(Back From) Going to Iceland Next Month

FunkiestMonkey

Skogafoss are the southern waterfalls. Really good. Can walk up steps to see where they fall from.
Tip: Don't be afraid to branch off the coastal roads towards interesting looking scenery. Plenty of parking to peer at old wrecks or lighthouses.
Local food is not that expensive in Iceland, e.g. fresh made Pizza, pancakes, etc. No more than it would be at a restaurant here.

FunkiestMonkey

Western peninsula is very interesting. But we did a whole 4 day trip there.
I agree Blu Lagoon is not worth sweating over. Literally.
Stupidly expensive. It's man made.
Pleasant but it's like being in a massive hot swimming pool in a water park with mud at the bottom.

DPinBucks

Thanks for that.

Skogafoss is on our list.

craig1912

Went last September and didn't see any whales- a couple of dolphins though. The Lights were OK but it is very much pot luck.
Loved Reykjavik as a town lots of good bars and restaurants

FunkiestMonkey

Only thing we have not done in Iceland is a glacier walk. Watching whales is not a biggy for me as you can see them off Britain.

rousetafarian

And very enjoyable they are too!

wongataa

Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon and the beach there is stunning.

If seeing Hundafoss go a bit further along the path and see Svartifoss as well.  Good views of the glaciers in that area too.

Detifoss - most powerful waterfall in Europe. Eastern side has better view but accessed by dirt road.  Seen in opening of Prometheus.  Just upstream is another waterfall worth visiting.  No safety barriers so you can get real close to the edge!

The Fall Point

Around Myvatn visit:
Hvrir/Namafjall - mud pots etc. (it's right next to the road.)Krafla (geothermal powerplant and recent lava with weird colours and shapes. Ground is still steaming. This is on the plate boundary.)Hverfjall - crater where you can walk around entire rim.
Dimmuborgir - lava columns.Pseudocraters.There is a hot pool place near Myvatn as well - a lot quieter than the Blue Lagoon.

Highway 1 to the east of Myvatn has some stunning views.

Seydisfjordur is stunning.

Seljalandsfoss near Skogafoss.  You can walk behind the waterfall.

The black beaches around Vik are good.

Be prepared to keep looking for places to stop on the road to look at the views.

DPinBucks

@wongataa : great stuff!! Thanks

Elrond

@DPinBucks I went to Iceland in March and although it was only for three nights, I fully enjoyed it. I also had a lot more snow than you probably will in May.

You've mentioned Geysir and Gullfoss so if you have time, I would second the suggestion of Þingvellir - Wikipedia Its one of the places in Iceland where you can walk between the tectonic plates and also if your into history, its where the first laws in Iceland were founded.

As others have said, there are lots of other places you can stop along the route as well. For example, along the south coast between Skogafoss & Seljalandsfoss and Vik you have for example the Eyjafjallajokull Visitor Centre (that volcano that shut airspace in 2010), The Peculiar Rútshellir Cave in South-Iceland | Guide to Iceland , there is also a plane wreck that you may have seen in videos - The abandoned DC plane on Sólheimasandur | Guide to Iceland. Then there is the black sand beach at Reynisfjara (the waves can kill you there though if your not careful ). Somewhere in that lot is also the Solheimajokull Glacier.

I didn't go to the Blue Lagoon and from the pictures I saw, it is a lot busier than the nice glossy advertising photos would lead you to believe. As I only had a limited amount of time, I wanted to see as much as I could rather than sit in a pool for 2 hours.

P.S. £20 for a burger is nothing, I had a sandwich that was £20

DPinBucks

@Elrond,

Many thanks.

Þingvellir is on our list.  As you imply, it's on the way to Geysir.

Eyjafjallajokull, the caves & plane wreck were not specifically on our list.  On that day we have already listed Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss & Systrafoss falls, Dyrhólaey & Reynisdrangar rock formations, Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, Landbrotshólar pseudo craters and the Kirkjugólf basalt columns. Also the beach at Reynisfjara. So it's already a busy day.  We'll add them to the list and see how we get on on the day.  We're totally flexible, subject to pre-booked hotels.  If you have any experience of these, then I'd be grateful for input on prioritisation.  I think Solheimajokull is going to be too much.

Our trip is a 9-day full circle round Iceland, with only one night at each stop (except two nights at Myvatn); average distance around 120 miles per day, plus whatever time for stops.  So it's not going to be much of an in-depth visit anywhere.

That being said, we're really looking forward to it (only 6 days now ).  If, as seems likely, we love the place, a next visit would be a more in-depth visit to the southern areas (plus perhaps the Westfjords peninsula)