Hi everyone, so this is the continuation from the previous post consisting of our 1 week Iceland itinerary, accommodations and recommended food places. We drove from Reykjavik to the Ring Road, to the south at Vik, and lastly headed east towards Jokulsarlon where the glaciers are!
Check out our video that sums up our itinerary! :)
ITINERARY
DAY ONE (REYKJAVIK):
We touched down at about 4pm and went to collect our car from Blue Car Rental. They have an office which is just a 5 to 10 minutes walk from the airport. Do ask the staff for directions on how to key in the address into the GPS as Icelandic addresses can get quite complicated especially for foreigners.
Igdlo Guesthouse
Cost: 50 euros/night (about SGD75) for 2 people.
Review: About 45 minutes drive from the airport, we checked in here. The location is very near the city centre and you can walk to the main streets and attractions of Reykjavik from the guesthouse. It is a budget accommodation with shared toilets. Beds are comfortable. Breakfast and drinks are complimentary. There is also a kitchen for you to cook your own meals which is very cosy and home-like. We cooked our maggimee there and it tasted like heaven (anything other than bread is good).
Laugavegur (main shopping street)
In the evening, we walked for about 20 minutes from our guest house to Laugavegur which is the main shopping street in Reykjavik. And honestly, everything is just so expensive that you won't buy anything (sorry I compare it to my fav Bangkok shopping haha). We both felt that this shopping street could be skipped if you don't have much time in Reykjavik because the shops were just very touristy and not very attractive. The restaurants there were all very expensive too.
Tip: Reykjavik Airport and Keflavik International Airport are actually two different airports. When we planned for our trip, we used Reykjavik Airport to map out our distances. However, the correct airport should be Keflavik International Airport which is the more common one for international flights. So do take note of the exact airport you are flying to. :)
DAY TWO (REYKJAVIK):
Blue Lagoon:
One of Iceland's highlights and our highly anticipated place to visit! The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa with beautiful snow capped mountains surrounding it. It is about a 45 minutes drive from the city. When we reached there at about 12pm, there was a massive crowd from tour groups, students and just many many people. We went to the counter and they said that IT WAS FULL FOR THE DAY and no more tickets will be sold over the counter. We died a little inside and tried to persuade the counter staff that it was our last day in Reykjavik etc etc but they refused our entry as they are really strict on their ticket sales. The counter staff said that the only way would be to book the tickets online so we tried, praying that there will be slots left. And fortunately for us, there were a few tickets left for the 6pm slot for that day YAY!! So yes, PRE-BOOK YOUR TICKETS ONLINE!! This is so important really, we almost couldn't get in. And we checked the bookings online for the whole week, it was all fully booked with a few slots left at 6pm and 7pm which were the last slots.
Cost: 40 euros (about SGD 60)
Review: AMAZING! The experience was really great. You get free silica mud mask which you can collect from the left corner of the lagoon after entering. We had a very refreshing time there, soaking our bodies in warm water with our heads exposed at -2 degrees. It was really an experience haha. The scenery there with snow capped mountains was beautiful too!
Tip: Blue Lagoon is actually a short drive from Keflavik International Airport, so you can consider visiting the blue lagoon right after your arrival or before your departure.
Had to bun my hair up because the spring water makes your hair damn gross and tangled. The following photos I look like an Aunty sigh.
The silica mud mask!
KFC
We had KFC for lunch, both of us ordered a Zinger Burger Meal. And all I can say is, I MISS SINGAPORE!! They used breast meat for the Zinger Burger unlike Singapore's one with the tender meat. And it cost 10 euros per meal which is about $15! Didn't have my fav Ice Milo too sigh haha.
Hallgrimskirkja Church
This was very near the city centre, about 15 minutes walk from our guesthouse but we drove as it was convenient. It was a very pretty photo spot! We entered the church and it was really majestic with organ music live from an organ player.
Baejarins Beztu - Best hot dogs in Iceland!!
Address: Tryggvatagata 1, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
Cost: 400 kronas for 1 hot dog bun. (about 3 euros)
Review: This was amazing. A must-try in Iceland! Before we tried this, Joshua and I were still saying "How good can a hot dog bun get. Just hot dog what." But really, this was damn good. I think their special ingredient would be that they added fried onions so there was this tasty crunch to the whole hot dog bun. And meat is really a luxury in Iceland, because all the other meats are just so expensive. This hot dog stand is just a short 5 minutes drive from the Hallgrimskirkja Church.
