South East Iceland | Top 10 Things to See and Do

Whether it’s to soak in one of the country’s famous geothermal pools, to plan a hike over volcanic landscapes, or to tour one of the vast and remarkable glaciers, Iceland is truly an outdoor lover’s paradise, and continues to attract travellers from all over the world.

We visited the island nation in September of last year, and had a blast exploring the Southeast by campervan, from Keflavik to Skaftafell, tripping around the Golden Circle and heading out to the Vestmannaeyjar Isles. Although this list has a few things that aren’t specific to Southeast Iceland (for instance, there are hot pools and quirky wildlife everywhere), this well-travelled section of Iceland does have the following things in excess!

Before heading out to enjoy Iceland’s wild spaces, make sure you familiarise yourself with Icelandic pledge, especially if you’re planning on an adventure outdoors. Iceland’s efforts on conservation can be seen throughout the rules and regulations they put in place for their natural spaces, and through their commitment to using renewable and sustainable resources.

In no particular order, if you’re planning a trip to Iceland’s southeast, here are 10 things we recommend you add to your list to make the most of your trip:

1. Experience Vatnajökull

Renowned as Europe’s largest glacier, Vatnajökull glacier and it’s national park make up over 14% of the entire country, comprising Skaftafell in the south and Jokulsargljufur in the north. Whether it’s booking a hiking tour over the ice cap, exploring the incredible ice caves or setting sail on the glacier lagoons, we consider it a must-see if you’re visiting Iceland.

When we visited, we stayed in Skaftafell, which we found to be a great base if you’re wanting to experience Vatnajökull. A major highlight for us was heading up to Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon, strolling along Diamond Beach, and spotting harbour and grey seals swimming amongst the ice caps. Skaftafell is also a great place to be based as it offers some great hiking routes off of the glacier, one of the most notable of which leads to the epic Svartifoss waterfall.

Vatnajökull is also a must-see for the film buffs. Sometimes referred to as the Hollywood glacier, this park and it’s glacier have been featured as the location for a number of films including James Bond’s Die Another Day, The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty, Batman Begins, Interstellar, the scenes ‘beyond the Wall’ in HBO’s Game of Thrones, and Jules Verne’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth.

2. Discover Þingvellir National Park

Another national park that completely blew us away was Þingvellir, and if you’re planning on a shorter visit, it’s much more accessible than Vatnajökull as it’s less than 50km to the east of Reykjavik on the Golden Circle. Known for both it’s nature and it’s history, Þingvellir is the location of the oldest surviving parliament in the world, Alþing, and accepted on the World Heritage list for it’s cultural ties. You won’t be disappointed spending either an afternoon or a few days based here.

We spent a couple of days in Þingvellir, and revelled in the hiking trails that are all interconnected through the park, one leading to the incredible Öxarárfoss waterfall. We also enjoyed learning more about its history through the multiple centres throughout the park, and the definitive highlight was snorkelling through Silfra fissure, the rift between the North American and Eurasian continental plates. We’re currently writing more about the latter, so watch this space if this is something you’re keen on doing and want more info about it.

3. Have a volcanic encounter

Being renowned as the land of ice and fire, Iceland certainly doesn’t disappoint in this regard, offering as many volcanic experiences as it does glacial experiences.

From hiking up active or inactive volcanoes, exploring lava fields, or booking a tour to fully immerse yourself in the country’s history of volcanic activity, there are lots of options to choose from. Look into tours operating out of Reykjavik, the surrounding peninsula has been known for its volcanic activity over the centuries, and there are even a few which offer exploration inside a dormant volcano (see the Inside the Volcano tour). Also in the Southeast is the Fimmvörðurháls pass, the LAVA centre in Hvolsvöllur, or the Eldfell Volcano and museum on Heimaey.

When we visited, the incredible Fagradalsfjall and Geldingalir volcanos located on the Reykjanes Peninsula were still erupting, and we were amazed to realise we could hike up and witness it ourselves. See our post, How To Access Iceland’s Geldingalir Volcano to see how we accessed the volcano, and if you choose to visit the site for yourself, proceed with caution and at your own risk.

4. Get into the pool culture

Considered the country’s national pastime, the pool culture in Iceland is rooted in socialisation, and it’s why you'll see hot springs and swimming pools all over the country, no matter how quaint the town. With a nod to it’s renewable energies, all pools in Iceland are powered via geothermal energy.

You can choose to experience this in any way you’d like, with some hot springs offering more upscale experiences like the Sky Lagoon in Reykjavik, Secret Lagoon in ​​Flúðir, Blue Lagoon in Grindavik, and the Laugarvatn Fontana in Laugarvatn. Springs such as these range in how natural they look within their landscape, and offer varying services (such as massages, face masks and other amenities), but all are powered in the same way. 

If you’re not too fussed on the service, opt for a local swimming pool and chat to the other patrons. It’s a great option if you’re looking to experience the culture in an inexpensive way. On your travels, you may also notice or hear about more naturally occurring hot springs and pools which are free from charge, but always mind the warnings as some of the unregulated streams and rivers flow straight from geothermal sources.

Among others, we had chosen to experience the world famous Blue Lagoon, and went in not knowing what to expect from a place that had attracted so much hype. We were wonderfully surprised because we found it totally worth it and quite accurately rated. We did visit at a time when it was not busy, so that may have helped us to enjoy the experience, but we really recommend it either way.

5. Visit Vestmannaeyjar

Such an underrated Icelandic tourist spot, the little island of Heimaey in the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago (Westman Islands), is absolutely worth a visit! This vibrant little island has a really unique history and is one of the best places in the country to spot orca or fin whales. It is also home to the largest Atlantic puffin colony in the world, which is actually the reason I sought it out in the first place.

