Blue Lagoon (Geothermal Spa) Reviews (Reykjavik, Iceland)

Feeling Blue? Not at this lagoon

Newcastle upon Tyne, England, United Kingdom

August 15, 2013

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Best of IgoUgo Visiting the Blue Lagoon was number one among the places I wanted to visit in Iceland. I love the idea of swimming outdoors, in piping hot water on a cold day and I wasn't disappointed. Though it was the very end of April a few flakes began to fall ...Read more Visiting the Blue Lagoon was number one among the places I wanted to visit in Iceland. I love the idea of swimming outdoors, in piping hot water on a cold day and I wasn't disappointed. Though it was the very end of April a few flakes began to fall as we got off the coach and by the time we got into the water, it was snowing moderately.

The Blue Lagoon is a manmade outdoor pool (with adjoining indoor spa centre) that is filled with warm water which comes from the nearby geothermal power plant at Svartsengi. What is so good about the place is that the facilities are modern while the pool looks entirely natural, surrounded by black volcanic rocks, a backdrop which makes the water look even more blue.

It's situated about 20 minutes from Keflavik airport and forty from the centre of Reyjkavik. Many tourists manage to get in a quick swim before catching a flight and some tours allow you to travel with your luggage from the capital and after your swim they'll take you to the airport. There are loads of options available so do take a look at what the different companies are offering. Most tours are transport only and admission is charged separately. Again there are lots of options and prices depending on whether you opt for any treatments or need to hire a towel, robe or swimming gear. You get a wristband that opens your locker and this is used to charge drinks which you can buy from the swim up bar. We went for a cold beer but there are also juices and healthy vitamin packed smoothies.

Men and women have separate changing areas but each section is communal. You are required to shower without swimwear before entering the pool. After swimming you should also shower as the silica in the water clings to the skin. Free shower gel and shampoo are provided for this.

It's only a few steps from the changing area into the water but on a cold day everyone dashes. The water is comfortably warm though there are occasional hot-spots as you'll find as you move around. There are wooden boxes of a silica based skin treatment around the edges of the pool and you simply scoop put a handful and apply it to your skin, washing off when it dries. Under your feet is a fine shingle; reach down and pick up a handful and you'll find it is actually black volcanic shingle which is surprising since the water is opaque and milky white, not quite the blue it appears from a distance. At the edge of the pool here and there there are sauna and steam cabins as well as fierce cascades of water that pummel the skin. Around the edge of the pool there are also a few places where ledges have been built so you can sit down while submerged up to your shoulders. Swimming is possible though much of the pool is quite shallow.

As we didn't have any treatments I can't comment on them but I understand a variety of cutting edge and traditional therapies are offered.

I can't recommend a trip to the Blue Lagoon highly enough. You don't even need to be able to swim since the pool is fairly shallow and it is possible mostly to wade around. It's not cheap but it is worth the cost for what is a unique and memorable experience. The cost (in 2013) for just bathing is €30 per adult (without towel hire, etc - so do bring your own if you plan to bathe) and then you need to factor in your tour costs. If you want a more peaceful experience go as early as possible. We arrived just as the place opened, rushed to change and were the only two in the pool for at least ten minutes and for the first half hour there were only a handful of other bathers for company. Close

From journal Iceland Excursions

Blue Lagoon

by Joy S

Manchester, England, United Kingdom

August 14, 2013

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Best of IgoUgo The Blue Lagoon is the most famous geothermal spa in Iceland. It is one of the most touristy things to do when you visit - everybody does it, it is recommended as a must-do in everything you read about Iceland and all the tour buses call here. ...Read more

From journal Exploring the Rekyjanes Peninsula

ONCE IN A LIFETIME AMAZING EXPERIENCE

by Boydieharrison

Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom

November 17, 2010

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Best of IgoUgo The Blue Lagoon is an a must for anyone travelling to Iceland...it is a once in a lifetime opportunity to swim outside in minus degrees temperatures in roasting warm water heated by volcanoes...to have a freezing cold head and a lovely warm body is ...Read more The Blue Lagoon is an a must for anyone travelling to Iceland...it is a once in a lifetime opportunity to swim outside in minus degrees temperatures in roasting warm water heated by volcanoes...to have a freezing cold head and a lovely warm body is a very surreal wonderful experience. I strongly recommend the Blue Lagoon to anyone who is visiting Iceland..Where else can you swim outside in the middle of volcano filled landscape in zero temperatures...only in the Blue Lagoon.