It looks simple, but it's really not simple.
Sun Voyager
Another nice photo spot!
Icelandic Fish and Chips
Address: Tryggvagata 11, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland (on the same street as the famous hot dog stand!)
Cost: 1990kr/set (about 14 euros).
Review: The cod fish was really fresh and good! Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside! The price was very reasonable too given Iceland price standards haha.
DAY THREE (GOLDEN CIRCLE DRIVE):
The Golden Circle drive was very pretty, and we saw many wild horses by the roadside and stopped for photos. Icelandic horses are just so pretty!!
Litli Geysir Hotel
Cost: 72 euros/night (about SGD 108) for 2 people
Review: Beautiful hotel with perfect location! It was right beside the Geysir so from our hotel room, we could actually see the Geysir erupting every few minutes from afar. Highly recommended!
Thingvellir National Park (1 hour drive from city)
This was the first stop of the golden circle drive. It is about 1 hour drive from the city Reykjavik. The view was really nice.
Geyser (1.5 hours drive from Thingvellir National Park)
From Thingvellir National Park, the next stop would be the Geyser. This was quite a cool place whereby the Geyser will erupt every few minutes and people are just standing around to capture the picture perfect moment. But for us, we missed it 3 times in a row like wth hahaha. So we gave up because it was just too cold!
Shit our Geyser photo is damn bad lol. Just looks like a fart now.
Gullfoss (10 minutes drive from Geyser)
Both Joshua and I agreed that this was our favorite attraction the whole trip! It is an absolutely must to hike down (about 10-15 mins) to get the full magnificent view of the amazing falls. IT WAS JUST SO MAJESTIC AND AMAZING. Although there was a sign to indicate road closure down the hiking path, we saw people made their way down still. And being the adventurous Joshua, he decided to hike down as well. And although it was quite scary walking so high up on thick slippery snow, it was definitely worth it!! :) If you just stay at the place above without hiking down, the view is really quite meh. Just walk really slowly and know that one fall can cost your life, so ya I was damn stressed throughout the whole walk down haha.
DAY FOUR (DRIVING SOUTH):
We met a lot of wild horses once again on our road trip today. I think the horses like Joshua, they posed for the camera with him. Sigh not me.
Stora Mork
Cost: 65 euros/night (about SGD 98) for 2 people
Review: The location was just 10 minutes drive to Seljalandsfoss and 40 minutes drive to Skogafoss. However, it was located quite up in the mountain about 10 minutes drive off the main road. The lady host was very kind and gave us a discount upon cash payment.
Skálholt (45 minutes drive from Geysir)
If you do not have enough time, we feel that this attraction can be skipped...
Kerid Crater (40 minutes drive from Skalholt)
Kerid Crater is more of a summer attraction than winter attraction. When we arrived there in winter, the lake in the crater was frozen so it was basically just white snow. And the walk up to see the top of the crater was crazy. The wind was blowing at 120398192km/h, and the safety barriers were almost negligible. At one point, I just squatted down because I was afraid that the wind will blow me over into the crater lol. Our scarfs and ear muffs were also almost being blown away! So as per all Iceland attractions, one slip may cost your life. Be careful while walking!!
Holding onto his scarf and trying to look happy still.
Holding to on to I don't even know what anymore.
Seljalandsfoss (1.5 hours drive from Kerid Crater)
Beautiful waterfall!! This is a must-see if you're taking a road trip in Iceland :)
Skogafoss
Iceland is really a country filled with so many pretty waterfalls! A little further down from Seljalandsfoss.
The walk into the waterfall was so icy and slippery that Joshua had to use this stone to get his balance for the photo serious lol. He fell after this photo HAHAHA.
We hiked up and I almost died. Crazy ass long flight of stairs, about 30 minutes up I think. And the snow was so thick that the stairs disappeared and we had to slide down some parts to stay alive.
At the top!!
