Chances are high for those who’ve met anybody that has gone to Iceland, they’ve gone to the Blue Lagoon. It’s THE place that every one vacationers have heard of and go to, whether or not it’s on a brief layover or an extended keep. And for those who learn Blue Lagoon Iceland evaluations, most of them are fairly constructive.
In spite of everything, it does seem to be a fairly mystical place with steam rising from its milky blue water in a setting surrounded by volcanic rocks. You could have seen photos of vacationers lined in white silica mud masks enjoyable within the naturally heat waters whereas sipping a chilly beverage. It looks as if the perfect place to chill out, unwind and luxuriate in Iceland’s geothermally heated waters.
Different Blue Lagoon evaluations will discuss in regards to the crowds. The draw back of the Blue Lagoon in Iceland is that it’s so common that it may additionally get actually crowded. There are plenty of locations on the earth which are common with vacationers that I attempt to keep away from just like the plague as a result of I’m not a fan of crowds. Instances Sq. in New York Metropolis is certainly one of them.
Now that I’ve visited the Blue Lagoon in Iceland twice, as soon as in June throughout prime vacationer season and as soon as in November when it was somewhat quieter, I’ve some ideas that I wish to share. I’ll admit that I favored it even much less the second time round, each as a result of it misplaced that new expertise shine and since it was chilly and windy with freezing rain that precipitated my hair to show into icicles.
Is the Blue Lagoon Value It?
The underside line is that it’s price experiencing the Blue Lagoon at the very least as soon as, in any other case, you would possibly expertise a little bit of FOMO. So in case you are visiting for the primary time, or with somebody that has by no means been to the Blue Lagoon, go forward and e book a go to. However preserve studying so that you’ve got the correct expectations.
Attending to the Blue Lagoon
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The Blue Lagoon is positioned about half-hour from Keflavik Worldwide Airport. Since Iceland Air provides a free stopover program, many guests will merely take a bus from the airport to the Blue Lagoon, spend a while, and return to the airport.
Additionally, since most flights from the USA arrive very early within the morning (round 6-7 am) and except you e book a resort or Airbnb for the evening earlier than to make sure an early check-in, you could have plenty of time to kill earlier than you possibly can check-in. This isn’t as a lot of an issue with resorts the place you possibly can drop your luggage and discover town, however it’s a larger downside for trip leases (though there are storage lockers on the bus station.) Because of this, many individuals select to go to the Blue Lagoon on their arrival day on the best way from the airport.
Attending to the Blue Lagoon from Reykjavik might be costly for those who take a cab. The only option could be to hire a automobile on your travels and drive your self to the Blue Lagoon. Nevertheless, in case you are staying in Reykjavik with out renting a automobile, you possibly can prepare bus transfers both to and from Reykjavik or from the airport to the Blue Lagoon after which on to Reykjavik.
In fact, now that the Blue Lagoon has two resorts (the Silica Resort and the delicate Retreat Resort), you can even select to remain on property and take a full day to expertise the wonders of the Blue Lagoon.
What makes the Blue Lagoon Particular?
Guests have been captivated by the milky blue waters of the Blue Lagoon, contrasted with the dramatic panorama of a black lava discipline. Whereas there are various pure sizzling springs in Iceland, the Blue Lagoon is definitely man-made.
I at all times shock folks by telling them that the nice and cozy water truly comes from the runoff of the geothermal energy plant close by. The colour is from the combo of silica, salt, and algae within the water. So a part of what makes the Blue Lagoon particular is the colour of the water, however largely it’s the intensive advertising and marketing that has made the Blue Lagoon so common.
There are definitely loads of different sizzling springs or public swimming pools in Iceland together with the Sky Lagoon exterior Reykjavik.
Blue Lagoon Iceland Opinions
Each occasions that I went, we had pre-booked our reservations, which is required as a result of it does promote out, and signed up for the Premium bundle. A inexpensive Consolation Package deal can also be obtainable.
This bundle contains entrance to the lagoon, use of a towel and bathrobe, a silica mud masks and two further masks of your selection, one drink of your selection on the Blue Lagoon swim up bar, and one glass of glowing wine on the Lava restaurant for a hefty $76 per grownup (youngsters below 13 have been free.)
Arriving on the Blue Lagoon
Once you arrive, you queue up within the applicable line relying in your bundle. On our first go to, we didn’t arrive on the high of the hour, so it wasn’t very clear which line we needs to be in, however we have been shortly sorted out and given our robes, towels, and wristbands and directed to the female and male locker rooms.
The wristbands are important as they function your locker key, cost methodology, and exit methodology — after they work, however extra on that later.
