Everything You Need To Know About Visiting Iceland’s Blue Lagoon

When I first began planning my trip to Iceland, I knew one thing was certain, I would be making a trip to the famous Blue Lagoon. This geothermal spa is known for its incredible blue waters and is one of Iceland’s most popular tourist attractions.

As with any extremely popular tourist destination, I must admit that I was a little worried about the Blue Lagoon living up to the hype. After visiting, I can happily say that my visit to the Blue Lagoon not only met, but exceeded my expectations, and ended up being one of the highlights of my week-long Iceland adventure.

Whether you just have a few hours to spend in Iceland during a layover or are planning a longer trip, a visit to the Blue Lagoon is an absolute must.

To help you get the most out of your visit to this one-of-a-kind destination, I’ve put together this list of everything you need to know before you go so you can spend less time planning and more relaxing!

About the Blue Lagoon

The Blue Lagoon, though widely considered a natural wonder, was actually formed in 1976 and is the result of the nearby geothermal power plant. The water in the lagoon is harvested from over 2,000 meters below ground, picking up minerals along the way which give the lagoon its unique coloring.

While the Blue Lagoon is known for being…well…blue the water itself is actually white and simply appears blue due to the reflection of the sun!

Over 2,300,000 gallons of water fill the lagoon today, and the temperature typically rests between 98-104°F.

Cost

If you are on a tight budget, you may not like the price of the Blue Lagoon. The basic package costs 6100 ISK (~$57).

While this definitely seems a little expensive, I can promise you the experience was worth it. If you only have money to splurge on one thing in Iceland, make it a trip to the Blue Lagoon!

If you have more budget to play with, there are four packages available:

• Standard: 6100 ISK (~$57)
  • Includes entrance and silica mud mask
• Comfort: 8100 ISK (~$76)
  • Includes entrance, towel, drink, silica and algae masks
• Premium: 10200 ISK (~$95)
  • Includes entrance, towel, drink, silica and algae masks, bathrobe, slippers, reservation at LAVA restaurant, sparkling wine at LAVA restaurant
• Luxury: 53000 ISK (~$498)
  • Includes entrance, towel, drink, silica and algae masks, bathrobe, slippers, reservation at LAVA restaurant, sparkling wine at LAVA restaurant, exclusive lounge, private changing room, spa products

As always, be sure to check the Blue Lagoon website before you go for the most current prices!

Booking tickets

BOOK YOUR TICKETS IN ADVANCE. I seriously cannot stress this enough. While there were still time slots available within 2 weeks of my trip, several times had already filled up. To avoid missing out, I’d recommend reserving your tickets as soon as you figure out your travel dates, or at least frequently monitor the availability for the date you’d like to go.

This is especially important if you are visiting as part of a shorter layover. You’ll want to get your first pick of time slots so you can maximize your time.

You can book your tickets here.

How to get there

The Blue Lagoon is conveniently located around 20 minutes from Keflavik airport and about 45 minutes outside of Reykjavik. It’s close proximity to the airport makes a trip to the Blue Lagoon totally do-able as a layover.

If you are planning to visit during a layover, here are some tips:

• Make sure you have enough time between flights
• Pack your swimsuit, towel, flip flops in an easily accessible place
• Book your transport bus in advance. Reykjavik Excursions offers bus transfers to and from the airport.
• Keep track of your time in the lagoon

If you are planning a trip as part of a longer visit to Iceland (like I did), then I would suggest visiting the Blue Lagoon on the day of your arrival in Iceland, right after getting off your flight.

This will help you maximize your time (you won’t have to backtrack) and is honestly the most relaxing and enjoyable experience after getting off a flight. I wish I could end every international journey with a visit to the Blue Lagoon!

You can also opt to visit on your way back to the airport at the end of your trip, but I am really glad I did it the day I arrived so I didn’t have to worry at all about making my flight or feeling sticky from the silica or having a wet swimsuit on the flight out.

How long to allow

I would recommend allowing at least 3 hours at the Blue Lagoon. While it is possible to still enjoy the lagoon with just 2 hours (in the event you are visiting during a shorter layover) I believe that 3-4 is a better option to allow you to truly enjoy the experience and not feel rushed.

I stayed in the lagoon a total of around 3-3.5 hours. I spent around 1 hour checking in, getting ready, and taking photos, and the rest relaxing. If I hadn’t turned so pruny and didn’t need to get to Reykjavik and set up camp before dark, I would have loved to stay an extra hour!

