7 Amazing Cheaper Alternatives to Blue Lagoon, Iceland
Iceland has so much to offer, waterfalls, lagoons, geothermal areas and so much more! Iceland is an amazing country with amazing scenery which you can easily travel around and see as much of the natural wonders as possible.
Then, of course, there’s Blue Lagoon. The most famous attraction of them all, really. I find when you see photos of attractions like this, they try to portray it in the best light. Mostly by looking fairly quiet, the blue water, the steam.
The reality is, is that Blue Lagoon is awfully popular and maybe not exactly the experience you’re looking for, and is also quite expensive. We found multiple places in Iceland which had hot springs, blue lakes and more. Which were either natural and you could just turn up, or still enjoy a nice drink in hot blue steamy water and baths for cheaper than Blue Lagoon.
Before visiting Iceland, we only knew of two natural baths and managed to pick up a few places along the way by my guidebook. When we did the glacier walk, our tour guide was extremely helpful with this too. Hope this helps you to find as many hot waters as possible to relax in.
Why To Not Visit The Blue Lagoon
First reason is the cost, Blue Lagoon starts at a cost of 11990ISK, which converts to around £74 or $93 per adult. And you can pay a lot more for drinks or treatments
They are probably the most popular tourist attraction in Iceland, and boy don't they know it
You can visit nearly all of these alternatives for the same price and don’t expect it to be too peaceful. Due to being the biggest tourist attraction there are obviously, lots of tourists there
Different nationalities travel to Iceland at different times we thought too. We travelled to Iceland in the summer and everyone we met was American. We don’t know anyone who has visited Iceland in the summer either. But know a hell of a lot of people from the UK who have visited in the winter. Therefore regardless of the season
We believe the reason its the most popular is simply because it isn’t too far from Reykjavik, but why not rent a car, drive to the south of Iceland for a day or two, visit more of the real Icelandic scenery whilst also saving money by missing out Blue Lagoon and visiting others instead
Landbrotalaug
Landbrotalaug is at the start of Snaefellsness peninsula and is fairly easy to find. I was quite apprehensive to find it at first as it isn’t signposted or anything but soon as we saw the road, we knew it was the right one, if that makes sense, instructions down below!
Landbrotalaug is very small, there are 2 pools quite close together but the larger one you can only fit a few people in. When we visited it seemed just right, we were there in the pool with another couple and some people just left as we turned up.
We left just as others were turning up so didn’t seem too busy. But of course, would be quieter in the very late evening or very early morning, but in the summer sometimes there isn’t much difference.
Where is Landrotalaug Pool?
Snaefellness Peninsula
GPS: Latitude: 64.832215, Longitude: -22.318514
What3Words: ///ballgame.lodged.derailed
How much does it cost?
Free!!! Which is why it is an included in the cheaper alternatives to Blue Lagoon!
How do you get there
If you're driving on route 1, you drive towards Snaefellsness peninsula by turning off route 1 onto route 54 at Borgarnes. Then drive up a fair few miles (take about half an hour) until you pass the right turn off for route 55.
You then pass Eldborg, a huge crater which you can hike up if you wish. After you pass this there is a turning on your left-hand side of a dirt road. Now, I thought the turning was much earlier than I anticipated and thought we’d missed it. However, we didn’t, and I don’t think there was another turning we could have taken.
On the dirt track, you just drive all the way to the top where you'll pass an abandoned house and come to a little car park. There's no changing facilities or anything so either be happy getting changed in the car/van/out in the open or be changed before you go.
How long do you stay?
Up to an hour or so
Galtahryggjarlaug
Galtahryggjarlaug is in the west fjords of Iceland. It is still a fairly small pool but good all the same. Even visiting in the summer Iceland was chilly. Top temperatures of 12 I think. So even in the winter or the summer, to escape to these pools it's so refreshing to just warm your body right up again!
Where is it?
West Fjords
GPS: Latitude 65.839690, Longitude -22.677493
How much does it cost?
Free!! More reasons to why alternatives to Blue Lagoon are available while travelling on a budget!
How do I get there?
Galtahryygarlaug is not far from Heydalur. It depends whether you drove clockwise or driving anticlockwise around the west fjords. If travelling clockwise you will drive on road 61 in the east direction, if anticlockwise then still road 61 by in the west direction. Then turn onto road 633. On that road, a few miles down the road there are some hotels on your right (if drove clockwise) or left (drove anticlockwise). You can park at the hotel and walk from there which only takes a few minutes
How long do you stay?
Up to an hour or so
Myvatn Nature Baths
Myvatn nature baths are called literally that as they are next to the Myvatn lake
This is probably the one which is the most similar and one of the best alternatives to Blue Lagoon. It has the light blue water, the steam and the hot water varying in temperatures.
The best thing about the Myvatn nature baths is that the surroundings are lava fields. You can stare off into the distance of constant lava fields around the bath while immersed in 30+ degree heat.
You can also pay for some drinks before you go in and you just ask a guard and they come and deliver whatever you want which is great!
Where is it?
North of Iceland, near Myvatn Lake
GPS: Latitude 65.630448, Longitude -16.848237
How much does it cost?
