Guide to Natural Hot Springs in Iceland

Part 7 of the Iceland travel blog series: Guide to Natural Hot Springs in Iceland, covers those unseen hidden hot springs that you must definitely experience.

Part 1: 18 Breathtaking Photos of Raw Iceland is our compilation of Iceland’s incredible landscape through our eyes and lens.

Blog Part 2: Land of Fire & Ice! First Impressions on Iceland is all about how charged and motivated it felt to do our small bit and protect planet earth. Everything in Iceland left us awestruck and this article covers some of them in detail.

Part 3: 5 Tips on Planning a Trip to Iceland is a guide to begin your travel journey to Iceland. Learn more about the right season to travel, visa, tours, type of cars to rent, etc.

Part 4: Itinerary for Winter / Spring Road Trip in Iceland is a detailed guide that will help you plan that epic self-drive road trip. Of course, you can customize this itinerary for any season and modify it based on your convenience.

Blog Part 5: Accommodation Guide for Self Drive Road Trip in Iceland will help you choose the right accommodation for you. Read this in combination with part 4 i.e. Itinerary for Winter / Spring Road Trip in Iceland

Part 6: Currency Exchange and Tips to Save Money in Iceland is a guide that will help you spend your money wisely in Iceland.

Guide to Natural Hot Springs in Iceland

Iceland is packed with so many natural wonders, that it’s almost impossible to choose your favorite! Massive waterfalls, glaciers, glacier lagoons, ice caves, northern lights, breathtaking landscape, black sand beaches, volcanoes, natural hot springs, etc. We have written in detail about all the spots that you should visit, but we had to dedicate one entire article to Natural Hot Springs. This Guide to Natural Hot Springs in Iceland covers everything you would want to know before planning your trip. Keep an eye out for that massive tip on finding these hot springs!

In this guide, we plan to cover some famous and some secret spots that you would want to visit or at least have options to choose from!

Blue Lagoon

The most famous hot spring in Iceland and everyone knows about this one. It’s basically a luxury spa in a heated pool with that iconic turquoise blue water which is extremely beautiful. Honestly, this is what luxury is made of! Even though the entry fee is quite steep, we decided to still go ahead and experience it and trust us, we were not disappointed. Who wouldn’t enjoy a nice drink in a heated pool and a face mask for free that will keep your skin soft for days.! We just didn’t feel like getting out of the pool as it felt so nice.

The packages start from 6990 ISK i.e. approximately 60 euros per person, however, you will pay at least 9990 ISK i.e. 80 euros per person as the cheapest package is for a closing hour.

Quick tip: Take the comfort package and bring your bathrobe along! It’s really helpful when you have to run out in the cold to get into the pool.

Secret Lagoon

Secret Lagoon natural hot spring is part of the golden circle. It is much cheaper than the blue lagoon and costs 1/5th of the blue lagoon. It’s not as fancy as the blue lagoon but more on the subtle end. The water stays warm throughout the year and the temperature is around 38-40 degrees.

You can also walk on marked paths around the facilities to see the area’s geothermal sites.

Mývatn Nature Baths

If you are driving through the complete ring road in Iceland, Mývatn Nature Baths should be on your list. It’s similar to the Blue Lagoon but the scenery around is much more stunning. We have even heard people saying that they loved Mývatn Nature Baths so much more than the Blue Lagoon. This man-made pool has warm water, maintained around 36-40 degrees. There are a lot of minerals in the water which makes it ideal for bathing.

The entry fee is half the price of Blue Lagoon i.e. 4200 ISK which is about 30 euros, however, you have to rent towels and bathrobes at extra cost.

Quick Tip: Mývatn Nature Baths is open throughout the year and in summer until 12 am. A really great idea for a late-night soak.

Hrunalaug Hot Spring

Given a choice and if I ever go back to Iceland again, I would go out of my way to go to Hrunalaug Hot Spring. Our experience was really good and it will be tough to describe it in words. It was raining outside and around 0 degrees. The hot spring water was around 35-40 degrees. It felt way cozier as compared to the bigger man-made Hot Spring as everything was natural here. Oh, one of the best ways to find these hidden natural hidden Hot Springs is through this website. The entire island of Iceland is mapped with all the hotpots, swimming pools, and gas stations. Such a handy website if you are driving and want to stop for a quick hot natural spa!

I overheard some regulars talking about how the entire area had been refurbished since the last time they had visited. There is a small hut where you can change your clothes and store your bags. The scenery around is just out of the world. If you are lucky, you will meet some amazing people and can chat for hours all while soaking in the minerals from the hot spring water.

Had the weather been better while we were there, we would have definitely hiked around. Please go for a hike if you get a chance as the area looks amazing.

Quick tip: Wear your swimsuit inside your clothes if you plan to visit this place. It will make getting inside the water quicker and easier as the hut is really small and there is a stream flowing right in between.

Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool

Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool is one of the oldest swimming pools and was built in 1923. The water for the swimming pool comes directly from the hot spring from Eyjafjallajökull. I think, Instagram made this swimming pool really famous because the location is out of this world! You need to hike 20 through small streams and raw nature to reach here and the entire time we had the feeling of reaching heaven. Stunning snow-clad mountains, a stream with crystal clear water, and a hike through uneven paths made of pebbles are what you will experience.

Reality:

However, the grass is not always green on the other side. Since the swimming pool is entirely maintained by volunteers and they depend on donations, the condition of the pool isn’t great at all. The changing rooms are filthy with dirty water, plastics, and discarded clothes all around. After having second thoughts, I decided to go in but it wasn’t a great idea after all. The pool has probably not been cleaned in years as it was completely filled with thick green moss grown over time. The water wasn’t warm as well. It felt so disgusting that I wanted to come out immediately and take a shower in our hotel room. Raga made the best decision by choosing to stay outside and also did an amazing job of clicking some snaps in less than 2 minutes.

Having said that, I would still go back on a hike to that area, because it was so amazing that it over-compensated for the pathetic pool.

Quick Tip: If you want to take Instagram photos here, we would suggest wearing your swimsuit inside your clothes, change quickly outside the changing rooms, don’t step inside but take some shots by standing at the edge of the pool, and then get dressed again without getting wet at all. 

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