The Blue Lagoon is one of world most popular attractions of Iceland, and it’s little wonder as to why. The beautiful milky-blue water is unlike anything else found on earth and makes a stark contrast to the surrounding black lava fields and creeping grey moss. The water sits at 39°C (102°F) year-round, making it the perfect bathing temperature.
This wonderful resort is located on Reykjanes peninsula, west of Iceland, 13km from Keyflavik International Airport, 39km from Reykjavik capital. From the airport, it only takes about 20 minutes and from the capital Reykjavik takes about 40 minutes by car. Just 20 minutes from Keflavík International Airport and 50 minutes from Reykjavík, Blue Lagoon is simultaneously remote and easily accessible.
The history of this famous hot spring is quite interesting. In 1970, a geothermal factory called Svartsengi melt lava into a river, causing the river water to turn an unusually beautiful blue. This seemingly catastrophic incident accidentally turned the area into a giant hot lagoon, a natural spa that attracts millions of visitors each year.
Named in 2012 as one of National Geographic’s “25 Wonders of the World”, the Blue Lagoon has grown from its infancy as a geothermal flow reservoir into a geothermal wonder world. The unique properties of this waters not only deliver an enchanting lagoon experience, but also the Blue Lagoon’s patented active ingredients: silica, algae and minerals. The Blue Lagoon is located in an 800-year-old lava field that stretches in the heart of Reykjanes Peninsula – a UNESCO Geopark.
Activities you can do when you go to the Blue Lagoon
- Swim in the lagoon.
- Apply the silica mud all over your body.
- Relax and indulge in the mineral water.
- Get up close to the wooden boxes as these are the vents where hot water to flow in and thus are the warmest parts of the pool.
- Hide in one of the caves, slide under a waterfall or enjoy the busy sauna.
- Drink a thick glass of ‘Krap’, especially in the cold weather.
Coming to the Blue Lagoon, visitors will feel relaxed and like to immerse themselves in an angelic scene with blue water, the cloudy sky in the smoke rising from the steam. In winter, the scenery here is even more beautiful because of the white snow falling, covering the black rock, dotted visitors’ heads.