What to bring

• Swimsuit
• Flip flops
• Hair tie
• Towel
• Shampoo & Conditioner (conditioner is provided, but if you have any favorite products you may want them)

*These items can be rented if you forget, and some are included in more expensive packages!

Once You Arrive

Once you arrive at the Blue Lagoon you’ll want to make sure you have your ticket (either printed out or on your phone) ready so that you can enter.

Upon check-in, you will receive a blue wristband. DO NOT LOSE IT! The wristband opens your locker, allows you to purchase items in the lagoon, and is also needed to exit. Mine didn’t stay closed very well, so I definitely made sure to keep an eye on it throughout the visit.

Check-in is also a great time to rent a towel or other items you may have forgotten. My friend and I rented a towel for 700 ISK (~$6.50) and decided to share.

At this point, you can store your luggage (if you have any) and then head to the locker rooms.

The locker rooms at the Blue Lagoon are very clean and quite nice. To claim a locker, you simply find an empty one, store your things, and swipe your blue wristband to lock/unlock it. Locker use is completely free and you can access your locker multiple times throughout your visit.

The next thing you’ll need to do before entering the lagoon is to shower down. You’ll have to shower naked, but the showers have frosted glass which is perfect if you like a bit more privacy.

Once you are all showered off and changed into your suit, you are good to go!

A note about your hair…

Many people (myself included) report that their hair becomes extremely dry or damaged feeling after visiting the Blue Lagoon. To avoid experiencing this unfortunate phenomenon, wear your hair up and avoid getting it wet!

You can also use the complimentary conditioner and slather it over your hair preemptively while in the shower, and reapply if needed later.

Because I am addicted to Instagram and wanted to get ~the shot~ I completely ignored my own advice and got my hair wet. This resulted in several days of intense conditioning and a lot of unruly hair and excessive hair brushing. That being said, by the end of my week in Iceland my hair was totally back to normal, so it really isn’t that terrible if your hair gets wet.

In the Lagoon

I thought that the Blue Lagoon was incredibly fun to both swim around and explore. The lagoon is quite large, and I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that even though there were lots of visitors, it didn’t feel at all crowded.

We spent lots of time exploring the different parts of the lagoon, including a little cave area, the sauna (I could only stand about 5 minutes, but I definitely suggest going!), the silica mask station, and swim up bar area.

The water was definitely warmer in some areas than in others, but I never felt like I was too cold, or too hot. (Unless you count the time I spent outside of the water in my wet swimsuit taking pictures…that was definitely cold!)

The silica mud masks are a must-I had a blast slathering it all over, and even ended up re-applying later! The result? Super smooth feeling skin! Although my friend (who has sensitive skin) did report that her face turned a little red about an hour later. If you have sensitive skin, perhaps test a little bit out first! And of course, don’t forget to take a few silly silica selfies!

Drinks and dining

If you are on a tight budget, consider eating and drinking before you enter the Blue Lagoon. Right after our flight landed, my friend and I grabbed a snack at a cafe, so we didn’t end up purchasing any food inside the lagoon.

Drinks (wine, beer, slushies) can be purchased at the swim up Lagoon Bar.

There is also the Blue Cafe in case you get hungry for some basic or light snacks.

If you are looking to splurge, then you’ll want to make reservations for the LAVA restaurant in advance.

Tips for taking pictures

If you, like me, are looking to get some great Blue Lagoon shots, be sure to bring a waterproof case for your phone! I purchased an inexpensive waterproof bag from Amazon that worked like a charm. I also got a few shots on my nice camera before storing it back up in the locker and switching to my iPhone.

Overall experience

I had a total blast visiting the Blue Lagoon-it really was the perfect way to both kick off my Iceland adventure and relax after an overnight international flight. The warm water was so calming, and it was great being so warm while swimming around in the gorgeous landscape of the lagoon!

I still can’t get over how pretty the green landscape looked against the blue water and black lava rock.

My friend Amanda and I had so much fun swimming around, meeting fellow travelers from around the world, taking selfies, and laughing at how silly we looked in our silica masks. I even video chatted with my family back home for a couple of minutes!

The whole time we were practically bursting with excitement-certain that our fun time at the Blue Lagoon was a great omen for the rest of our trip. It really was.

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Is visiting the Blue Lagoon on your Iceland bucket list or have you been before? Let me know in the comments!

Don’t forget to check out some of my other Iceland posts:

• The Ultimate Guide To Camping In Iceland
• Unforgettable Iceland: Snorkeling in the Silfra Fissure
• The Ultimate Iceland Packing List For Ladies