Destination Profile - Iceland — Tuljak! Travel Blog

No matter how much I read about this place before the trip, I was still unprepared for Iceland's majesty and serenity. The hype of Iceland as a travel destination is real, and there is no real singular or proper way to see this amazing country. In this latest edition of Destination Profile, I want to share some of my favorite moments and places during our 12-day journey through Iceland:

Favorite Sight: Eruption of Geldingardalur

Even though Iceland is often referred to as the “Land of Fire and Ice,” it was uncommon for visitors to experience the power of eruption in Iceland. Some volcanoes are too violent to be observed up close, and some are too remote to be visited. So when a volcano emerged out of nowhere near the town of Grindavik on March 19th, 2020, it surprised even the Icelanders just how accessible this new eruption is. From downtown Reykjavík, it was only a forty-minute drive and a half-hour hike to the eruption site. Amid pandemics, the nascent eruption became a global sensation; millions worldwide followed the volcano's evolution through the live cam broadcast.

When Iceland reopened its borders to vaccinated visitors in late spring, the eruption of Geldingardalur became front and center in their tourism campaign. Icelandair was selling a volcano and Blue Lagoon tour package on its homepage. Despite all the videos and pictures we all saw previously, they still couldn't prepare us for the awesome power of an active volcano. The distant rumbling of the volcano was particularly eerie. Even though we could no longer get close to the crater by the time we visited, it was still an experience of a lifetime. Of course, there was something poetic about standing in front of a shifting landscape. Just like life itself, all you can do is grab the moments by the coattails.

Favorite Town: Heimaey

With more than half of the Icelandic population, the Reykjavík metropolitan area is the center of Icelandic cultural life and economic activities. It could sometimes feel like the dominance of the capital region drowns out the many smaller cities on the mainland. I immediately felt a special energy when we got off the ferry at Heimaey, the only settlement on the Westman Island archipelago. Like other islanders across the globe, the people of Heimaey retain their distinct heritage. The history of the Westman Islands is emblematic of Iceland. From the infamous raid by Turkish pirates to the Eldfell eruption in 1973, their stories of survival are awe-inspiring. Their two main museums, Eldheimar Museum and Sagnheimar Folk Museum are my favorite on this trip.

Downtown Heimaey during the Goslok Festival.

And if you are not interested in history, the surrounding landscape of Heimaey is simply stunning. Not only does the island provide numerous hiking opportunities, but it is also home to the world’s largest population of Atlantic puffins. Puffin has since become the unofficial mascot of the Westman Islands; its imageries are dotted across Heimaey. Gone were the days of organized puffin hunts; local families organized nightly patrols every August to rescue the wayward pufflings.

Among Icelanders, the people of Heimaey are known for their resilience and being a little eccentric. In 1984, when inclement weather prevented locals from attending a national celebration on the Icelandic mainland, the locals decided to organize their own cultural festival instead. After a few decades, their little festival eventually evolved into being the most important in the whole country: Þjóðhátíð (National Festival). Nowadays, Þjóðhátíð regularly attracts up to 20,000 spectators, which essentially quadruple Heimaey’s population.

For a town of four thousand, Heimaey is surprisingly cosmopolitan. Although fishing remains the largest industry here, the islanders have begun diversifying their economy with tourism. Many former residents have relocated from the mainland and are determined to preserve the island’s unique heritage. One such individual is Gísli Matt, one of Iceland’s most celebrated chefs today. He gave up an illustrious career on the mainland to open up Slippurinn in Heimaey. It is now the number one destination restaurant in Iceland. I would even go as far as to say that it is perhaps the best restaurant we ever visited.

Favorite Food: Icelandic Lamb

Internationally, Iceland may be known for notoriously unappetizing Hákarl (fermented shark) or puffin meat. But honestly, your chance of encountering these iconic dishes at regular Icelandic restaurants is almost next to none. It shouldn’t shock anyone; fish and lamb are the most popular protein in Iceland. Lamb was first brought to Iceland by the Vikings. The herd not only provides meat and dairy but also keeps people warm. And as always, the best place to see what people eat was a trip to the local supermarkets. There are rows and rows of lamb for sale at any Icelandic supermarket. As lamb connoisseurs, we were in food heaven.