***WHERE IS THE BLUE LAGOON??***

The Blue Lagoon is located around 45 minutes away from Reykjavik city centre and takes around an hour to get there along a country road with great scenery of vivid unique landscape. (There are many companies who offer tour trips to the Blue Lagoon and are very easy to book when in Iceland.) As you approach the Blue Lagoon you will notice the steam from the swimming area from miles away amongst rugged rocky terrain and as you arrive you notice that you really are going to be swimming outside miles out in the wilderness and in the freezing cold...freezing is not the word...Artic is more appropriate.

***WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GET THERE??***

As you walk up the short walk to the main building you realise that this is a very busy tourist attraction and if you are unfortunate like us then you will need to stand in long half hour queue. It costs 28 Euros for adults and 7 Euros for children so at first appears quite expensive but don't let the cost put you off as it will be an experience of a lifetime. You will then need to get changed for your bizarre swimming experience, look out for the hillarious sign on the wall as you pass the showers as you go into the swimming area "You must shower without swimwear before entering the lagoon". I think the idea is for you to get a shock of having to shower with loads of naked people so that you wont feel the cold when you step outside as it is unbelievably cold on your naked skin. A tip is to get in the warm water as soon as possible which sounds easy but loads of people like to stroll to the water...you can always tell the foreigners..we all ran into the water...amazing feeling to get in the roasting warm water after being near frozen to death. You will love the experience and there is also soap and skin products you can rub on your face free of charge...there is steam rooms, waterfalls and jacuzzi's so you could spend hours pampering yourself...my personal favourite was the black ash that you are standing in on the swimming pool..very bizarre.

***OVERALL***

I have travelled to many countries in the world and experienced many wonderful times but for me the Blue Lagoon experience ranks in my top 5 experiences...the bizarre feeling of a frozen head and warm body while swimming outside in the stunning scenery of snow topped volcanic mountains is an experience of a lifetime and not one to be missed by anyone visiting Iceland.

I hope my review helps anyone looking for an experince of a lifetime in Iceland. Close

Wonderfully Peaceful Experience

by jenvalet

Brighton, Massachusetts

May 20, 2008

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I simply love this place. It was so relaxing and peaceful. It was the perfect way to end my stay in Iceland. The warmth of the silica water against the cold of the Iceland air...there's nothing like it. I enjoyed putting the mask of silica bud ...Read more

Blue Lagoon

by TracyT

yorktown heights, New York

December 1, 2007

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Best of IgoUgo The Blue Lagoon is definitely a tourist attraction, but it is a tourist attraction that one must go to if ever in Iceland.I can imagine that going to the Blue Lagoon in the summer would be a different experience than going in the middle of February. ...Read more The Blue Lagoon is definitely a tourist attraction, but it is a tourist attraction that one must go to if ever in Iceland.

I can imagine that going to the Blue Lagoon in the summer would be a different experience than going in the middle of February. While on the bus to the Blue Lagoon, I got shivers just thinking about putting on my bathingsuit.

There is a building that you must enter in order to get to the blue lagoon. Inside is a souvenir shop where I picked up a magnet, and a cafe selling drinks,icecream and sandwiches.

When you get to the Blue Lagoon, you must shower first. There are locker rooms that offer free soap and shampoo, and there is signage that interesting shows which body parts need most attending to. In addition, you can rent towels for a small fee. After you are squeaky clean, you are able to venture out into the cold.

The Blue Lagoon was foggy and windy. I shivered violently as I took off my pink flip flops that immediately blew away. I would find them later.

The water was hot, especially in some spots. You could see blurs of heads bobbing up and down in the water. My feet felt a clayish type of sand on the bottom, which I later discovered was silt. Many people were putting it on their faces including myself. Along the lagoon are boxes of the silt that you could scoop up. The air had a very strong, sulfuric smell.

There was also a sauna that you could run into to keep warm, but staying in the water was your best bet. There was also a cave, which you could go under and a waterfall that felt therapeutic as the water hit my face and body. It was particularly relaxing since a few hours prior, I was horseback riding.

The whole experience was eerie yet serene. I highly recommend the Blue Lagoon.

