Out of the Blue (Lagoon)

Although the Blue Lagoon is one of the top tourist attractions in Iceland, it never made it onto my list of top highlights. Yes, it’s a must if you’re visiting, but this is mostly just to say, “I’ve been in the Blue Lagoon”.

That’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy spending a couple hours in the gorgeous warm waters that are renowned for their healing properties. It was a relaxing albeit surreal experience to soak in the turquoise pool while lounging on the volcanic rocks that line the bottom and smearing white silica mud all over my face.

After reading through my Lonely Planet Iceland guide I discovered that the best times to visit the Blue Lagoon were either in the morning or during the last few hours before closing in the evening. I settled on an evening time so as not to conflict with my tour of the Golden Circle and arrived at the Blue Lagoon around 8:30pm hoping to miss the busy times.

Not surprisingly the first thing I saw was a long line at the cashier desks. So much for beating the rush.

Due to the rising popularity of this place the Blue Lagoon management has had to implement a system that controls the amount of people in the pool, thereby only letting in a certain number of people at the entrance at one time. This is supposed to help keep the pool from overcrowding, although to me it still felt packed.

If I were able to share the Blue Lagoon with only a handful of other people I’m sure the whole experience would have felt a bit more magical.

When I arrived, a sign near the front stated the pool was full for the rest of the evening! Luckily, some visitors must have left just as I arrived and a larger group of people, myself included, were let in.

As is expected of any place that is listed as the number one tourist attraction of an entire country be prepared to pay through the nose. The basic entrance fee to the Blue Lagoon is 45 Euro per person, which includes Shampoo and Conditioner. All the prices go up from there if you want to indulge in drinks or spa treatments.

On a side note, almost all locals I spoke with said they don’t visit the Blue Lagoon anymore because it’s too overpriced and tourist-y.

Unlike the quieter, cheaper, and I would say more beautiful Lake Myvatn Nature Baths, the Blue Lagoon is man-made. The water is fed into the pool from a nearby geothermal power plant and renewed every two days. The temperature hovers between 37–39 °C.

THINGS TO KNOW

• The basic entrance price is 45 Euro per person from June 1 - August 31 and 35 Euro from September 1 - May 31.
• Bring your own towel or pay an extra charge at the Blue Lagoon.
• The change rooms are vast (remember your locker number!), modern, and for the most part as clean as possible.
• Contrary to what many other websites and blogs say, some of the shower stalls (at least in the ladies room) have doors for privacy.
• Yes, you are required to shower nude before entering the pool.
• Before bathing in the Blue Lagoon I was most worried about what the briny water would do to my hair. I applied a liberal amount of conditioner to my hair before entering the water and washed it thoroughly with shampoo and conditioner upon leaving. The next day my hair still felt a little out of the norm, but shortly after it was fine.
• The Blue Lagoon facilities have free wi-fi. Hooray! 

Now that I’ve got all that off my chest, I did still greatly enjoy my time in the Blue Lagoon. I mean, this has become an iconic place in Iceland and I’m glad to have had the opportunity to visit and relax. After all, a trip to Iceland isn’t complete without a visit to the Blue Lagoon. At least that’s what I’ve heard.

Are you heading to Iceland?

Get the inside scoop on must-see attractions with Lonely Planet's Iceland Guide!