The best way to get to the Heimaey is to catch the Herjólfur ferry from Landeyjahofn, which is what we did and what we recommend, although there are intermittent ferries from Þorlákshöfn, and you can also choose to fly via Icelandair from Reyjavik.

We definitely recommend spending at least a couple days there to ensure you catch the island in good weather. When we visited, I loved learning more about the puffins and puffling patrol programme (yes, that’s an actual thing), and exploring the unique little town in the harbour, despite the rainy weather we got!

6. Spend time in the capital

More of a sprawling low-key town than a capital, Reykjavík houses most of its country’s residents and is unlike any other city we’ve ever visited. Though small, the city offers a little bit of something for everyone, with a vibrant nightlife, loads of cultural sites, and plenty of green spaces to explore, both within the city centre and in its surroundings.

There’s an unreal amount of museums, ranging from the standard National Museum, to the historical Settlement Exhibition, to the eccentric phallological museum with over 200 specimens. There are dozens of museums to choose from, so it’s a great option to take in a cultural day, especially if the weather isn’t on your side.

Then, there’s the classic architecture to explore around the city, like the distinctive Sun Voyager statue, the Harpan concert hall, and the immense Hallgrímskirkja church. Visit these on a walking tour of the city, and if you’ve found yourself needing some time to decompress, hit up some of the green spaces, like Hljómskála Park, or book a boat tour off the coast where, depending on the time of year, you can spot whales or the Northern Lights.

At night, the city centre awakens, and although bar hopping may cost you dearly, it’s an experience that will connect you with more visitors around the country and give you another perspective of the city. Try using the Appy Hour app to find some of the best deals.

7. Learn more about the country’s unique history

With Viking, Nordic and Celtic ties, Iceland has such a unique and interesting history. If you weren’t intrigued about the Vikings before, you will be after you learn more about Iceland’s roots, and it can definitely make you appreciate the island nation that much more throughout your travels.

Credited with settling Greenland and North America (about 500 years before Columbus by the way, hey L'Anse aux Meadows!) the Icelanders were the true, original explorers, their sagas reading more like a fantasy fiction novel than a historical text.

With many ways to learn more and interact with their history, start with visiting either The National Museum, the Settlement Exhibition, or the Saga Museum while you’re in Reykjavík. If you’re wanting to experience a little bit more, head to one of the local Viking Villages, a variety of them can be found throughout the South in Hvolsvollur, Stokksnes, Hafnarfjordur, and of course, much can be read about the earliest settlers when you head to Þingvellir.

8. Find the country’s most stunning waterfalls

Particularly renowned for its waterfalls, many visitors explore Iceland’s wild spaces in search of them. Many of the falls are pillars for the country’s booming tourism and also are used to harness their hydro power, which powers most of the country’s electrical grids.

Gullfoss, located on the eastern side of the Golden Circle, may arguably be the most popular. It has a pretty interesting history with Sigríður Tómasdóttir, a female environmentalist, being the reason for the falls’ preservation from industry. Also in the Southeast are the neighbouring Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss, popularly photographed and for good reason, and the two aforementioned falls, Svartifoss (one of my personal favourites because of the basalt columns and pictured above) and Öxarárfoss in Þingvellir.

Although these popular falls are worth seeing, and they absolutely are, try to discover some of the lesser known falls as well, with many popping up in unlikely places. One that we weren’t expecting (but ended up being one of our favourites) we discovered when exploring Kirkjubæjarklaustur.

9. Head into the Highlands

Although the Ring Road is by far the most popular with tourists, the highlands make up the island's interior and are seriously underrated. Especially for the likes of outdoor lovers looking for an adventure, the highlands comprise the most wild and rugged parts of the country, and if you’re visiting in the summer, there are many off-roads and hiking trails throughout.

In the Southeast, there are many ways to access the highlands, but be aware that most of these roads are not accessible via a regular car or campervan. It is illegal in Iceland to drive these “F-Roads” without a 4WD/ 4x4, so if you are doing your trip by camper, the best way to see the highlands would to be either booking a tour, which is a great option, or looking to get a small taste of the highlands by one of the few roads that aren’t classified as F roads, bringing you to the edges of the highland region.

10. Spot some quirky wildlife

Iceland is home to an awesome array of wildlife, including a wide variety of birds, marine life, and land mammals. Although there is only one native land mammal to Iceland, the arctic fox, the non-natives have made themselves firmly apart of the Icelandic landscape and culture. Seeing the small Icelandic ponies prancing alongside the roads, sheep spread across the rolling green hills, or herds of reindeer crossing the roads in eastern Iceland are all part of the experience.

Some of the best marine wildlife can be spotted via a tour, of which there are plenty to choose from, and look out for humpbacks, blues, fins, minkes, sperms and orcas. As we mentioned above, if you’re looking for seals, head out to glacier lagoon in the east, or if you’re visiting during puffin season, look out for a tour out of Reykjavík’s coast to nearby Lundy, or head out to Vestmannaeyjar to see the Atlantic’s largest colony.

So whether it’s from the comfort of your car, aboard a boat tour, or glancing up to spot an arctic tern or eagle from your vantage point, appreciating Iceland’s wildlife is all part of the experience.

---

Southeast Iceland has been increasing in popularity for tourism over the years and it’s easy to see why! Whether you choose to visit the best of the country’s tourism hotspots, or venture out with to explore some locations off the beaten track, the whole country is a paradise for outdoor and adventure lovers alike.

Happy Adventuring,
Sam + Steve

---

---

More on Iceland….