Visiting Iceland’s Blue Lagoon: Our Experience and Practical Tips
We had seen the photos. We’d watched the videos. We’d read a whole lot of practical advice on Iceland’s famous Blue Lagoon. But nothing quite prepares you for the experience of arriving into the otherworldly landscape of Reykjavik, travelling through the black rocks from recent lava activity and ultimately stepping into the milky-blue geothermal water.
We recently took our first trip to Iceland, a perfect layover between North America and Europe. As first-timers, we wanted to fit in as much as we could in just a few days, and we found that it was possible to tick off many of the “big ticket” items in a short period.
One of our must-sees was unquestionably the Blue Lagoon, and our timing was perfect. We arrived in Iceland after an overnight flight from Toronto and went straight there. The Icelandic air did its job in waking us up, and a soak was what we needed to release the travel from our bones.
A sauna in the calming blue waters of the Blue Lagoon in Iceland. We took this from the water and then turned off the phones for a while.
Is the Blue Lagoon worth visiting?
The short answer is absolutely less. The longer answer depends on what you want out of your visit. The 38°C water and spa treatments are wonderful for just floating and forgetting all the cares in the world. What I didn’t expect was just how instantly the tension went away as soon as I stepped in. I’m not a beach person. We cruise a bit but spend more time in the bar than the pool. This was just an excuse to disconnect and a wonderful introduction to Iceland.
If floating about, facials and sipping drinks in a geothermal pool sounds like a bore to you, then maybe spend the time in the city or heading out to see different parts of Iceland. (There’s also the Sky Lagoon and other geothermal spas that may be up your alley).
How do you get to the Blue Lagoon?
The Blue Lagoon is located about a 20 minute drive from the Keflavík International Airport, or 40-50 minutes drive from Reykjavik. If you aren’t self-driving, we recommend taking Reykjavik Excursions or the official Destination Blue Lagoon coach, which runs at regular intervals from the city and the airport.
Taxis are very expensive, costing between 9,000 and 15,000 ISK ($65–$110 USD) for a 20-minute ride on average and often closer to $150 USD from Reykjavik.
From the bus and taxi drop-off point, it’s another 10-minute walk to the actual Blue Lagoon check-in. You will have to leave all your large luggage there. We didn’t know this before we went, but it was ok. We had time to grab what we needed from our suitcases and assemble a “day bag” before we got there.
What happens if you miss your Blue Lagoon bus?
We found out the answer to this the hard way. Despite giving ourselves a few hours leeway, a technical snafu at the airport kept us in an incredibly long customs and immigration line for hours. By the time we got out, the bus we’d booked was gone and the next one was hours away. We had timed tickets for the Blue Lagoon, so needed to get there quickly.
I’ll repeat what a friendly but frank driver told us: “You have two options. Wait for the next bus or get a taxi.” We took the latter and, as I said above, paid quite a bit for it. The one benefit of the cab was a personal tour guide in the cab driver, who happily pointed out things. Like the road that no longer existed because of the volcanic lava flow.
The walk from the drop-off point to the Blue Lagoon entrance
How long do you need at the Blue Lagoon?
So, how tense are you? We arrived at the drop-off at around 8am and departed on 12:15 transfer, giving us around four hours there. That included the time to shower and change at both ends, which meant a good three hours just floating and sitting in the waters.
For us, that was enough. Our fingers and toes were pruning and we only had a limited amount of time in Iceland so we were keen to get into the city and explore. In reality, you can spend all day there, either enjoying the included experiences or the paid add-ons.
What should you take to the Blue Lagoon?
Even though there is luggage storage at the drop-off point, we took our backpacks and essentials like ID, passports, tickets and wallets with us. When you check-in, you are given a wrist band that acts as your key to the resort, lockers and for purchasing extras. So, there is storage on site. Just be aware that once you enter the water, it’s not easy to get back to.
What’s provided:
Use of a towel
Access to a locker
Use of a bathrobe (premium and signature options only)
What we took in our day bags:
Essential medication, valuables (incl. phones) and documents
Bathers/swimwear
A change of clothes
A wet/dry bag for bathers
Waterproof sleeve for phones
What else we wish we’d taken:
A sensible pair of flip-flops
A light snack. None of the options include food.
The entry/exit ramp area back to the locker rooms. It was warm in the Lagoon, but cold getting out!
What happens when you arrive?
This was a slightly chaotic experience if I’m being honest. It felt like there was an assumption we already knew what the process was. (Later, floating in the water, we chatted with a couple who come regularly, so maybe they all do!) After the check in, we received our wrist bands and gestured towards the locker rooms.
If your party is made up of different genders, you will be split into different areas. Don’t worry, you all meet up again on the other side of the changerooms. Here you must to shower (see below), change into your swimwear and store your belongings.
The exits to the pools are straight through the locker rooms, and there is a small reception area where you can rejoin your party. Here you literally walk into the thermal waters via a wading pool.
What is the Blue Lagoon experience actually like?
After the initial running around, it really is what it looks like on the influencer videos and photos. I felt the chaos melting off me the second the hot water hit my skin.
It really is blue. The silica particles in the water, a mix of freshwater and saltwater from deep underground, gives the lagoon its signature milky-blue color. Ofttimes, we couldn’t see more than a few metres ahead. On a cloudy day like the one we were having, it was a spooky atmosphere in a way.
The water is very warm, but not to the point that it hurt our skin or left us red (just a little pruned). There was the occasional cold pocket that surprised us though! Once you’re in the water, you can float, sit on an underwater bench or just waddle around. It’s not very deep, so you can usually stand on the bottom.
There’s a sauna that looks like a bunker in the water. A swim-up bar for mocktails and some booze if you’re feeling it. There’s the place that dispenses the face masks as well.
You can just make out the pontoons in the thermal mists.
Do you need to shower before entering?
Yes, that’s a non-negotiable. It’s advisable afterwards too.
Can you take your phone into the Blue Lagoon?
Yes, we definitely did. It’s how we took the photos in this article! My advice is to get one of those waterproof phone pouches with a lanyard. I had so many people come up to me and ask where we got them. (It was a large online retailer for the record. You know the one).
Is there food at the Blue Lagoon?
There is a Blue Café at the venue. Two things to note though: it’s not on the Lagoon side, so don’t think about floating along with a drink in one hand and a sandwich in the other. It’s also expensive, with the average bite costing around 3,000 ISK (~$22 USD/£15). Which is par for the course in Iceland. It’s mostly sushi, sandwiches, snacks and some specials. We ponied up some króna as we’d been flying overnight and on the go since landing in Iceland. You know what? It was fine.
So, should you go to the Blue Lagoon?
We say yes. While it is a highly touristy area, even more so thanks to glowing plugs on sites like this, I don’t think we would have felt like we’d “done Iceland” without it. For us, Iceland came about a third of the way into a 10-week itinerary, so it was a perfect way to relax and just enjoy the world.
Thinking of going to Iceland? Check out our first-timers guide, including tips on seeing the Golden Circle.
