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torontoseoulcialite · 5 years

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Next Stop: Reykjavik

Can you believe I made it to Osaka, Shanghai, Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Taipei, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Kota Kinabalu, Bali, Orlando, and Korea (duh!) over the past 3 years? When I was in Korea, all I wanted was to escape the freezing temperatures and fly to warmer climates. Now that I’m in Canada, I’m eyeing Europe – particularly the Nordic countries! While I only just started my “new” job in August, I’ve already earned enough vacation days to take a little trip. Hello – dream job! If you’ve been following along on social media, you’ll know that I just got back from Reykjavik, Iceland. With Wow Air flights this cheap, I couldn’t not go!

Toronto – Reykjavik

First things first – my flight to Reykjavik’s Keflavik International Airport was an absolute steal. I’m not fussed over having luxuries like in-flight entertainment or 5-star dining. Let’s be real – I flew Air Asia practically everywhere. I flew Wow Air and paid $235.92 CAD for my round-trip flight from Toronto to Reykjavik. This price was inclusive of HST, Airport Improvement Fee, Air Travelers’ Security Charge, ZU passenger fee, and IS Airport service charge).

Once I arrived in Reykjavik, I booked an Airport Direct shuttle from the airport to the Blue Lagoon at 7:30 AM. My total transfers from the airport to Blue Lagoon and then along to my hostel came to a total of ISK 5,500 ($58.35 CAD). Not exactly a steal, but a great option when things in Reykjavik can be quite pricy.

I decided to ball out at the Blue Lagoon and treat myself to the Premium experience:

Entrance to the Blue Lagoon

Silica mud mask

Use of towel

1st drink of your choice

Second mask of choice

Slippers

Use of bathrobe

Table reservation at Lava Restaurant

Sparkling wine when dining

From ISK 9 900 ($105 CAD)

The Lamb fillet and shoulder of lamb: Rutabaga, carrots, rhubarb, thyme set me back ISK 4 900 ($51.97 CAD). It’s a once in a lifetime event and I wanted to enjoy every second, but honestly? Not worth it to get the premium – don’t bother with the crappy food at Lava. It’s plated beautifully but lacks any sort of flavour whatsoever. Save your ISK and just get the comfort package. The only extras you get are flip flops, a robe, and an algae mask.

The lagoon itself is gorgeous and relaxing. I didn’t indulge in the spa treatments, but the silica mask you get leaves your face and shoulders feeling baby soft. Heed warning about your hair, though. I thought that covering it in conditioner would be enough, but my hair was a wreck. Trying to pull a comb through it was incredible painful wet or dry, and it lasted for days. Heed the advice of other bloggers and put your hair up in a bun!

Arctic Adventures – Iceland’s South Coast

4 days in Iceland is plenty to scratch the surface. I can’t imagine how many gorgeous places there are to discover. If you’re like me and have limited vacation days, Reykjavik is a great adventure destination even if just for a few days away! Over the course of 10 hours on an Arctic Adventures minibus, we got through the tight schedule of:

Skógafoss Waterfall

Seljalandsfoss Waterfall

Sólheimajökull Glacier

Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach

Reynisdrangar Basalt Sea Stacks

Vík in Mýrdalur

Included

Pick-up & drop off from Reykjavík

Guided Visit to South Shore Highlights

English Speaking Tour Guide

Free WiFi on Board Your Bus

Seljalandsfoss

Well, ladies and gentlemen, I went chasing waterfalls in Iceland. I climbed icy rocks to step behind Seljalandsfoss and make my wish. I couldn’t find any evidence of Icelandic folklore to support the idea of making a wish behind the falls, but I had on my trusty HBC boots, my Columbia snowsuit, and propensity for mischief, so behind Seljalandsfoss I went. Can you guess what I wished for? Hint – it wasn’t surviving the climb up out and down the other side!

Skogafoss

Skogafoss waterfall (by the way – that’s redundant as “foss” means “waterfall”) was certainly safer than Seljalandsfoss! To get up to the top and get an aerial view of the falls, you can walk up some stairs. It takes about 5 minutes – the record is 3 minutes, apparently. Legend has it that there was once a treasure chest buried at Skogafoss and those trying to reach it would experience delusions. You can read all about it here. I’m sure glad that my wishes come from the heart, and not for the wallet!

Reynisfjara

The iconic black sand beaches and basalt sea stack formations featured in “Game of Thrones” are found at Reynisfjara. There are a few legends as to how the stacks were formed. One involves two trolls dragging a three-masted ship into land and failing. The other is of a free-spirited woman pulled away from her husband by the trolls, destined to spend eternity among the rocks and sea. As stunning as the landscape of Iceland is, I’m sure it would be even more breathtaking with a partner. I felt incredibly calm, but especially lonely at this beach as a solo traveler.