A plate of *Hangikjot* on rye bread at Klausturkaffi.

Because Iceland has some of the most stringent environmental regulations regarding livestock and agricultural practices, the taste of Icelandic lamb is particularly sublime. On the walls of many restaurants are plaques awarded by the Icelandic Lamb Marketing Board proclaiming: “Icelandic Lamb: Roaming Free Since 874”. For once, I believe the marketing slogan and that all their lambs are roaming free across the beautiful countryside. Perhaps it is the terroir; we believe Icelandic lambs are the best we have ever had. Though lamb chop or stew may be popular at restaurants, I suspect most Icelanders consume most of their lamb as smoked lamb called Hangikjot. Often served cold for breakfast, it is the kind of cold cut that I would love to have back home.

Favorite Thermal Bath: Geosea Geothermal Sea Baths

There are two types of thermal baths in Iceland. The first category of thermal baths is the municipal thermal baths. Pretty much every town and village with at least a hundred residents would gather together enough resources to build a thermal pool. It costs around 800 ISK per person and is somewhat of a communal living room. From politicians to school kids, Icelanders from all across social and economic gathered at their local thermal pools to gossip and discuss important issues of the day. The second category is the so-called “premium” thermal baths. As the name suggests, the premium bath commands stiff admission prices. Famous bats such as the Blue Lagoon and Mývatn Nature Baths cost more than 5,500 IS per adult and provide extra amenities like massage, face masks, or bathrobe rental… for additional cost. Needless to say, very few locals visit these baths because of the prices.

A sublime view of Skjálfandi Bay from Geosea.

On this trip, we got to try out four of Iceland’s premium baths. Our very favorite is the smallest one: Geosea Geothermal Sea Baths. Located in Húsavík, this bath opened its door in 2018 and is often overlooked because it is an hour-long detour from the popular Ring Road. Unlike Blue Lagoon or Mývatn Natural Bath, GeoSea uses seawater heated by the geothermal power deep below. The water may not have the photogenic white silica, but it is just as hot. Personally, I prefer the clear water since it feels more sanitary. The main draw for this bath is the panoramic view over Skjálfandi Bay. We even surveyed the bay for whales and dolphins from the pool's infinity edge.

For travelers, Geosea offers the most peaceful and luxurious ambiance of all the premium baths in Iceland. Due to its limited size, the bath strictly limits the number of guests, and we never felt like just a “number” like we did at other baths. Every aspect of the bath, from the locker room to the sauna, is exquisitely designed. Even though the pool areas are small, they still have three pools of different temperatures. The angulating infinity edges and the beautiful vista made it particularly enjoyable. We surprised ourselves when we learned we spent over four hours in the bath.

Favorite Waterfall: Hraunfossar & Barnafoss

Iceland is a land of waterfalls. I suspect a common question among travelers would be: “What is your favorite waterfall?” Everyone would have their own favorites, and you should take their opinion with a grain of salt. According to the online blogosphere, crowd favorites include Dettifoss, Gullfoss, Selfoss, Skógafoss, Svartifoss, and Seljalandsfoss. I was fortunate to visit all of these waterfalls on this trip. As amazing as these waterfalls are, I must admit that we became a little desensitized by them after a while. After all, waterfalls are everywhere, and it is quite easy to become what I call a “waterfall snub.”

So it may come as a little surprise that my favorite is Hraunfossar in northwestern Iceland. This corner of Iceland is not particularly well-visited. I was initially drawn to the region by Krauma Thermal Bath and the nearby village of Reykholt. By serendipity, all the local restaurants near Reykholt were closed. Google then took us to the nearest lunch place, Hraunfossar Restaurant - Cafe, which shared a parking lot with the nearby Hraunfossar. It was merely a minute's walk from the parking area to the main viewing platform of the waterfall. Unlike most other Icelandic waterfalls, Hraunfossar comprises a series of cascades that spread nearly a kilometer.

Translated as “Lava Falls” from Icelandic, Hraunfossar is truly an underrated gem. When a nearby volcano erupted, it created a lava field that covered the area, and water from the melting Langjokull glacier made its way through a porous rock covered with vegetation. The water flows through the cavity of the lava rock and cascades along its edge down to the river Hvítá below. It is a waterfall that is unlike anything we have ever visited. It may not be as tall or as powerful as many other popular waterfalls in the country, but it is the most mesmerizing.