On route to Skogafoss, we came across this lake along the road which was frozen and looked really cool! So behind this cool photo, we almost had a panic attack when Joshua stepped on the ice surface and there was a loud crack sound LOL. I thought he was gonna drop in but thankfully it was just a small crack hahaha.
Solheimasandur Plane Wreck
This was an adventure. We have noted down the directions below to find the plane wreck, and it is actually very near Skogafoss, about 9km down from Skogafoss only. It may be slightly off the road and inconvenient to find this place, but it is super worth it!! The plane wreck site was just amazing.
Drive past Sign 221 Solheimajokull
Turn in at the first gate on the right after driving past sign 221 above
There should be quite a few cars at the entrance for you to spot it.
It says that the plane wreck is 4km and there were some people who walked in as the road conditions may be difficult to drive. But we really recommend NOT to walk in because just driving in alone took us about 30 minutes. So I think the walk may take more than an hour?! It was really far in.
You won't be able to see the plane wreck from the entrance gate. It is about a 30 minutes crazy drive in the snow from the gate. Follow car tracks if unsure, there should be quite a few cars trying to drive in to find the plane wreck. During winter, your car will easily sink into the super deep snow and may get stuck. It is also very difficult to control your car while driving in snow, so really, this drive in is not for the faint-hearted during thick snow in winter!
Driving in endless snow to what seemed like nowhere.
But it was all worth it :)
Tip: stay further up in Vik instead of travelling backwards on this day.
It is very possible to head up to Vik and stay there for the night. We didn't know that we would reach that far ahead so quickly, so we already pre-booked our accommodation at Stora Mork which was nearer to Seljalandsfoss. Hence, we wasted about 3 hours driving to and fro instead of heading up to our next destination at Vik.
DAY FIVE (VIK):
It's Valentines! <3
Skip this part for cheesy photos.
Surprised the boy with onesies and my attempt at a pretty card.
Thanks for the breakfast in bed <3 Although you spelt Joyshua wrongly cos I woke up too early and you panicked hahahaha.
Welcome Hotel in Vik
Cost: SGD131.23/night for 2 people
Review: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Awesome location and clean!! It was right opposite the Vik Church and a short 20 minutes drive from Dyrholaey and the Black Beach. It was also right opposite a supermarket, and beside this famous restaurant called Halldorskaffi which we tried for dinner (reviews below, it was really good).
Dyrholaey
A place worth visiting with a lot of mystical formations all around. Pictures (taken with my iPhone...) doesn't do justice to its beauty haha.
Vik Cathedral
An iconic building in Vik that was right opposite our hotel.
Restaurant Vikurskali
This restaurant is attached to the N1 Petrol Station in Vik. It is very easily recognizable as it is the first petrol station that you will see after entering the town of Vik. We stopped here for lunch after reaching Vik in the afternoon. The food here was quite good (finally not bread) and quite affordable too.
I had the Chicken Burger with French Fries set at 1495kr (about 11 euros) and Joshua had the BBQ Burger with French Fries set at 1270kr (about 9 euros) and both were really good and made our hungry stomachs happy!
Black Beach Reynisfjara
After lunch, we headed to the famous Black Beach. A short 20 minutes drive from Vik and it was a really pretty place. Do take note that this beach has encountered many fatalities and accidents due to the strong wave currents, so please be careful when walking along the beach. There are security guards who will chase you off if you are too close.
Halldorskaffi Restaurant
So this was the restaurant that was right beside our hotel. We decided to go to this restaurant because the smell from it attracted us. Serious. We were parking our car beside the hotel, and I was like "What's the smell it's damn goodddd". So Joshua googled that restaurant and true enough it was the #1 search for good food in Vik!! Hence, we decided to try that for dinner. A nice place without bread for our Vday dinner ^^
It is really crowded, and we had to wait for about 30 minutes before getting a table. Do go there early and get your line number. Joshua had the lamb fillet, while I had the oven baked salmon. The total cost was 8750kr (about SGD 95). And really, both were amazing. It was the best salmon that I have ever eaten, crispy skin and the salmon flesh just melts in your mouth!! Joshua also was very satisfied with his lamb fillet and said that it was super good! The potatoes that came along with the lamb was bombz too, I don't even know how they made potatoes that tasty. And one more attracting point is that this place serves free flow mushroom soup and bread!!
