Swimming pools in Iceland, what can be more iconic?
We Icelanders are well accustomed to an abundance of water, hidden away deep in the earth. We tap into it and use it to make electricity, heat our houses, and fill up our ridiculous amount of public pools.
However, there are places where the water has found its way up to the surface on its own.
We call those places Náttúrulaugar, but we’ll just call them hot springs or hot pots. You can find them all over the country!
In this post I’ll go over;
- A few hot springs and where to find them
- When is the best time to visit each one
- A quick note on hygiene
So let’s jump into it!
Reykjadalur Hot Spring
Some of them can be quite easy to get to like the one in Reykjadalur. It’s about a 45-minute hike to get to this place and the terrain is not steep at all.
Soaking in one of these bad boys is incredibly relaxing and something that we Icelanders have been doing for millennia now.
Here is where you can find it!
The best time to visit: June – September
Hörgshlíð hot spring
Hörgshlíð hot pot is located in a fjord called Mjóifjörður. (Yeah that’s a mouthful) It’s a great pit stop for when you’re driving to or from Ísafjörður.
However!
It is located on private property, so make sure to ask permission from the landowner.
It’s located right here!
You can find more information here.
Best time to visit: May-Agust
Drangsnes Hot Tubs
Drangsnes Hot tubs. Located at the edge of the Westfjords it is definitely worth the stop.
It doesn’t cost any money, though they do ask for donations (Which I recommend you do!).
There are toilets where you can change into your bathing suit and you’re all set to enjoy the view!
Best time to visit: June-July and December
Hofsós Swimming pool
Hofsós Swimming pool is located in Skagafjörður.
It is a public pool but we had to include it!
A fantastic pit stop if you’re heading to Mývatn or Húsavík. Boasting a beautiful vista over the ocean and the rest of the fjord, it’s easy to get to and cheap!
Sitting at a comfortable 1.090kr! (8usd).
Best time to visit: June- July
Krossneslaug Swimming pool
Krossneslaug is located high up in the Westfjords and the drive is rather challenging so keep that in mind.
However, you’ll be rewarded with a relaxing atmosphere and a beautiful view of the ocean.
Best time to visit: June-July
But there’s one thing you need to know about swimming in Iceland and that’s…
Hygiene
Humans are dirty.
Well, we accumulate a lot of dirt on our bodies over the course of the day.
This is why it’s so important that you shower with soap before going diving into a local swimming pool or a hot spring.
Obviously, you can’t shower before going into a hot spring in the middle of nowhere.
But if you can try and make sure to be relatively clean when you jump in, that goes a long way to ensure that the hot spring stays clean and other people can enjoy it as well!
Here are the rules to follow.
- Shower naked. That means completely naked!
- Use soap.
- Jump in!
It’s a very simple process and it’s important that you follow the rules. Since we all enjoy the swimming pools and natural springs!
Here is a bit more detailed description if you’re interested.
Some more info
Still not satisfied?
Want to find even more natural springs?
Almost there Adventures wrote a great article about where to find almost all of them!
And they included a map!
Another website to check out is sundferdir.com, where you can find swimming pools and natural bath suggestions for the south coast, west coast, and west fjords!
Remember that these are natural pools, sometimes out in the wilderness, therefore it is very important that you leave nothing behind.
Also, take a shower after visiting some of the natural springs, they might not be the cleanest.
So go forth and enjoy some of the most unique and beautiful geothermal springs and pools in Iceland!
Final words
That’s it!
Now you’re aware of some hot springs and swimming pools to check out while you travel the country and the hygiene rules you should follow!
And if you need some clothes on your adventure, check out our selection!