On our first go to, we have been scheduled for a 2 pm lunch reservation at Lava and since we didn’t know if it will be applicable to eat in our robes (the reply is sure, it’s fantastic, however most individuals are in avenue garments), we stowed our stuff and went to lunch.
By this time I used to be somewhat confused from looking for two lockers collectively for my daughter and I after which having my locker malfunction with the whole lot locked inside. I made a decision to kind out my wristband subject after lunch so we wouldn’t be late for our reservation.
On our second go to, we arrived immediately from the airport as quickly because the Blue Lagoon opened, and getting checked in and into the locker room was a a lot smoother course of. Nevertheless, I’d nonetheless recommend getting there both proper earlier than opening or earlier than your scheduled reservation to attempt to keep away from arriving similtaneously the massive tour busses full of holiday makers.
Lunch at Lava Restaurant
There are actually 4 eating choices on the Blue Lagoon: Lava Restaurant, the Michelin-recommended Moss Restaurant, the Spa Restaurant, and the extra informal Cafe.
The lunch at Lava was the spotlight of our first go to. We began off with the glass of glowing Cava wine that was included in our bundle. The restaurant did supply a really good youngsters’s menu, however all of us determined to order off the usual menu anyway.
My husband began with the langoustine soup with seaweed and white chocolate, which tasted like lobster bisque with a touch of chocolate sweetness. He then continued with the rack of lamb, whereas Hannah tried the fish of the day and I sampled the meat ribs. All of our meals have been scrumptious and among the many greatest that we had in Iceland.
The 2-story setting with glass partitions overlooking the volcanic rock with glimpses of the lagoon was a chic and trendy design. As you would possibly count on, it was a really costly lunch — as all meals might be expensive in Iceland, particularly fancy ones at a highly-touristic attraction.
As a lot as we loved our lunch at Lava, we have been additionally desirous to get out into the lagoon.
What to Anticipate When Visiting the Blue Lagoon Iceland
Earlier than we may get into the Lagoon, I first needed to get into my locker. Now the best way it ought to work is that you simply put your belongings into the locker shut the door after which have a couple of seconds to scan your wristband in entrance of the closest scanner. I will need to have missed my few-second window as a result of my locker locked and wouldn’t reopen (which shouldn’t occur.)
To get into the locker and to my much-needed swimsuit, I went again out to the entrance desk and waited in line to pose my query. They informed me to seek out an attendant within the locker room so I returned. Sadly, I couldn’t discover anybody so I went again out to the desk they usually known as somebody.
By the point I bought again to my locker, somebody was there to assist me out, my belongings have been retrieved and subsequent, we had to determine one of the simplest ways to undress, bathe, and put our swimsuits on (you’re speculated to bathe bare earlier than getting into the pool.)
On my second go to to the Blue Lagoon, I understood the method a bit higher and issues within the locker room went way more easily. When the locker room is overcrowded, it may really feel a bit chaotic and complicated, which is another excuse to attempt to keep away from arriving similtaneously tour busses.
After we undressed and wrapped ourselves in our provided towels and robes, we then went all the way down to the showers. After discovering a free bathe stall, we rinsed off, dried off, and went again to unlock our lockers and placed on our swimsuits. By the point we lastly made it exterior, Glenn was beginning to marvel what occurred to us.
It was overcast on the day we visited in June and the temperatures have been in all probability solely within the excessive 40s or low 50s, so we shortly scampered into the lagoon to heat up. I used to be stunned that the water temperature wasn’t somewhat hotter. Once I visited in November, it was even colder and I used to be very pleased for the provided towel.
I anticipated temperatures corresponding to a sizzling tub, however discovered it extra like a extremely heated pool. We moved round, crouching or kneeling within the lagoon to maintain our our bodies within the water, in search of heat spots. As we have been leaving the lagoon bought extra crowded however throughout most of our go to, we may transfer about fairly freely with out working into anybody — definitely no worse than swimming at a pool membership in the summertime.
On the second go to, it was raining and even colder, so I stayed crouched down within the water to remain heat. In fact on each visits I attempted to keep away from getting my hair moist within the milky blue water as a result of the silica and minerals within the water will severely dry out your hair.
We noticed many individuals coated within the white silica mud masks that the Blue Lagoon is known for and we headed over to the Masks Bar to obtain our included samples and provides them a strive. We ladled out the mud and unfold it over our our bodies, the place it dried and hardened for about 5-10 minutes earlier than we washed it off. It did go away my pores and skin gentle and clean.
Afterward, we have been capable of “swim” as much as the lagoon bar to assert our free drinks (smoothie, sodas, beer, or wine) utilizing our wristbands. I wouldn’t advocate having too a lot of these whereas within the heat water.
