Iceland: Exploring the South
The tourist boom in Iceland has been amazing in terms of the economy, but just like any tourist boom theres a big downside as well. The housing market has increased and prices are now almost triple in the capital area compared to a few years ago. Finding a decent sized flat is almost impossible and everything is snatched up within days. I've been struggling for 9 months now in finding proper accommodation.
Last June, I was homeless. I had a new place lined up but it wasn't available till the end of June. What do you do in this kind of situation?
Easy. You travel.
Most people who visit Iceland travel around the famous Ring Road. You start in Reykjavik and take route one. You can go South first or North first, it really doesn't matter. You travel and stop at some of the most beautiful places along the way. You have Skógafoss down south, Dyrhólaey, and the black sand at Vik. Up North you have Akureyri and Myvatn. Then, you have the east which is really just a place of it's own. For the next few months or so, I will be writing down my experience and itinerary for the Ring Road in sections. I will start with the South of Iceland. The south is the most popular area but is a must see if you are coming to Iceland.
On June 4th, I along with 3 of my friends decided to travel around the ring road of Iceland to "save" money. This entry will include some hidden gems, disasters, places not worth seeing, and the total cost of our "cheap" trip. If you plan on doing the ring road in Iceland this summer then this blog is for you.
1. Vestmannaeyjar
I've been to Vestmannaeyjar (translates to the Westman Islands) at least 5 times in two years. It's beautiful, epic, and a must see location. We took route one south and headed down to the ferry dock called Landeyjahofn. There are two ferries that go to the Westman Islands, however one only works in the winter and during bad storms. The one at Landeyjahofn is a 2 hour drive from Reykjavik and is a 30 minute ferry ride. The one that operates in drastic conditions is only 1 hour away and is a 3 hour long ride. Thankfully, I've never had to take the 3 hour long ferry so I'm not sure what it's like. Most of the time, it's during a storm so the boat rocks and lots of people get sea sick. It doesn't really sound all that fun so it's best to avoid that ferry if you can.
The Westman Islands is home to the town Heimaey. It's a cute little town with about 4,000 inhabitants. The mountains are very dramatic and are more like giant cliffs. There are two volcanoes you can climb including Eldfell that erupted in 1973. Eldfell is my personal favorite and is still warm at the top. They say it's so warm that you can burry hotdogs in the ground and they will cook! It's "safe" though and worth the climb.
The island is small enough that you will see the entire place within a day. If you stay for a few days, you can hike most of the mountains there. They are very dramatic and steep, but they are not too tall so the hikes don't take very long. If you want to go for a nice meal I highly recommend going to Slippurinn. Slippurinn is part of the slow food movement. Their entire menu is used with local produce from the Westman Islands or from the South coast of Iceland. I went there and had the vegetarian meal of the day and it was one of the best meals I've ever had! It's family friendly, cozy, and you won't leave disappointed.
Westman Islands from Ferry
From the top of Eldfell - Photo by Jessica Tenekegian
Dinning at Slippurinn
View from outside of the local pool - Photo by Jessica Tenekegian
2. The Deep South
You're about to see some of the most popular waterfalls in all of Iceland such as Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss. You can also see Solheimjokull and Dyrhólaey. It's true, down south is BEAUTIFUL. It's touristic, crowded, but is still worth seeing.
. Once you leave Landeyjahofn you're going to pass the classic Seljalandsfoss. There will probably be tons of people. If you're traveling in the winter, it may not be as packed. If you really want a "desolate" feel, I recommend going in the summer before noon or after 8pm. This goes for almost any tourist attraction. Seljalandsfoss is great for photos and you can walk behind the waterfall. Make sure you wear something waterproof as you're bound to get wet.
. After Seljalandsfoss, you'll continue down route one and eventually see Skogafoss to your left. This waterfall is massive and just completely beautiful. You can climb to the top of the waterfall and take dozens of photos. The top of the waterfall is also the beginning of a hike to þórsmörk national park which I wouldn't do without proper gear ;)
. Of course, there is also the "secret" pool Seljavallalaug hidden in the mountains right off route 242. It's no longer a secret as such since most people know about it. Regardless, it's a fun little hike and worth doing in the summer. You might have to cross some streams but other then that it is completely safe. It's before Skogafoss and is easy to miss the road leading to it.
. After that you'll carry down route one. Now, Iceland isn't Iceland without a little glacier love. If you want to see a glacier, carry down route one till you come to route 221. I believe the road is even called Solheimajokulsvegur which translates to Sun-Home-Glacier-Street. Carry down the road till you find a parking lot. There will be a path which will take you down to the opening of Solheimajokull, a beautiful glacier in Iceland. It's a gorgeous view and you'll feel as if you can stand there for hours just gazing at the giant chunk of glacier in front of you.
. Once you leave the glacier and head back onto route one, you'll see a small turn off the road about 10 minuets down from Solheimajokulsvegur. If you go down that path make sure you have a 4X4 vehicle. Follow the path and it will take you to the famous plane wreck in Iceland! I won't explain much more or say how to get there as I have't been there myself and I get jealous every time I see someone there. It's the main place I want to go before leaving Iceland. I've lived here for two years and still haven't seen it.
. Next, you'll be getting closer to Dyrhólaey. Dyrhólaey translates to door hole, and is my favorite view in all of Iceland. There will be dozens of tourist when you enter. There's a lower bit where you can walk around and get a good view of Dyrhólaey. However, the best is at the top. They recommend only going with a decent car. Not as many people are at the top. There is a gorgeous lighthouse, a view looking at Dyrhólaey from the above, but the best view is to right of the lighthouse by the ledge. There, you can view the ocean, black sand, mountains, and if you go during sunset... it's even more beautiful. I love Dyrhólaey and always make it a priority to visit whenever I go down south. Bring a blanket, some food, sit down a while and enjoy Iceland's beauty.
. Last but not least, before leaving the South to enter the East, you MUST check out Vik and the black sand beach. They filmed part of Noah here and other films. It's fun to take photos of the unique sand and run into the water as the waves crash upon shore. If you walk far enough, you can find 'Noah's cave' which is where they filmed the ending scene in Noah.
Seljalandsfoss
The famous Skogafoss - Nordic Adventurer Photography
Sólheimajökull
Dyrhólaey lighthouse - Nordic Adventurer Photography
Favorite view Dyrhólaey - Nordic Adventurer Photography