5900 ISK per adult (£36.51/$45.83)
How to Get There
If driving around the Myvatn lake on route one, you pass the lake on your right-hand side (if travelling clockwise). Then turn right still remaining on route 1 and the Myvatn nature baths are a little short drive along that road, just after the turn off for road 860.
They’re sign posted
How long do you stay?
A few hours, or all afternoon if you wish!
Myvatyn Nature Baths are the closest experience to Blue Lagoon and with such a cheaper price. Such an amazing alternative to Blue Lagoon
Seljavallalaug
Seljavallalaug is a hot pool in the south of Iceland which is about a half an hour drive from Vik, the main town of the south. There is a car park which you can drive up to and is a 20-minute walk from the car.
We found that all these places used to be ‘secret’ or not so easy to find. But, when you arrive in the car park, it can often be full. So when you're visiting Iceland anytime, don’t expect to have the place to yourself. I thoroughly doubt that would happen unless you visit somewhere very very early or very very late.
However, visiting natural hot pools is something you can't do in many places in the world, and being to experience the natural wonders of this in Iceland is still an amazing experience.
Where is it
South Iceland
GPS: Latitude 63.558626, Longitude -19.622426
How much does it cost?
Free!
How do you get there?
If driving from Vik, in the south of Iceland
If you drive east on route one for approximately half an hour you pass Skogafoss waterfall and car park on your right-hand side, keep going for a few minutes and you pass a turn off for the 242 road. The car park is a turning off route one there where you can park, and then walk for about 20-30 minutes to get there.
If driving from Reykjavik
it takes 2 hours from the capital, therefore, suggest you don’t drive that long to go here, but explore the surrounding areas also! You drive on route one for 2 hours and pass road 246 on your left-hand side, the car park for the pool is just after that road.
Like I’ve said above its difficult in Iceland these days for peace, if you’re wanting it quiet we would go early in the morning or late at night. And due to being free, a hot spring I had include in alternatives to Blue Lagoon.
How long do you stay?
An hour or two depending on how busy it is. Or really, however long you wish
Secret Lagoon
Secret lagoon is in the golden circle and really relaxing. You can buy drinks here too which is good. The only thing is that unlike Myvatn you have to get out of the water to get your drink, and therefore can get cold! But that isn’t really a big thing.
You can borrow floaties and literally lie in a big pool naturally heated. You can also take a walk around the outside and see some of the other smaller pools which are actually too hot to get into so have to be careful!
Where is it?
Golden Circle
GPS: Latitude 64.144993, Longitude-20.314419
How much does it cost?
3000 ISK per adult (£18.56/$23.30)
How do you get there?
From the east
If you're driving on route 1, you will drive through the small town of Selfoss. Continue on this road for a few minutes until there is an option to carry on the same bit of road technically, but it turns to route 30. Secret lagoon is a 40-minute drive from Selfoss and is on your right-hand side
From the west
Driving from Vik, you’ll reach a small town called Hella on route 1. You drive past the road 26 and then take the turning onto route 30, the secret lagoon is then on the right-hand side. The drive from Hella to Secret Lagoon takes about 40 minutes
How long do you stay?
As long as you like! At a much cheaper cost than Blue Lagoon, it is easily included in alternatives to Blue Lagoon
Hveragerdi Hot Spring River Trail
This is one weird phenomenon. A hot river! Sounds very exciting! The water running in the river is hot! You can walk and have a bit of a nice relax in a hot river!
Where is it?
Golden Circle
GPS: Latitude 64.000910, Longitude -21.191650
How much does it cost?
Free!
How do you get there?
The hot river road is directed off route one in the golden circle. If you’re driving from Reykjavik the route one splits into route 39 and route one, continue on route one, and the turnoff is on your left-hand side at Hveragerdi.
From the west, you will drive through Selfoss a small town, continue on route 1 and pass the turning for 374 and come to Hveragerdi the town.
How long do you stay?
An hour or so, or however long you like
How much does it cost?
Free!
Laugarvatn Fontana
Laugarvatn is another geothermal spa/bath place just by the Laugarvatn lake. It also has steam rooms and things also. Along with secret lagoon and Hveragerdi river trail, it is also in Golden Circle, so a few to choose from!
Where is it?
Golden Circle
GPS: Latitude 64.214480, Longitude -20.733060
How much does it cost?
4500 ISK (£27.83/$34.97)
How do you get there?
Once you reach the main roundabout of Selfoss from the east, or just before Selfoss if coming from the west/Reykjavik. Take the road 35 until it splits into 35 and 36 and continue on 35. Can then take a turning onto road 37 and Laugarvatn is about 15 minutes up that road on the right-hand side.
How long do you stay?
A few hours
There are so many cheaper alternatives to Blue Lagoon when visiting Iceland. I hope you manage to visit a few of the ones I’ve mentioned here as they made our trip so much better.
We, as people, although live for the experience, can never justify spending a ridiculous amount of money when you spend so much less for, really, a better experience. All the ones we visited were much quieter and more space to relax.
We spent the whole Iceland trip outside. We had a roof tent and this was great! But started to miss the warmth – even in the ‘summer’! So was nice to chill and bathe in the hot water of the naturally heated pools