Vik

When I told people that I was visiting Iceland, they told me I absolutely had to go to Vik i Myrdal. I certainly wanted to see the iconic church (Reyniskirkja), but beyond that I wasn’t sure. We only stopped here for a quick view of Reynisfjara and the town of Vik, then we were on the bus and headed for a 3 PM “lunch”. The food in Iceland is already incredibly expensive, so imagine being in a town where a truck stop is your only option for food on the tour. I think I paid $25 for the crappiest, tiniest curry ever. Stick to the hot dogs and burgers, when available. They won’t be cheap either, but at least they’re dependable! I was surprised that in a country like Iceland their fish would be frozen, square, deep fried pucks. Bring food with you on the tour, for sure!

Aurora Borealis: The Northern Lights

If you really want great images you must really know how to use your camera and have a much better tripod than I did. Also – avoid these huge tour groups. They’re big ole money grabs. We were taken an hour in one direction to a chalet where we were expected to buy drinks and souvenirs. The lines were insanely long and it was just pretty uncomfortable. Then, we were brought back in the direction of Reykjavik and further down to the South Coast to a small area near a very brightly lit church. It was very hilly and quite windy – not ideal for a tripod and camera. With drunken idiots stumbling in front of your tripod trying to see the lights through your lens and littering water bottles full of vodka, we were incredibly lucky to actually see the lights dance! This is what it actually looks like chasing the Northern Lights with a tour group.

Photos from my Samsung S9 – I was pretty impressed with the image quality they were able to produce:

Food and Drink in Iceland

Since food and drinks are so expensive in Iceland, your absolute best is to stock up on vodka or even champagne when you get off the plane. Drinks at bars in Reykjavik will cost about $7 – $10 during “Happy Hour” (very common in Reykjavik due to the obscene prices) and $10 – $20 otherwise. Most people who have visited ask me if I survived on hot dogs. I must admit, I ate a couple as moderately cheap sustenance! I took myself out on my first night and a bowl of olives and a pint cost me $20. i suggest you pre-drink at your hotel or even get an AirBnB so you can cook. “Bonus” is the cheapest grocery store around, I’ve been told. Liquor stores are closed on Sundays, so prepare in advance. People in Iceland leave to go out quite late at night, too.

Last Day in Reykjavik

On my last day in Reykjavik I rounded out some of my other bucket list goals. I visited Perlan – Wonders of Iceland. I walked around the city getting great views of Hallgrimskirkja, the iconic Catholic church in Iceland’s capital city. On the way back to my hostel in Hlemmur Square, I saw an incredible mid-afternoon sunset behind the Sun Voyager.

Perlan – Wonders of Iceland is a museum which will really need a post all to itself. The incredible architecture makes way for a 360 observation deck, and since it’s up on a hill you get a phenomenal view of the city, the glacier, and the water. Ut i Blainn, the restaurant inside Perlan’s dome, was another example of overpriced food (better than Lava, however) and piss poor service, but the ambiance was nice and it was a good way to relax before making my way through the impressive exhibits and the brand new planetarium.

Reykjavik for Romance

Iceland is a wonderful place especially for couples and especially around Christmas. It’s an inexpensive flight from Toronto, you can get pretty good deals on AirBnB’s, and there are plenty of ways to relax together or get an adrenaline rush. I would absolutely suggest heading over even if you, like me, only have a few days to get away! Absolutely DO go chasing waterfalls. Let me know if you head to Seljalandsfoss and we can compare notes on waterfall wishes, too – I hope they come true ❤

Have you been to Iceland? Where was your favourite place to visit? Let me know in the comments!

The Perfect Stopover in Reykjavik, Iceland! Next Stop: Reykjavik Can you believe I made it to Osaka, Shanghai, Bangkok, …

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hellotravelur-blog · 5 years

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10 THINGS THAT MAKE ICELAND STAND OUT AS A TRAVEL DESTINATION

Iceland, the Land of Northern Lights, majestic waterfalls, volcanoes, mountains and such vast vistas. It is such a tiny island full of diverse and beautiful terrain which changes every now and then – from snowy mountains to stunning glaciers to verdant fields, Iceland has it all!

This place has seen an explosion in tourism in recent years and has also become a lot more expensive. But what makes this island stand out so much as a bucket list travel destination? Let’s find out! Here are 10 things that would make you want to visit this Land of Fire and Ice and experience the incredible magic of this place.

