The Truth About Iceland’s Blue Lagoon
If you’re planning a trip or stopover in Iceland, you’ve probably got the Blue Lagoon the brain. It’s on most people’s list of the top destinations, especially if you’ve just got a quick stopover in Reykjavik. But there are a lot of questions out there that can make or break your decision to go. Here are my answers to the most common questions I’ve gotten about this iconic tourist destination.
1. IS THE BLUE LAGOON REALLY THAT BLUE?
To be honest, sort of. I’d say the water of the lagoon was more of a greenish-blue. The exact hue actually varies slightly depending on the amount of sunlight, so the color even varied a bit while we were there because of the changing cloud cover! The steam also made it a little difficult to get an accurate photo with my lenses fogging up, but I tried to edit my photos to make the color as accurate as possible.
2. DO YOU REALLY HAVE TO SHOWER NAKED IN FRONT OF OTHER PEOPLE?
NO. I was really worried about this after reading other travel blogs. While rules and setup may differ at other hot springs in Iceland, there is plenty of privacy at the Blue Lagoon. The locker room looks like any you would find at a gym, and while there are only one or two private changing rooms, I didn’t wait more than a minute or two to get access to them to change in and out of my swimsuit. Some people do change out in the open, so be prepared for that, but you definitely don’t have to.
The showers are also completely private stalls. You are supposed to shower naked, but you can go into the stall with your bathing suit on and strip once you’ve latched the door. I was extremely hesitant to go to the lagoon for fear of showering in front of people, but it was totally private. Don’t let this stop you from going to the lagoon!
3. IS IT SUPER TOURISTY?
In short, yes. You’ll likely be surrounded by oodles of American accents. The lagoon is about 45 minutes outside of Reykjavik city centre, but it’s very close to the airport, making it a great place for tourists with layovers to pop over, take a dip, and head back to the airport.
Does that mean it’s not worth it? Absolutely not! Some people recommend that this be the first thing you do when you land in Iceland due to its proximity to the airport, but we actually did the opposite. We did the Blue Lagoon as the last activity on our whole trip before heading to the airport. It was an AMAZING way to relax after an exhausting 10 days of non-stop adventuring through Europe!
The only complaint I had was the gift shop, of all places. This is where they really get you. They bottle the mud masks for you to take home, but they are CRAZY expensive. I didn’t purchase souvenirs from other places, thinking I would get the women in my family some skin care products from the lagoon, but boy was I shocked when I saw the $80 price. I definitely should’ve researched that better before going!
4. WHICH TICKET PACKAGE SHOULD I PURCHASE?
I am a loud and proud cheapskate, and sometimes I can end up regretting not going big. However, that was not the case at the Blue Lagoon. I went with the least expensive option, the Comfort package, and I didn’t regret it! I really didn’t feel like I needed anything more.
They provide your towel, plus one free drink in the lagoon, and everyone has free, unlimited access to a silica mud mask. There are other mask options you can purchase, but I was happy with the silica! You can definitely splurge on other spa options, but for any other budget-friendly folks out there, you can rest easy knowing you’ll get all you need to have a great time with the Comfort package!
5. SO IS IT WORTH IT?
YES. If you’re mentally prepared before going that it is definitely a more tourist-focused spa experience rather than a rustic, authentic Icelandic hot spring experience, I think you’ll find the lagoon extremely beautiful and relaxing. It’s certainly still a unique experience to soak in the milky blue waters.
Looking to book a trip to the Blue Lagoon? I’m a certified Iceland Specialist! Contact me to get started on your trip!