Travelling to Iceland without visiting the Blue Lagoon (or a similar Hot Springs Spa) would be like going to Paris and not seeing the Eiffel Tower or travelling to Rome without passing by the Colosseum! It’s an activity anyone will enjoy as it lets you experience a truly unique aspect of Iceland’s earthly power.
Your visit to the Blue Lagoon begina as soon as you land in Reykjavik. Our flight arrived so early in the morning that even the cafes were shut at the airport. It would be hours before we could check into our hotel, but happily, the Blue Lagoon offers a service for this very problem. You can board a bus directly from the airport that brings you and your luggage straight to the spa. When you arrive, they store your bags free of charge, and you can enjoy the rest of your day in the waters. It’s the perfect remedy for jetlag!
If you are not travelling from the airport on the Blue Lagoon bus, there are several other ways of arriving at the spa. If you are renting a can from the airport, the Blue Lagoon is about 20 minutes from Keflavik International Airport. And 45 minutes outside Reykjavik. To get to the Blue Lagoon via public transport, you’ll need to board a “Destination Blue Lagoon” bus. There are 12 different pickup locations in Reykjavik where you can board this bus. The journey on the bus takes about an hour and costs ISK 3,495 for a one way journey.
The journey out to the Lagoon is a wonderful part of the entire experience. We saw our first glimpses of this gorgeous and strange country on the way. The houses outside the city were so unique. Bright metal siding and colourful roofs decorated the barren landscape. We saw statues along the water’s edge as we drove along the coast. They were giant rocks carved into the shapes of people, their bodies leaning into the surf, the wind blowing in their hair.
But the thing that grabbed my attention the most was the earth itself. It was such a strange colour, almost as if the entirety of the soil here was made of nothing but moss. There were pretty much no trees anywhere you looked. Just ground and mountains. This makes the landscape stand out, as nothing obscures the view. It was almost like seeing the surface of Mars.
The history of the Blue Lagoon can be traced back to 1976, when a geothermal power plant was built in the area. The warm water produced by the power plant was directed into a nearby lagoon, which eventually became known as the Blue Lagoon. Over time, the lagoon became a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors from all over the world who come to experience its unique therapeutic properties.
As of 2023, pre-booking is required due to the popularity of this spa. Others in Iceland provide a similar experience, but this is the best of the best when it comes to geothermal spas. One of the most awe-inspiring time slots will be around sunset. Book your arrival an hour before sunset, so you’ll be there day and night. But witnessing the sunset from these stunning waters is an out-of-this-world experience. If you are delighted with a clear day during the season with northern lights, you might also be surprised to see these out here while swimming in the water.
There are two main types of tickets to the spa. The COMFORT package gets you entrance into Blue Lagoon, a Silica Mud Mask, the use of one towel and a drink of your choice costs at the bar. This package costs between 8,990 kr -12,990 kr, which is the best value. The price is dependant on what time you book, as some times are less popular and therefore less expensive.
Next is the PREMIUM package, which features Entrance to the Blue Lagoon, Silica mud mask, Two additional masks of your choice, Use of towel, 1st drink of your choice, Use of bathrobe and 1 glass of sparkling wine if dining at Lava restaurant. This package costs you 11,490 kr – 14,490 kr. Each package allows you to add other spa treatments for additional costs.
When we arrived, in the distance, we saw the hills part and a faint trail of smoke leading up to the sky where the hot springs were located. The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa. Unlike some naturally formed hot springs in Iceland, the Blue Lagoon is man-made and uses geothermal water from the nearby power plant. Don’t worry; it’s completely safe. Even more than that, the waters are thought to be some of the most healing on the planet.
The lava formations which create the pools are all natural and filled with geothermal water run-off. The water’s main healing ingredients are silica, algae & other minerals. The blue colour comes from the reflection of the silica in the sunlight.
When you check-in, you are given a small blue wristband letting you in and out of the pools and a bright blue towel to use all day. You could also buy a robe or slipper, but we didn’t feel the need to have them. If you visited in the colder months, I can see why the robe would be a plus.
The changing rooms are public – unless you opt for the super expensive couples package. So prepare to change into your bathing suits around others. But arriving as early in the morning as we did, there weren’t many people, so we felt it was private enough. After changing into your bathing suit, you need to take a cleansing shower before entering the thermal pools.
