The South Coast
The south coast of Iceland is the most popular section of Iceland for people to visit and that is no coincidence. It is adorned with majestic waterfalls, volcanoes, black sand beaches and towering glaciers. Keep in mind that you won’t be able to do all of these places listed below in one day. Best would be to do the south coast in two days. Begin at Bitra Guesthouse, stay another day around the town of Vík or Kirkjubæjarklaustur and then come back for another night at Bitra Guesthouse before checking out another part of our beautiful island.
Seljalandsfoss and Gljúfrabúi.
First waterfalls that you will encounter on the south coast and definitely not to miss as you can go behind Seljalandsfoss waterfall. But many people miss another on that is smaller but just as or even more beautiful. That is Gljúfrabúi or Canyon Dweller which is a hidden waterfall in a small canyon. You do have to skip on a few stones in a small creek so your feet might get wet if you haven’t got the best balance. But it is definitely worth getting a little bit wet.
Skógafoss
Another majestic waterfall where you can go very close to the front of it. You can also brave the 4-500 steps to get to the upper viewpoint of the waterfall. Better yet if you have time, keep going on the trail from the upper viewpoint and you will see a few more waterfalls.
Skógar Museum
In our view this is one of the best museums in Iceland. It has around 18.000 artifacts and consists of a folk section, technical and transportation section and and open air section. In the open air section you will be able to have a look at how Icelanders lived back in the day in turf houses.
Dyrhólaey Cape
Dyrhólaey is a nature reserve that will give you a beautiful view over the south coast from the upper viewpoint. At the lower viewpoint you’ll get a closer look at the coast line and a different view of Reynisfjara black sand beach from afar.
Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
The famous black sand beach that can also be very dangerous if one does not respect the forces of nature. Beware of dangerous sneaker waves that can sweep you into the ocean. But don’t let that stop you from checking out the beach safely. Beautiful volcanic sand and basaltic columns provide a spectacular contrast.
Fjaðrárgljúfur
This canyon is a must visit, good to get there as early as you can as it can get busy during the day in the summer time. You can walk alongside the it up to a viewing platform that extends a little bit into the 100 meter deep canyon.
The Town Of Vík
This tiny town on the is a perfect place to stay in or around to get a nights rest for the second part of the south coast described below. You might have seen the town in a Netflix tv series called Katla, if not highly recommended.
Þakgil Canyon
If you are planning to do a little bit of camping then this canyon has a beautiful campsite but also has some nice huts that you can rent for the night. You need to have a 4WD car to get into this place. The drive into it is exceptional and multiple hiking routes can be done when you have arrived.
Skaftafell National Park
This can be your base for some really beautiful hikes. You can walk up to the beautiful Svartifoss waterfall or the more challenging Kristínartindar hike. In Skaftafell you can also book a tour with glacier guides to take on a glacier hike or a ice climbing tour.
Svínfellsjökull Glacier
A glacier in the Skaftafell National Park where you can get quite close to the front of it without stepping on ice. There is a mini glacier lagoon that has formed in front of it and has a spectacular view with the mountains behind this outlet glacier.
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
The famous glacier lagoon where you can see huge icebergs floating around as well as curious seals. Boat or kayaking tours on the lagoon are available in the summer time if you want a closer look at the icebergs.
Diamond Beach (Fellsfjara)
The icebergs in the glacier lagoon eventually drift down the river that connects the lagoon to the ocean. The icebergs then break apart in the waves and get washed up on the beach and we get our “diamonds”.