1. VISIT JOKULSARLON GLACIER

Located in the southeast of Iceland, this glacier is only a couple of decades old and one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country. It is a still lake decorated with glittering icebergs that have broken off from the tip of Breiðamerkurjökull Glacier that float in the lagoon throughout the year.

You can get up close to these multi-coloured icebergs between May and September in a Zodiac Tour Boat or observe them from the shore. In the winter, with the dramatic Northern Lights dancing above, this glacier is a treat to the eyes!

2. WITNESS THE NORTHERN LIGHTS

The Aurora Borealis, or as it is commonly called the Northern Lights can be witnessed only at Earth’s highest elevations from September to April months. These dancing lights of purple, green and golden is an incredible phenomenon which requires a lot of patience, luck and darkness. The country towns to the north of Iceland are the best place to see the lights.

3. SEE THE GOLDEN CIRCLE

The Golden Circle is a popular tourist route that includes Gullfoss waterfall, Geysir and Thingvellir National Park. They make an easy one-day trip for people and is thus a popular tourist spot.

Gullfoss: Fed by Langjökull, Iceland’s second biggest glacier, this waterfall is one the of most photographed ones with rainbows falling into 33m plunge that Gullfoss takes during summers. However, these falls are known to freeze over during winter season.

Geysir/Strokkur: Home to several bubbling pools and the ancient Geyser, Geysir seldom erupts anymore. But Strokkur which is nearby spouting about 15-20 meters of water every 10 minutes. There are also other numerous hot springs in the area.

Thingvellir National Park: This place is full of hiking trails and camping grounds but it’s the only place in the world where you can see and walk through two tectonic plates drifting apart above sea level. Although an easy walk, it takes about 2 hours to walk the entire park. Plus, you can also go scuba diving between the plates. Amazing, isn’t it? Its also been declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its countless natural features.

4. EXPLORE THE WESTFJORDS

The Westfjords is a large peninsula in northwestern islands with mountains all around. It is still an unexplored part of Iceland, visited by very few tourists. It's an area of mountains, waterfalls, fishing villages, tiny towns and lakes. In summers, whales and puffins call it their home. But in winters, the roads are closed by ice and snow for several months. The Westfjords are also known for its rich history steeped in folklore, mysticism and magic.

5. SOAK IN THE BLUE LAGOON

The huge milky-blue spa is fed by mineral-rich heater water from the nearby geothermal plant. Although an expensive one, this geothermal pool is one of the top attractions of Iceland. This island also has several other hot pools in Reykjavik, in the North, there is Myvatn Nature Baths and several other free hot springs all around the island.

6. DO A GLACIAL TREK

Iceland is defined for its frozen landscapes- floating icebergs, sweeping glacier tongues, dazzling blue glacier ice caves especially during the winters. The island’s greatest frozen attraction, the glaciers are accessible to explore throughout the year and there’s no better way to see them than to walk on them. Vatnajökull is one of the most popular glaciers to hike, although there are many others around the country as well. Time to put on your hiking shoes and release your inner Arctic Explorer!

7. VISIT REYKJAVIK

This capital is awash with cafes, clubs, pubs and a brightly coloured old town full of wooden row houses. Although pretty small, this town is worth a few extra days in order to soak in the rich culture of the city. Almost everything in the city is at a walking distance.

8. BLACK BEACHES IN ICELAND

The beaches of Iceland continue to attract tourists from all across the globe. What they lack in sub-tropical features, they make up for it with sheer extremity.

Close to the southernmost village of Vik, lies the world-renowned black pebble beach of Renisfjara. Its black basalt cliffs, enormous caves, gigantic rock formations and strong winds make it a perfect black beach. Another similar black beach to visit is Djúpalónssandur on the Snæfellsnes peninsula, where visitors can also admire the wreckage of a stranded ship.

9. VISIT THE ICELANDIC VOLCANOES

Iceland exists because of volcanic eruptions and there are still countless active volcanoes around the island. There are several volcanic tours which happen on the island, the most famous one being, the Þríhnúkagígur volcano tour. It is an excursion into the heart of a dormant volcano which shows fiery shades of red, telling us tales of total destruction.

10. GO ON A WHALE WATCHING TOUR

Icelandic oceans provide the ideal living conditions for over 20 species of whales and have thus become a renowned place for spotting these magnificent sea giants. Whale watching tours depart from three primary locations – Reykjavik, Akureyri and Husavik, which is considered as Iceland’s whale watching capital. In Husavik, there are chances you may spot the giant Humpback whale as well.

#iceland #iceland places #travel

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