Wanderlust: The Blue Lagoon, Iceland

Since coming back from Iceland the no.1 question I have had without a doubt is about the famous Blue Lagoon. Is it worth the hype?

I'd say HELL YES.

Before adding it to our itinerary, I had read alot of blogs about people saying it was over priced and not as good as some of the smaller lagoons in Iceland or that even the swimming pools in Reykjavik were better.

Yes, they may be more remote and virtually tourist free so I wouldn't rule out trying these in future however I would certainly return to the Blue Lagoon one day and would recommend to anyone to visit!

To visit the lagoon, you need to book online beforehand as you choose a time slot. the beauty of this though is that you will need to arrive at the time you choose but you can stay in the lagoon as long as you like. 

Its also open for long hours as well, during the summer you can bathe here right from 8am till midnight!

I would of loved to of stayed alot longer but we were fitting this round out flight home as the lagoon is just 10 minutes away from the airport. This does make it a great stopover visit or trip to before or after you head around the country as its so easy to get to whilst en route to or from the main airport thanks to the very frequent shuttle busses.

Storing luggage is a breeze as well as you can drop these off in a storage area for a small fee

 The terrain on the way to the Lagoon is very different to what we experienced in our trips to the south and the golden circle! Everything was rocky but covered in this lush green mossy stuff

 We arrived at the lagoons peak time, around 11am. The que was massive and went outside as well so I would recommend you also bring your warms in case you are outside a while!

Once in you will need to separate in to guys and girls changing rooms from there to get ready, There is a few private changing rooms otherwise you just take your kit off in one of the rooms with benches and store your items in a locker and head to the showers. The rules are very strict on showering before you get in so make sure you do! The lagoon water does self cleanse around every 40 hours so you don't need to worry about it being dirty either :)

Make sure you bring a swimsuit as this is required round all areas of the lagoon. sorry nudies!

On check in you are also given a wrist band which helps you to tag the locker in the changing room to you so only you can open it, this is also handy to use in the lagoon, more on that later!

Once navigated out of the beautiful modern changing rooms you are then ready to get in to the Lagoon!

One of main main worries about the lagoon was the depth being that I'm not a confident swimmer so I don't like being out of my depth. Its surprisingly shallow though, the deepest point is around 1.60m and shallowest at half a metre.

It is so wonderfully warm (but not uncomfortably) you just won't wanna get out! its pure bliss.

Remember the wristbands I mentioned earlier? This is now where you can also use them in the Lagoon,

The wristband also works like a credit card, allowing you to purchase things whilst in the lagoon cus you can't swim around with your wallet!

You can swim over to the lagoon bar and choose a drink to enjoy whilst relaxing and visit the silica mud mask bar to get one of the seriously good face masks. My over sensitive skin loved this and was feeling very pampered and soft after leaving the mask on for 15 minutes :) With our chosen package we could have a drink of our choice and a mask for free!

This isn't all you can do at the Lagoon, there is a sauna and steam room, relaxation area and also a man made waterfall which works wonders on sore shoulders and stiff muscles.

Feeling peckish? Then you can visit the Blue cafe for some light bites, or if your really in for being treated like a queen, book a table at the Lava Restaurant and enjoy some Icelandic contemporary dishes.

Top Tips to visit:

• Try to visit at an off peak time if at all possible, that said once the initial 11am rush had died down it was really quiet in the changing room area to go back to.

• If you are planning on bringing your camera/ mobile in to the lagoon area for photos you MUST make sure you have a waterproof case! 

• Do NOT under any circumstances get your hair in the lagoon water, as the water is geothermal it will make your hair go very dry and stiff. Learn how to do pretty plaits, go for a bun or all else fails, wear a swim cap!  Same goes for jewellery, if you value it do not wear it in there, silica, algae, minerals and geothermal seawater can turn gold or silver an offish green colour. 

• Don't worry about bringing shampoo/conditioner/hairdryer with you, these are supplied in the changing rooms and are wonderful and sooo good for your hair. If your lucky enough to have got a fair but of spending money on you I would def purchase the silica mask set, its very very pricey though! 

• Book your transfers and reservation for the restaurant at the same time you get the lagoon pass online, it makes the day alot more stress-free and work seamlessly if you plan ahead. 

• The water temperature is between 37-40 degrees, so whilst its beautifully warm in the lagoon itself it may be worth getting a dressing down as an extra for optimal comfort.

Packages

There are 4 types of packages to choose from to enhance your visit. The most basic is standard which gives you entry and a free silica mask at the mask bar. This is about £38.00

We opted for the comfort package which does the same as basic but will also include a towel (kinda essential really!) an algae mask and well as silica, and your first drink for free, This is £53

The most popular packages (unsuprisingly) are the premium (£68) and luxury which also include extras like wine, table reservation at Lava, slippers, exclusive lounge and products to take home at £380.

Interested in booking your visit? Head over to the Blue Lagoon website

Actually cannot wait to go back here someday!

Love, Sarah x