We tried to catch the Northern Lights after dinner at Dyrholaey as the aurora forecast was very strong that day. So we waited from 10pm to 11pm to 12am, AND NOT A TINGE OF NORTHERN LIGHTS. Sigh. We fell asleep in the car and gave up lol. Northern lights are really hard to find... :(
DAY SIX (EAST TOWARDS JOKULSARLON):
Fosshotel Nupar
Cost: 91 euros/night (about SGD 140) for 2 people
Review: About 1 hour drive from Vik. This place was really cool. Each room was actually in a container, and the view was very good to catch the northern lights! However, the location is really quite deserted so there is nothing around. But this makes it good to catch the northern lights, since it was pitch black, no street lamps, any shops or whatsoever. Just the clear sky above from your windows. But unfortunately for us, we encountered crazy rains and winds on this day so it was cloudy and once again, we could not catch the northern lights :(
Skaftafell
After checking in, we headed to Skaftafell National Park. We kinda encountered a storm on the way and it was just crazy driving conditions!! We were damn stressed the whole 1 hour drive from Fosshotel Nupar to Skaftafell. The car was swerving and gliding like no tomorrow I swear. And the scariest part was that because of the wind and rain, the snow was flying all over so when we looked out to our window sides, it was just pitch white. Like you can't even see the road or trees or what, just pitch white. Driving in white space was very scary. We couldn't hike up Skaftafell due to the persistent heavy rain and bad weather :(
Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
The rain got a bit lighter after about 2 hours, so we decided to head further east to our furthest destination - Jokulsarlon. It was about a 1 hour drive from Skaftafell. The weather and driving conditions just gets harder as you head East. The roads were icy and slippery (from the rain) and it continued to rain once again. And the worst part was that the roads were on high grounds, so if your car slides off the road and drop down, it's really goodbye.
When we reached Jokulsarlon it was drizzling a little, and it was freakingggg cold. Every body part of mine was numb, even my teeth when I smiled to take pictures. To get to the glacier lagoon, you would have to hike up and down a snowy hill for about 20 minutes. The walk was really tough, with the strong winds blowing, and it felt like you could roll down the hills to nowhere any moment. And the snow was damn thick, you would really sink in greater than ankle-deep! But to be fair, I think it was because our shoes weren't winter shoes hahaha. They were normal water proof boots that are rubber based. But we saw some travelers with boots that had spikes and metal shit on them, obviously zai winter travelers unlike us haha.
But the view was worth it. I mean how often do you get to see glaciers!!
Crazy wind.
DAY SEVEN (BACK TO REYKJAVIK):
Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon
On our way back, we stopped by this place. We wanted to visit it the day before, but due to the rain, another car that was turning out from this place told us that the roads were too dangerous and not passable.
And even with good weather today, the roads were still super dangerous!! This was the road that made me cry a little. So all I can say is that, no words can describe how scary the drive in was. You had to drive on extremely high grounds/cliffs IN SNOW. Meaning you can't control your car and it just bumps around so much you feel like you're gonna fall off. There was this moment that our car really skidded all the way to the side even when the brakes were on. But thank God really, we were safe.
It was about a 3+ hours drive back to the city and I did my best as a useful girlfriend by helping to drive for 2 hours. Driving in Iceland accomplishment unlocked yayyy. But I only drove on the empty roads la HAHAHA. Scared to drive in the crazy snow shit.
Igdlo Guesthouse
On our last night, we stayed at our first accommodation as it was convenient in the city center. You can refer to the review and cost of it above.
DAY EIGHT (AIRPORT):
It was a 45 minutes drive back to the airport from the city centre. And just note that the exchange rates for Kronas back to Euros will cause you to lose quite a bit. So don't change too much Kronas at the beginning!
That's all for our Iceland trip, and we hope that this will be useful to you! In conclusion, Iceland is really the most magnificent country with the prettiest nature I have ever been to. It is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience to go on a road trip in Iceland. Be prepared for sudden weather changes and the most important thing would be to have a zai driver who stays (quite) cool in all situations. Really couldn't have done this road trip without my dearest Joshua who tanked all the difficult crazy roads <3
And let's hope that Joshua will stop sleeping all day all night.
No comments:
Post a Comment