Into The Blue
- Adventure Mama
- Oct 20, 2019
- 6 min read
Updated: Apr 15, 2020
The Blue Lagoon - an otherworldly wonder at the heart of a volcanic landscape.
No trip to Iceland is complete without experiencing the iconic Blue Lagoon. It was certainly a must on my to-do-list when planning our artic adventure. But is this tourist trap really worth the expensive price tag and long travel time in order to experience the milky blue waters of a geothermal plant runoff?
The Blue Lagoon Experience
My Mum and I visited on a drizzly September afternoon. Thinking this might have been a step too far after our 2.5hr car journey with a bored and hungry toddler, we stepped out into the vast bleak expanse of Iceland's Reykjanes peninsula and industrial heartland only to be met with the luxury of the Blue lagoon. It was one of those amazing experiences that I don't think I will ever forget. I found it totally surreal and otherworldly to be floating in milky blue water surrounded by miles of grey lava fields. And people do just that - float. There's no swimming, splashing or diving. Just individuals floating, mildly supported by the rich mineral content of the water.
After checking-in and figuring out the electronic bracelet/locker system thingy, we duly floated over to the in-water mask bar for our complimentary silica mask. We were spooned out a handful of thick, silky, white silica to slather on our faces and told to wash off in 10mins. Silica is great for skin conditions such as psoriasis and the Blue Lagoon promote their silica and algae masks as "enhancing the skin's natural barrier, bringing strength, protection and radiance". With the promise of renewed skin, we floated off with all the other swimwear clad ghosts to relax in one of the warm spots and let the silica do its thing. I don't know whether I had more strength, protection or radiance, but my skin did feel a whole lot smoother.
Tip #1 Bracelet? What bracelet?
During your stay at the Blue Lagoon you receive an electronic bracelet that functions as the key to your locker and acts as a cashless payment method during your visit. Keep this secure because if you lose it you will be charged (and have no dry clothes to go home in)! I thought they would be more high-tech than a hard plastic wrist strap - but alas I was wrong! They do become loose so watch out - any hope of retrieving it from the bottom of the opaque lagoon is pretty slim - unless you're good at searching with your feet?!
I was surprised at how big the lagoon actually is. With lots of little nooks and crannies to explore, carved out shallow pools, a warm (yes, you heard me - a WARM) waterfall, multitude of steam and sauna rooms, quiet sitting areas, pool bar (with fabulous smoothies or any other drink of choice) and in-water mask bar, 2hrs passed by quite easily before we even considered how wrinkly we had become. If you're feeling flush, you can even purchase an in water massage, on a float, right in the lagoon itself!
Tip #2 Time to relax...
Give yourself plenty of time - you really don't want to be worrying about flight times or where you need to be next whilst enjoying this thermal wonder. I understand queues can get quite long during peak times, which you may need to take into consideration - although we didn't find this to be the case during our visit.
What Is The Blue Lagoon?
The Blue Lagoon is not a natural spring. While Iceland is a country brimming with natural geothermal pools, the Blue Lagoon is not one of them. The land is natural, the lava that shapes the pool is natural, but the water is actually the result of runoff from the geothermal power station next door. The plant uses Iceland’s volcanic landscape to produce geothermal energy and the runoff is filtered straight into the Blue Lagoon, heating the water. This is renewed every couple of days. That doesn’t mean it’s dangerous or toxic — far from it! It’s just not the natural phenomenon that many believe it to be.
The water in the Blue Lagoon is a beautiful milky, electric blue colour, like nothing I have seen before. Although the water itself is actually a milky white, the density of silica molecules found in the water radiates more blue in daylight, giving the lagoon its distinctive blue colour. Even on the grey drizzly day we visited, the blue really stood out against the grey lava surrounding it.
