Swim In The Blue Lagoon
Ticked off in February 2013
Float in milky-blue geothermal water in a black lava field, with steam curling around you in the Icelandic cold.
The adventure
You walk out from the warm changing rooms into biting Icelandic air, and then sink into water at bath temperature. Steam drifts across the surface, black lava crusted with grey-green moss surrounds the lagoon, and the water is an unreal milky blue that hides your own hands just below the surface. If it is snowing, so much the better.
The colour comes from silica in seawater that has been heated deep underground and drawn up by the neighbouring Svartsengi geothermal power plant. Wade over to the mud bar for a white silica face mask, take a drink from the swim-up bar, and find a quiet corner where the hot water bubbles up through the stones. In recent years eruptions on the Reykjanes peninsula have sent lava flowing within sight of here, which only adds to the drama.
Why it’s epic
- The water stays at around 37 to 39°C all year round, even when it's snowing.
- Silica gives the water its milky blue colour and makes the famous white mud masks.
- The lagoon is fed by seawater heated deep underground and used by the Svartsengi geothermal power plant.
- Defensive walls were built around the area after eruptions on the Reykjanes peninsula began in late 2023.
What it is
The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa in a lava field, with milky-blue water at around 38°C.
How to do it
Book ahead online; it's about 20 minutes from Keflavík Airport, so many people go on the way to or from a flight.
Top tip
Check whether volcanic activity on the Reykjanes peninsula has affected opening before you go.
Need to know
- Entry is by timed ticket only, so book online in advance.
- Icelandic pools expect you to shower without swimwear before getting in.
- Silica leaves hair stiff, so use the conditioner provided or keep your hair out of the water.
- Check for eruption-related closures before you travel.
Plan this trip
- Rough cost
- £750 to £2,000 per person, including flights from the UK
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Best time to go
- All year
- Fly into
- KEF airport
Iceland is pricey but flights are short; the entry ticket rises steeply with spa and premium packages.
Do it yourself
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My experience
Ticked off, but the full story is still to be written up.
Over to you
Is “Swim In The Blue Lagoon” on your bucket list, or have you already done it? Tell me in the comments, and if you've got a question about it, ask away and I'll answer.