Iceland is the most magical country I’ve ever travelled to. The sights are unbelievable, and if you get a bit emotional, they’re likely to bring at least a small tear to your eye. The country is unlike any other and going to Iceland has the potential to change your life, for the better. Make this your next destination and you won’t regret it.
If you live in the city, or a smaller town that never gives you peace of mind or time alone with your thoughts, you might not have ever experienced the comfort of quiet and seclusion. Though it might not be what you’re used to, it might be exactly what you need to find contentment. Hikes in the Icelandic highlands, or at the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve give you only the smaller sounds of nature. Visit the town of Djupivogur, Iceland’s first town to embrace the ‘Slow Movement’, a trend that teaches against the killer speed most of us move along. Slow down your heart rate and give yourself the quiet and rest your body has been craving.
When going to Iceland, make sure to visit the black sand beach of Vik. It is unlike any beach I’d ever seen. Whilst the warm, seaside resorts of the Maldives or the Bahamas might seem like the dream, sitting on the black sand beach and climbing the rock formations gives you an appreciation for a unique kind of beauty. The beach is formed from basalt lava, so the floor is literally lava. What a way to live out your childhood dreams.
The weather in Iceland isn’t always stellar, but a trip to the Blue Lagoon Geothermal Spa will make you forget that and possibly any other worry you’ve ever had. If you doubt the existence of God, the thermal waters will give you an enlightening spiritual experience that will make you feel closer to Heaven than you’ve ever felt before. The beauty and the healing properties (and mud) of the spa really will change your life for the better.
You might be used to spending hours scouring travel websites for deals on the lushest hotels or Airbnbs, but when you’ve spent a few days in Iceland, you’ll realise that relaxing in your hotel room is nothing compared to everything there is to do in the great outdoors. As long as you’ve got clean sheets and a working loo, don’t worry about a cute hotel room. Sit under the mesmerizing Arctic night canopy instead, and hope you’ll see the celestial Aurora Borealis, more commonly known as the Northern Lights; if you manage to catch them, you’ll definitely have had the experience of a lifetime.
Now I’m strictly a humanities student but the science behind the movement of the Pingvellir Tectonic Plates even got me hyped. Walking between two continents isn’t only fun for geology lovers. The Geysir Hot Spring Area and Strokkur might smell a bit sulfur-y (aka eggy) but the erupting geyser, which erupts as a result of built pressure under hot bedrock, is truly a sigh to behold, and is a free sight in the Haukadalur geothermal area.
Walking behind waterfalls like Seljalandsfoss is only one of the few truly magnificent things to experience in Iceland. The country is not overly touristy, leaving more than enough room for a wholesome appreciation of the natural wonders that reside there. Ice climb like a queen or king, witness other waterfalls like Gulfoss, Gooafoss or the beast that is Skogafoss. Go whale watching, and visit the puffins on Akurey and Lundey to see mammals and birds out of the ordinary.
Have a completely atypical adventure going to Iceland, and let the country change your life. Haven’t you booked your flight yet?
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