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Unforgettable Journey to Iceland
Through the years, traveling has become part of our lives, whether we just want to escape our daily routine, discover new places, meet new people, or create everlasting memories. But how can we make our trip truly unforgettable? Or how does a certain country become remarkable compare to others?
As a traveler, choosing a destination is one of the essential parts of my planning and one of the hardest decisions to make as it will involve my overall trip experience. I consider different factors such as the attractions, landscapes, culture, and many more.
And here, I will share with you my amazing journey in the country of Iceland or well known as the Land of Fire and Ice and plenty of reasons why it becomes my unforgettable destination:
Discovering Blue Lagoon: The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa which is located in a lava field near Grindavík on the Reykjanes Peninsula which is very accessible from the airport. It is one of the most visited attractions in Iceland and enchants hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. It has milky blue shade water against the black lava rock landscape that creates an otherworldly setting like no other. The water temperature in the bathing and swimming area of the lagoon is just perfect that averages 37–39 °C (99–102 °F) which helps me to relieve my stress and body pain. It’s very relaxing! Make sure to include it on your list and get pampered.
Glacier Hiking: Walking through nature and clean air helps us to relax and get away from the stress of the city, but how about Hiking on Ice? Sounds thrilling right? This is one of my favorite activity during my visit to Iceland. I couldn’t imagine myself walking on a hundred years old field of Ice and witness its scenic beauty. About 11% of the land area of Iceland is covered by glaciers. Here, you can find the largest ice cap in Europe. Many of these Glaciers are easy to access, so you can choose the easy trail if you are beginner, which I did. Be Adventure ready, since a minor hike will last for 3 hours. It is a tiring activity since it requires physical effort but always remember that the best view comes after the hardest climb.
Ice Cave Tour: Aside from Glacier hiking, Iceland offers Ice caving (winter activity) too. It is literally the land of ice! It is packed with caves of all sizes and shapes due to its geographical location. There are different kinds of caves in Iceland such as Lava Caves, Ice Caves, and Man-made ice tunnels, which I opted to visit. It has extraordinary beauty that guaranteed to take your breath away. Hopefully, you will get the chance to visit the man-made ice cave at Langjökull glacier as it is open all year round.
Note: Safety is very important when traveling, make sure to coordinate with your tour guide when you are planning to join this activity.
Exploring the Puffin nesting site: Witnessing different kinds of animals that exist around the World is one of the things that I am always fond of. It is a very unique experience and interesting activity that I love to do every time I travel, that’s why I include Puffin nesting site in my itinerary which is the home of approximately 8-10 million puffin birds. It is the best decision I ever made because I got to witness their incredibly cute and adorable appearance that makes me want to take them home (I bought a keychain instead ). Bird watchers and scientists from all over the world come to Iceland to see this interesting species for themselves and it is the best area if you want to avoid the crowd and enjoy seeing the beautiful nature and lovely puffin birds.
Food Hopping: Are you a food enthusiast? If yes, Iceland is a perfect place for you! For me, food culture provides a big contribution to understanding the history and the tradition of a certain country. Food Hopping has always been a part of my itinerary and activity that I should not miss every time I travel especially when I visited Iceland. Icelandic diet is one of the healthiest in the world that makes me wanna try a different kind of cuisines as much as possible. I headed to different delicious restaurants in Reykjavik and tried some local dishes such as Skyr with blueberry, Lamb, Arctic char, Salmon, Herring and other Fish & Seafood, Rye Bread, and the strange smelling Fermented Shark which is a very unique cuisine but it definitely matches my palate. Foods are prepared perfectly, and ingredients are undeniably fresh and pure. Be tummy ready as Icelandic food will surely make you tummy and heart full!
See Dettifoss Waterfall in North Iceland: It is also known as “The Beast”. It is reputed to be the second most powerful waterfall in Europe and the largest waterfall in Iceland in terms of volume discharge, having an average water flow of 193 m³/s. Looks familiar? It is featured in the opening scenes of the Alien prequel from 2012, named Prometheus and in the movie ‘Oblivion’ starring Tom Cruise which makes the falls more popular. Unlike other falls, the roar sounds is cannot be heard unless you are near to the area. You might be shocked how extremely big it is, like I did. The best time to visit Dettifoss waterfall is during summertime as you’ll also be able to get much closer to its breathtaking view. Don’t forget to bring waterproof clothes!
Whenever someone is asking what is my unforgettable trip or favorite country, Iceland is always been my number one answer.
Yes, there’s a lot of things you can do and places you can visit when you visit Iceland. No wonder why it becomes a dream destination for everyone all over the world and continuously gaining its popularity as a tourist destination.
Having a hard time what to choose? Make sure to include everything on your list and tell us what your favorite spot is! 🙂