Skip the dip? After a nearly 5-hour flight from Barcelona to Reykjavik, I would normally just head straight to my hotel. But picture this. An immense pool of milky-blue waters in the warmth of natural heat straight from the earth. Framed in a perfect contrast of black lava fields. Aaah. That’s the Blue Lagoon. Just a perfect way to relax immediately after the long flight. And yes, I’d go straight to the "bathe"!
I visited Iceland in May. It’s early summer so temperatures start to get warmer around 7°C to 12°C. Uhm, still cold for me though. I accept some people can handle cold weather better than others. I’m out of that demographic.
You can book a trip from one of the biggest bus fleets in Iceland called Reykjavík Excursions which takes you from the Keflavik Airport (KEF) straight to the Blue Lagoon. At about 23 km from the airport, it takes around 20 minutes to get to the lagoon. The bus trip includes:
- Bus fare to the Blue Lagoon.
- Bus fare to Reykjavik or back to Keflavík International Airport (KEF).
- Blue Lagoon entrance is NOT included.
Entrance to the Blue Lagoon requires pre-booking and price starts from 54 EUR. Despite the price, this famous hot pool complex draws thousands of visitors from across the world. That's around 4000 guests a day recorded this year. It’s a very (very) popular place so book well in advance to ensure the absolute comfort. Go to the official Blue Lagoon website at www.bluelagoon.com to book a slot.
Best time to go there is in the morning, as early as 7:00 or 8:00 is ideal. Fewer people, less crowded pool.
Upon arrival at the lagoon, there's a small queue at the reception. We were handed over with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) wristband for entrance and locker use. The RFID wristband can also be used to purchase drinks at the built-in bar at the lagoon.
Remember to put conditioner on your hair before you enter and avoid getting your hair wet while bathing. While the silica and sulphur in the waters of the Blue Lagoon are amazing for your skin, it can make your hair stiff and difficult to manage due to mineral buildup. But it's not harmful — so don't panic!
As soon as I finished a quick shower, I braved the cold outside air and hastily ran towards the open view of smoking blue pool (half naked). I’m just wimpy in cold weathers. It is Iceland, after all.
My tired body quickly surrendered and buried itself into the warm blue waters. Milky blue waters. And underneath my feet is powdery soft deposits of silica. Bliss.
It's breathtakingly beautiful — with relaxing warm water around 37-39 degrees! I got my natural spa treatment with the lagoon's healing mineral waters. Of course, I tried the legendary Blue Lagoon's face mask — with its signature ingredient silica mud. It’s super white and yes, it’s free! Leave it on for 5 minutes. Then, rinse it off and feel a significant difference in the softness of your skin. You'd definitely leave this place feeling as soft as a baby.
I did try the sauna and steam bath. The heat in the sauna can be a bit extreme — talk about natural heating straight from the earth's core! I personally enjoyed the steam bath more in one of the earthen chambers. That's an authentic geothermal spa and it's all part of the free service and amenities included with admission. Total relax.
The entrance to the lagoon can be quite expensive. But to experience it, it’s priceless.
I remember myself calmly floating in isolation. It's like you're in a natural hot tub! So relaxing. It is claimed that the Blue Lagoon’s uniquely potent mineral deposits have energizing effects. I could immediately feel the relaxing effect just after minutes of soaking in this mineral-rich geothermal seawater. It’s an out of this world experience.
So is it worth it? Geothermal soak behind huge lava formations, mud bath in blue waters, total spa relax with a mud-covered face — go figure!