Being the kind of girl who loves to be warm, I was anxious about being outdoors in a swimsuit, in Iceland (not known for its tropical temperatures)! I needn't have worried. The water temperature ranges between 37 and 40°c, feeling much like a warm bath. Getting in was a bit chilly after the obligatory pre-entry shower, but as soon as you slip into the warm water all chills are eradicated. Even getting out to fetch my phone from the lockers didn't feel too bad (once my core body temperature had raised). There is something to be said about floating in a warm lagoon whilst being rained or snowed on!
Tip #3 Lets get nakie!!
Every pool in every town requires users to shower naked before entering (I guess to keep their water as pure as possible). The Blue Lagoon provides private cubicles for us modest British types, but to say they are small is an understatement! Neither do the doors lock or provide anywhere to hang a towel. There was quite literally space to stand and maybe turn around. Coupled with the fact that the shower is pretty powerful, there was a point where I felt I might have been being waterboarded. Perhaps there's something to be said for communal showers!
Tip #4 Use conditioner...and plenty of it!
The rich mineral content of the water can play havoc with luscious locks. It isn't harmful or damaging, but can cause your hair to become stiff and difficult to manage. Make the most of the complimentary conditioner and slather it on before entering the lagoon to avoid bad hair days for the rest of your trip.
Tip #5 Loose the lenses!
Likewise with glasses/contact lenses/jewellery/cameras/phones, exposure to the water could potentially damage anyone of these items so avoid taking them in. Unlike other spas, phones and cameras are permitted in the lagoon. Transparent phone cases are available to rent from the swim up bar, but this is pricey (of course its's Iceland!). I would advise taking a transparent lanyard style phone case with you - which can also double up as protection from waterfall spray! We didn't have any cases, so spent a good couple hours enjoying the lagoon before retrieving phones/cameras from our lockers and snapping away towards the end of our visit. To make sure we kept them dry and secure we adopted a weird 'hands held in the air' wade (probably not my best look), semi-resemblant of a crab... I'd go for lanyards!
Packages
Prices at the Blue Lagoon are dynamic, depending on: 1) the season and time of day you visit and 2) how far in advance you book. You choose between three types of entrance ticket and you can rent towels, flip flops, bathrobes and even swimsuits as add-ons;
Comfort - upward of 6 990 ISK (£45) ⇾ we chose this one
Premium - upward of 9 900 ISK (£65)
Luxury - upward of 79 000 ISK (£500) ⇾ we can only dream!
Tip #6 Save those pennies... £!
The comfort package included all we needed; 1x silica mud mask, 1x complimentary drink of choice and the use of a towel. Apart from the standard foam flip flops (which you do admittedly get to keep) and use of a bathrobe, I'm not sure the additional cost of the other packages would be worth the price.
Tip #7 Be prepared!
Being close to Keflavík international airport, many combine a trip to the Blue Lagoon either on arrival or before departure. Being such an iconic attraction the lagoon can get pretty crowded, especially during peak season. Book well in advance (I would suggest months - yes, I do mean months in plural) to avoid disappointment.
Children
The Blue Lagoon has a minimum age limit of 2yrs. This is because children younger are highly sensitive to the water’s elevated mineral content. Orla missed out by 6 months so Geoff and Orla headed into the lava field trails for an explore and some much needed daddy-daughter time. There are walks around these pools and through the lava if you wanted to explore the area further. Those not entering the lagoon are however allowed in the spa shop and cafe, so Geoff and Orla met up with us for hot chocolate and cake once we had finished our floating.
Tip #8 Spa Tots...
Children 2-13yrs receive free standard admission and must wear arm bands ('floaties'), provided free of charge. Pool depth can reach 1.7 meters in areas, so the Blue Lagoon also advise only 2 children per supervising adult.
Would I visit the Blue Lagoon again?
Absolutely! The Blue Lagoon is the sort of experience you want to share with loved ones. Yes it is expensive, yes it can be crowded, but if you’re planning a visit to Iceland, especially if it is your first time, the Blue Lagoon is one of those experiences you have to try. It might not be the natural phenomena expected, but it's one of those surreal experiences that will stay with you forever.
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