Alongside the sting of the Blue Lagoon, you can even discover sauna and steam rooms, in addition to a man-made waterfall for pounding out stiff shoulders. Since I really like steam rooms, I used to be actually bummed after I went to make use of it and it wasn’t heating up correctly.
Whereas visiting the Blue Lagoon, there are add-on companies that you could e book together with in-water therapeutic massage and float remedy. For a real splurge you can even e book the Retreat Spa, which incorporates 5 hours within the Retreat Lagoon, Retreat Spa, non-public altering room, skincare facilities, a drink, and different upgrades and facilities.
Why I didn’t love the Blue Lagoon
To start with, let me say that I didn’t dislike my time on the Blue Lagoon — I simply didn’t take pleasure in it as a lot as I anticipated to. I even went again a second time to offer it one other strive!
I wouldn’t inform folks to not go, however I might warning that if in case you have restricted time to spend in Reykjavik or Iceland, I might recommend that your time (and cash) might be higher spent elsewhere. There are lots of different public swimming pools or spas all through the nation that may present the same expertise, though none fairly so distinctive because the milky blue waters of the Blue Lagoon.
Here’s what I didn’t like in regards to the Blue Lagoon:
- Strains — regardless of marked queues at check-in, the method was nonetheless a bit disorganized with clerks redirecting you to totally different strains
- Wristbands — I used to be the one one which had an issue utilizing my wristband with my locker, however all of us saved shedding our wristbands as they simply slip open. We additionally all had hassle getting them to scan as a way to exit the Blue Lagoon — and we weren’t the one ones with this hassle. It created fairly a backup and added to the general frustration.
- Locker rooms — there have been only a few loos throughout the locker room contemplating the variety of lockers and friends. Ready for one wasted extra of the restricted time we needed to spend on the lagoon. After attempting to squeeze our manner over to our lockers to alter after showering, we moved over to the vanities to complete preparing. I had our two units of flip-flops that have been supplied (to maintain) with our bundle sitting proper subsequent to my backpack at my toes. Whereas I used to be brushing my hair, a girl walked up, took certainly one of my units of flip-flops from literal inches from my toes, and walked away with them. I stood there with my mouth open like “what simply occurred?”
- Showers — I’m by no means a fan of public showers so that is extra my subject than the Blue Lagoon’s however the problem of getting to bathe twice exacerbated the scenario of looking for an open bathe, preserving your towel dry, juggling your shampoo/conditioner, and attempting to take care of some semblance of privateness in a crowded locker room.
- Bus teams — busses make common journeys from the airport and Reykjavik to the Blue Lagoon dropping off a great deal of vacationers. Many of those should not the standard Iceland vacationer, however reasonably tour teams spending a layover on the Blue Lagoon. Coping with busloads of vacationers isn’t enjoyable.
- Unclear directions — once we checked in we got our wristbands, towels, and robes and despatched on our manner with little or no instruction. We wanted to determine how the lockers/wristband labored utilizing the few indicators across the locker room. Identical take care of the showers. I additionally would have cherished in the event that they supplied a handout once we checked in with these primary directions, together with a map of the property and companies. Then I might have recognized in regards to the steam and sauna rooms to hunt them out sooner — to not point out the small rest space on the second flooring!
Suggestions for Visiting the Blue Lagoon
If you happen to plan on visiting the Blue Lagoon, be sure you comply with the following tips:
- Be sure you prebook your reservation on the Blue Lagoon and in case you are visiting throughout the busy season, it’s possible you’ll have to e book this as much as a month or extra prematurely to get your most well-liked time slot.
- Remember that early within the day will probably be crowded with these coming immediately from the airport.
- If you happen to don’t buy a Premium Package deal, it’s possible you’ll wish to carry your personal cowl up or additional towel.
- Deliver flip-flops/sandals as these are not included within the premium bundle.
- Put your hair as much as preserve it out of the water because the water will dry it out severely. You may also use a bathe cap for those who actually wish to defend your hair.
- Don’t neglect your bathing go well with!
- If you’re coming immediately from the airport, put your bathing go well with, shampoo, conditioner, cleaning soap, flip flops and a contemporary change of garments in your carry-on bag or private merchandise in order that it’s simple to carry into the Blue Lagoon and slot in your locker.
- Plan to spend a minimal of two to a few hours on the Blue Lagoon to permit time to alter. It would be best to allot extra time in case you are consuming on the Blue Lagoon or if you wish to take pleasure in any of the upgrades equivalent to an in-water therapeutic massage.
- Deliver a water-resistant digital camera equivalent to a GoPro or a water-resistant cellphone (or cellphone case) to seize photos. Simply take into account that between the water and the steam, it’s truly fairly exhausting to get nice photographs (and you may see right here, climate additionally performs fairly a job.)
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