reach of Reykjavik are "on the beaten path", unfortunately.

When I've had spare time in town, I've visited the public geothermally heated pool at Laugardal, looked around Perlan (water tower on a hilltop with a revolving restaurant), and continuing from there had a wild swim (more of a paddle) at the hot pool at Nautholsvik geothermal beach.

If you have transport and venture out of town to take a Golden Circle tour independently, one of the quieter things to visit on that loop is Kerið, a volcano where you can walk down into the crater which has a lake. Maybe still frozen at this time of year so you can walk on it.

There are lots of interesting wild swims / hot pools, but I think all are pretty far from town, eg along the south coast or in the Westfjords. At some point I'd like to go back and travel slowly, visiting lots of these.

Excellent! Thank you all for the suggestions... I got a chance to go to the geothermal beach Nautholsvik yesterday, Perlan and drove a bit through the south coast. Westfjords where on the list but the weather has been quite harsh this week and they've been some weather warnings, so I couldn't go.

I got to see the eruption shortly after my plane landed on the way to the city. I tried to get closer the next day, but roads are closed and the weather as I said has been unfavourable to hike to any of the nearby mountains to see it.

I think I will still try to do a Golden Circle tour as it is my first time here and would like to see that as well. I found a tour tomorrow that includes the Kerið crater

The golden circle should be a good day out. I was once there in March and the waterfall was amazing - all the spray had frozen on the cliffs so it looked like a refrigerator that needed defrosting with giant buttresses of ice. Much more impressive than in Summer.

It sounds like you have a car. If you have time, and the weather allows, I'd head east along the south coast for a day out. A few ideas along there:

Seljavallalaug thermal pool
Skogafoss waterfall
These are a couple of hours drive from town.

Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon
This is about 3.5 hours drive away from Reykjavik.

The big attraction along that coast is Jokulsarlon - the lagoon with icebergs - but I think to do that in one day would be about ten hours driving.

Nothing to add on Iceland, but since this is in the Introductions forum, I just wanted to add my welcome. Love the horse pic!