Just a few minutes upstream is another great waterfall called Barnafoss. Unlike Hraunfossar, this waterfall is composed of a series of narrow gorges that create an intense rapid downstream. A pedestrian bridge allowed us to walk across the river and explore the lava field, but a natural stone arch once spanned across the river. The name Barnafoss means "Children’s Waterfall” in Icelandic. Legend states that two young children should stay home while their parents attend church. The restless children decided to visit their parents at church by taking the shortcut over the stone bridge. They tragically slipped and fell into the rapids below. Grief-stricken, the mother said to destroy the stone arch to prevent a similar incident from ever happening again. True or not, the legend does add a dose of sadness to an otherwise beautiful sight.

Favorite Accommodation: Hotel Alden

With the rapid growth of tourism, Iceland is short on tourist accommodations. Being a highly seasonal destination, getting a quality place to stay during the high season could be challenging. “Thanks” to the ongoing pandemic, we did not have difficulty when it came to booking accommodation. Compared to the cost of food and rental cars, the cost of lodging is rather reasonable. Entrepreneurial Icelanders have stepped up in offering to increase the affordable homestay supply and cabins.

While we stayed at several great hotels on this trip, our favorites are Hotel Alden in Seyðisfjörður. The hotel in this small but cosmopolitan town comprises four different buildings spread across the town center. We got a two-bed apartment suite, which offers beautiful views of the fjord and surrounding valley. By coincidence, we could host our friends Ivy and Vince, who just happened to be in town. Not only was the apartment a great place for entertainment, but it also had the services that came with a hotel upon request.

Favorite Tourist Trap: Viking Village of Höfn

Sometimes, the most photogenic and authentic-looking spots could be a product of outright fabrication. This is certainly true at the so-called “Viking Village” in southern Iceland. Located just a few miles east of Höfn, the village looks like a beautifully preserved Viking settlement that has survived through the millennium. But in reality, the whole complex was constructed in 2010 by a local entrepreneur in anticipation of a Hollywood film. However, the film never materialized due to funding issues, and the film set has been preserved in the hope of the next project.

Authentic reconstruction of not, it does not matter at the end of the day. For the Instagram-obsessed generation, this place is a dream. Even I had to admit that this place look amazing. The main attraction was not the village but the majestic backdrop: Mount Vestrahorn. The otherworldly Mars-like landscape is just stunning. The admission price includes the Viking Village and a pristine black sand beach called Stokksnes. Based on the pictures and the online reviews, Stokksnes seems just as amazing as the famous Reynisfjara Beach.

In retrospect, we probably should have skipped this place, given how behind the schedule we were on that particular day. Even though Viking Village is technically a roadside attraction, it requires an eight-minute drive on gravel roads and another fifteen-minute walk from the parking lot. But for those who embrace the slower pace of travel, Viking Village and the surrounding nature may be the best place to spend an afternoon.

Favorite Historic Site: Þingvellir

With Iceland's subarctic climate, preserving historic structures could be challenging. Together with the scarcity of timber, most historical structures in the country tended to be humble. A good example would be their Parliament House (Alþingishúsið) in Reykjavik; it is smaller than a typical McMansion back home. My favorite historic site on this trip is indeed not made at all. Þingvellir (Thingvellir) is sometimes considered the birthplace of the Icelandic nation. From 930 to 1798, this is the site of the Alþing, the annual parliament that remains Iceland’s legislative body today. Local leaders and noblemen would trek weeks to arrive at this spot to discuss important issues requiring collective deliberation.

A major of the so-called Golden Circle route, Þingvellir is one of the most visited sights in the country and one of Iceland’s three UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Amazingly, the site of Þingvellir is the exact fissure between the Eurasian and North American continental plates. Of course, there was no way that the medieval Icelanders could have known that; it is quite an amazing coincidence. As we descended the pathway between the two tectonic plates, we can’t help feeling a sense of mysticism and a connection to the past.

▲

Destination Profile - Iceland