The Blue Lagoon in Iceland is one of the most unique, and most visited, sites in the world. Some say it’s over-rated, others say it’s magical…The only real way to know is to see it for yourself. We visited over the summer, and I would rate it as something worth seeing at least once in your lifetime.
To make your visit as enjoyable as possible, I’ve put together a list of 5 helpful tips for your visit –
1. Buy Your Tickets in Advance
This goes for almost anything you visit these days – but definitely buy in advance to speed up your entry time. The pre-paid lines can still get quite long, but they move faster than the lines packed with people waiting to purchase tickets.
2. Upgrading to Premium is Only Worth it if You’re Dining at Lava Restaurant
The Blue Lagoon offers 3 packages:
Comfort (their basic package) includes –
- Entrance to the Blue Lagoon
- Silica mud mask
- Use of towel
- 1st drink of your choice
Premium includes everything in the Comfort package, plus –
- Second mask of choice
- Slippers
- Use of bathrobe
- Table reservation at Lava Restaurant
- Sparkling wine if dining
Luxury: Retreat Spa includes –
- Four hours at the Retreat Spa
- A private changing suite
- Unlimited access to both the Retreat Lagoon and the Blue Lagoon
While the $600 Luxury package is an extravagant option, most visitors choose either Comfort or Premium. We were upgraded to Premium and I was excited to enjoy the extra comfort of the robe and slippers, but when we arrived I realized it was over rated. You really don’t need the slippers, and unfortunately their system for organizing towels and robes is not ideal. My robe was actually stolen from the towel/robe rack located next to the lagoon entrance – so instead of having a nice warm robe to wrap up in when I headed back to the changing room, I had to go with nothing but my swimsuit.
When the upgrade may be worth it :
If you plan to eat at Lava Restaurant (located on the property) then upgrading to Premium may be worth it during their busier season when reservations are harder to get. The free sparkling wine with your meal is also a nice perk.
3. Prep Your Body For Hours of Sun and Silica
This is something a lot of people don’t think of or perhaps don’t know, but silica can be pretty drying, as it draws moisture out of the skin. (In fact, those little white packets that come in gifts and food packaging aren’t just for show – they’re used to draw out moisture.) Combine the drying effects of silica with hours spent in the sun (depending on what time of year you visit) and this sets you up for possible dehydration, headaches, and drowsiness when you leave the lagoon.
To combat this, prepping beforehand can be really helpful – Drink lots of water before arriving and while you’re there. They have drinking fountains in the lagoon so you can stay hydrated without even leaving the water.
When you enter you’re required to wash off completely to remove all lotion and sunscreens – So be conscious of how long you’re in the sun and try to rotate your time in some of the shadier areas of the lagoon. Don’t forget a good pair of sunglasses, too!
4. Wear Easy to Remove Clothing and Shoes
Before entering the lagoon, everyone is required to shower and change into their swimsuit. The locker rooms get pretty crowded and if you have tight jeans, sneakers, etc. it makes the process of changing more challenging. After you get out of the water your skin also takes on a different texture due to the silica, making it hard to get tight-fitting clothes back on.
5. Avoid Drenching Your Hair in Silica
Silica is great for detoxing, but it can be drying to skin and hair. To avoid drying out your hair, the lagoon recommends applying their conditioner (located in the showers) before you enter the water. If you have long hair but don’t want to use the conditioner, be sure to bring a hair tie and avoid going under the water.
6. Bring a Waterproof Phone Case
I know the title says 5 tips – but I wanted to include this because we actually forgot ours. 🙂 Needless to say, we were treading carefully in the lagoon while shooting pics with our unprotected iPhones. If you do forget a waterproof phone case and feel too nervous to take your phone in unprotected, the lagoon also sells covers (for an inflated price, of course).
Hope you find these tips helpful..Happy Travels!