Immediately as you walk through the doors to the outdoor pools, you’ll be stunned and in awe by the sight. The vivid blue waters glowed in the sunlight, and puffs of steam rose off the water like clouds in the sky. The pools were framed against the rough and rugged black molten rocks. It seemed impossible that the earth created something so incredible. I was one of the only people outside since it was early in the day, and walking across the bridges and platforms to the massage area, I felt so lucky to be experiencing something not many would ever get to see – an empty blue lagoon.
It felt so hot when I dipped my toe in the water, but since it was Iceland and the air was freezing, I jumped in to escape the cold. I breathed a sigh of relief as the warm water surrounded me. I gently swam around my tiny waiting pool and watched as a man with a severe skin condition rubbed the silica mud all over himself. To my amazement, after he left it on for a few minutes, the redness in his skin had all but disappeared when he washed it off. It was like magic. After washing in the showers, he quickly left without even using the water. I found out later that he is a regular whose doctor gave him private entry to the spa to help heal his severe eczema since it was the only thing that brought him any relief. Magic.
One of the most unique aspects about booking a massage at the Blue Lagoon is that they provide in-water massages. Unifying the dynamic pleasures of massage therapy, the revitalizing powers of Blue Lagoon Water, and the otherworldly beauty of the Blue Lagoon’s volcanic landscape.
Relaxing Massage 30 minutes ISK 15 900 | Relaxing Massage 60 minutes ISK 24 900 | Signature Massage 120 minutes ISK 49 900
I decided to book a 30-minute message when I visited the Blue Lagoon to get the complete experience. When I arrived for my massage, I was told to lie on a floating blue mat in the water. A small pillow is placed under your head, and a large wet towel covers your body to keep you warm. Unlike any other massage I’d had before, here you feel weightless. My masseur could massage parts of my body I don’t think you can explore in a regular massage.
Floating there, weightless, she could move around me like a fish. After she was done, she pushed my mat to another part of the lagoon, where I lay for a few minutes, eye closed, letting that sense of perfect calmness flow over me. I almost fell asleep, but soon I opened my eyes, and to my surprise, when I sat up, I saw that the entire pool was now filled with hundreds of people. I pulled my jelly-like appendages off the mat, went to find my friend, and swam in these crystal blue waters.
The water here is SUPER salty. I also noticed that different areas of the pools had varying degrees of warmth since there were heated by the earth’s natural temperature. The geothermal water cannot hold onto bacteria, so the waters do not need any chlorinator; therefore, it’s devoid of any chemicals which might dry out your skin. The lagoon had a few little nooks where you could sit and relax. There was even a waterfall which was so powerful that when you stood underneath it, you thought it much crushed you. But oddly enough, it felt great on sore muscles.
We went and put silica mud on our faces to moisturize and exfoliate. As we swam around and loved squishing the silica between our toes. We giggled and laughed as kids again, playing in the mud and splashing around in the pool.
There were also steam rooms which were insanely hot but great for getting rid of impurities in the skin. The steam rooms looked like little hobbit holes in the hillsides. When you stepped inside, it was almost pitch black, with bursts of steam rising from the ground. Sitting inside on one of the benches, it felt like I was breathing in hot lava. It was a mysterious but enjoyable experience. I was too scared to stay there for an extended period, but we stayed long enough to decompress and let the hot air fill out lungs and purge our skin of city pollution.
While basking in these waters is super relaxing, it is important to take breaks. You will get very dehydrated, so be sure to grab a drink of water throughout your stay, so you don’t pass out. It is also essential to use the conditioner provided in the showers before you leave. Take this piece of advice seriously! The waters are extremely dehydrating for your hair, but their super moisturizing conditions are perfect for bringing back a soft texture. So don’t just shower and run. Some people even like to put some conditioner on their hair while they get dressed.
Iceland is an incredible city, unlike any other in the world. Mystical, magical and a must-see for anyone with a desire to seek out the strange and mysterious sides of this great place we call earth.
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Thank you for your informative review of the Blue Lagoon. My husband and I have booked a stop over in Reykjavik and it’s good to know about the early airport bus straight to the baths. Do they offer breakfast at the spa? Do you know if there are convenient buses going into the city from the Blue Lagoon? If so, do they make stops at different hotels or just at the bus center in town? Also do you recommend any hotels in Reykjavik?
You can take the Destination Blue Lagoon bus back into the city, the same one you took from the airport. https://destinationbluelagoon.is/transport
The bus will take you back into the city to the Reykjavik Terminal. From there we simply walked to our hotel since Reykjavik is very small. But it depends where you're staying. And yes the spa cafe does indeed offer and early morning breakfast option.