For more information:

www.bluelagoon.com Close

From journal Iceland in the Winter

Blue Lagoon

by Koentje3000

Hamme, Belgium

March 9, 2007

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Best of IgoUgo Probably the most visited tourist attraction in the country, mainly due to the proximity of the Kelfavík international airport, is the so-called blue lagoon, one of the largest and most well-known geothermal spas around the world. It is located only ...Read more Probably the most visited tourist attraction in the country, mainly due to the proximity of the Kelfavík international airport, is the so-called blue lagoon, one of the largest and most well-known geothermal spas around the world. It is located only 15km from the airport and 50km from the capital. Þingvallaleið or Reykjavík Excursions organize bus transport from Reykjavík for around 3500Kr including entrance fee to the complex and with the possibility for a pick-up or drop-off at the airport, for people who need to catch a plane.

Although the name of the resort, which Icelandic people call Bláa Lónið, suggests a crystal clear sea lagoon, it is in fact a lake with milky white water with nothing more than a slight touch of blue, especially when the sky is clear, as you can see in this satellite image. The lake was not planned and formed actually by accident. The geothermal capacities of this area were known already longtime, so it was only normal that a domestic heating plant was planned here. In the 1970s the plant was founded. Fresh cold water was heated by the hot source water of the area, after which it was pumped to the nearby towns of Keflavík and Grindavík, in a process called heat exchange. Currently a power plant also generates geothermal electricity. The used geothermal water flowed simply out of the plant right into a depression in the nearby lava field, where it was supposed to sink into the porous rocky soil. However, the silica rich water soon formed an impermeable sedimentation, so a lake was formed.

Soon after its creation, it was discovered that the 38°C water, rich in silica, algae and minerals, was good for your skin, especially for people suffering from the skin disease psoriasis. It did not take long for the people of the area discover the lagoon's healing powers, followed by national and international guests. In 1987 the first public bathing facilities were opened, with dressing rooms, showers and toilets for the visitors. 10 years later a completely new spa complex was opened here, with steam baths, saunas, massages etc. Nowadays relaxation packages, skin care products, healthy food and even a wellness clinic are offered to the guests of the complex. Entrance fee to the complex is a reasonable 15 €, including usage of the communal changing rooms (men and women separate), saunas, showers, steam baths and the lake, including its white silica mud pool. Massages and beauty treatments are charged extra as well as a visit to the smoking power plant on the edge of the lake.

Rooms are available in the clinic for around 150 € for a double room or in the fancy but even more expensive Northern Light Inn nearby. The closest sleeping bag accommodation or camping for people on a budget are available in Grindavík, 4km south, and also in Keflavík town or Reykjavík. Close

From journal Smoky Bay Town

Blue Lagoon

by n2dwoods

New York, New York

June 19, 2006

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Best of IgoUgo This man-made thermal lagoon is a must-see in Reykjavik, and right by the airport too. While there's a full spa and restaurant, I just took advantage of swimming in the warm (almost hot) lagoon and rubbing the exfoliating salts on my skin. At one ...Read more

From journal Swimming & (Sun)bathing in Iceland

The Blue Lagoon (Bláa Lónið)

by Jenn126

New York, New York

March 2, 2005

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Best of IgoUgo The Blue Lagoon is a surreal experience. Voted the best medical and thermal spa by the readers of Conde Nast Traveller magazine, this spa is certainly worth one, if not several, visits. Light blue steamy water laps against dark volcanic rocks, and ...Read more

From journal Go North: Reykjavik, Iceland

Blue Lagoon

by NCHammerhead

Apex, North Carolina

February 19, 2005

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Best of IgoUgo Our first visit was at night, which gives the place an extra touch of romance. The spa is large, and with the steam that rises off the hot water, it is easy to find some relative privacy in some of the back corners. And there is something very ...Read more

From journal Iceland 2005

The Blue Lagoon (Bláa Lóni)

by MikeInTown

Leesburg, Virginia

September 10, 2004

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Best of IgoUgo The Blue Lagoon was an optional tour. It was an additional $40 per person and was prepaid before we came to Iceland. I think just about all 45 of us signed up for this one. The tour included a trip to the Blue Lagoon, discounted lunch coupons, ...Read more

From journal Iceland Getaway

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Blue Lagoon (Geothermal Spa)

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Feeling Blue? Not at this lagoon

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Wonderfully Peaceful Experience

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Blue Lagoon

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The Blue Lagoon (Bláa Lónið)

Blue Lagoon

The Blue Lagoon (Bláa Lóni)

Blue Lagoon (Geothermal Spa)

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Feeling Blue? Not at this lagoon

Blue Lagoon

ONCE IN A LIFETIME AMAZING EXPERIENCE

Wonderfully Peaceful Experience

Blue Lagoon

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The Blue Lagoon (Bláa Lónið)

Blue Lagoon

The Blue Lagoon (Bláa Lóni)