When planning my second trip to Iceland, I wondered ‘Is the Blue Lagoon worth it?’ and after going, I can confirm that it totally is! So, I want to use this Iceland travel blog to give you my tips for visiting the Blue Lagoon in Iceland!
By far, Iceland’s top tourist attraction, the Blue Lagoon is an icon of Iceland, mainly for its bright blue water, but also because of how easy it is to visit and access from the airport!
Visiting the Blue Lagoon Iceland
In this Iceland travel blog, I’m going to give you all the information you need to know about visiting the Blue Lagoon with lots of tips from entrance fees, luggage storage, what swimwear to bring, towels, changing rooms and more.
Tips for Iceland’s Blue Lagoon
Below is lots of information to help you prepare to visit the Blue Lagoon but here are my top tips:
- Book your tickets in advance.
- For most people, the comfort ticket option is enough.
- Consider queuing times if visiting the Blue Lagoon during Iceland’s peak seasons.
- If you plan to swim elsewhere in Iceland, bring another set of swimwear as the Blue Lagoon makes swimwear feel weird afterwards.
- Remove all jewellery so it doesn’t get funny from the water.
- If you want to try the facemask, there’s no need to come with a lot of makeup on.
- Bring a waterproof camera or case for your phone due to the high Silica content.
- Make use of the included drink as drinks in Iceland are expensive!
- If you plan to eat at the Blue Lagoon, be prepared that the food in the cafe is expensive!
- There is luggage storage, towels are provided and you can even rent swimwear so you don’t have to worry about much!
Best time to visit Icelands Blue Lagoon
What’s great about Iceland is that the weather doesn’t stop many things from being open, including the Blue Lagoon! I visited at the start of February with lots of snow and it was still open!
The Blue Lagoon is hot so it’s perfect for visiting on a cold winter day in Iceland, however, Iceland never gets that hot so the temperature is comfortable all year round.
Related Post – Visiting Iceland in May and June – What it’s Like, Weather & What to Pack!
Blue Lagoon at night
I know a lot of people wonder if you can visit the Blue Lagoon at night and in the dark? Well, the opening times for the Blue Lagoon in Iceland are 1st June – 20th August – 07:00 – midnight and 8:00 am – 10:00 pm – 21st August – 31st May meaning you can visit the Blue Lagoon at night all year round.
But it’s worth keeping in mind the time of year you go. For example, if you want to see the Blue Lagoon in the dark. In winter the daylight hours are very short. My friend went at 9:00 am in February and it was still dark and she watched the sunrise whilst swimming inside the Blue Lagoon!
But in Summer, it barely gets dark so if you go at 9:00 pm you’ll still have light skies and won’t actually see it in the dark!
Can I visit the Blue Lagoon on a tour?
Yes! Another great way to visit the Blue Lagoon if your flight times don’t allow you to visit on your arrival or departure date is to join a tour that includes the Blue Lagoon, that way, if you’re travelling Iceland solo, you’ll have people to go with!
Many tours leaving Reykjavik include a Blue Lagoon visit, you can pair it with the Golden Circle like this or a tour that takes you to nearby Volcanoes like this seen as this is the active corner of Iceland!
Getting to the Blue Lagoon
How to get to the Blue Lagoon in Iceland is super easy! It’s a 20-minute journey from Keflavik Airport, Iceland’s main airport, so the best time to visit the Blue Lagoon is on the first day of your Iceland itinerary or the last day since you’re heading that way to go to the airport, or from the airport.
Blue Lagoon Transport Package
I recommend booking a package directly on the Blue Lagoons website that includes your entrance fee, a bus from the airport and then another bus into Reykjavik city once you finish, or vice versa, a bus from the city and then a bus to the airport to get your flight.
A Blue Lagoon branded bus will pick you up from the airport/city at a set time, take you to the Blue Lagoon and then you’ll have another bus arranged at a set time to take you to the city/airport. It’s really easy!
If you wish to add transport, it will cost 7990 ISK (3995 ISK each way) on top of your entrance fee ticket which at the time of writing is £46.00 / €53.00 / $58.00 USD. Children under 13 travel free.
Entrance Fee to Blue Lagoon
There are a range of entrance fee options and they depend on 3 things:
- You can choose entrance into the Blue Lagoon only or the Blue Lagoon and Spa
- For Blue Lagoon entry you can choose 2 packages – Comfort & Premium
- The fee depends on the time slot you book
The cheapest entrance fee to the Blue Lagoon is 11,490 ISK which at the time of writing this post is £66.00 / €77.00 / $83.00 USD and can be bought at certain times of the day when choosing the Comfort Admission.
Different Ticket Options for Blue Lagoon
There are 2 ticket/packages for entry into the Blue Lagoon – Comfort & Premium.
What’s the difference between Comfort and Premium tickets for the Blue Lagoon?
To be honest, not much. The main difference is you get a second drink included with the Premium ticket which can be a soft drink or alcoholic.
You’ll also get 2 more different face mask options however you already get 1 included in the comfort price so you have to think.. will you actually try all 3?
The last difference is being given a bathrobe in addition to a towel. However, the walk from the changing rooms to the entrance of the pool is very short and all inside so it’s not like you need a bathrobe.
I’d say the main deciding factor is whether you think you’ll want a second drink whilst in the pool.
Do I need to book Blue Lagoon tickets in advance?
I’d say yes! Especially if there’s a set time you need to visit because of getting a flight or getting off a flight as your preferred time might be booked up.
If you are roadtripping around Iceland with a car or van and have more flexibility, outside of peak times, it’s not essential to pre-book, as long as you are flexible with when you enter.
Luggage Storage at Blue Lagoon
Can you store suitcases at the Blue Lagoon?? YES! The Blue Lagoon, much like most of Iceland is fully set up for tourists and they have thought of everything!
When visiting the Blue Lagoon, As you get off the bus that drops you off, right next to the Blue Lagoon sign is a room for luggage. It costs 800 ISK per bag (£5 / €5 / $6 USD at the time of writing) to leave a suitcase/bag there. And even if you have a carry-on case, you’ll need to leave it as the lockers in the changing room will not fit a carry-on case.
The payment for luggage storage, as with everything in Iceland, can be paid by card so don’t worry about having cash on you. In fact, Iceland is generally a cashless society these days.
Make sure you plan ahead and have your swimwear and toiletries at the top of your suitcase to easily take out, or in your hand luggage bag.
How long do you need at the Blue Lagoon?
The Blue Lagoon website suggests spending 3 hours at the Blue Lagoon which is a good amount of time once you’ve walked to the entrance, queued for entry (in some cases, at popular times of the year and day, queues can be very big!), navigated the changing rooms and got yourself into the pool.
I’d advise that you need at least 1 hour 30 minutes minimum there so you have 20 minutes to enter and get ready, 40 minutes to swim and another 20 minutes or so to get changed and back to where the bus picks you up from.
What’s included at the Blue Lagoon?
You might be wondering what do you do at the Blue Lagoon? Well, apart from swimming around in the warm blue water, there are a few things to do at the Blue Lagoon that are included.
Firstly, get a mud mask! Once you’re swimming inside the lagoon, you’ll see a hut which is where you swim up to to get the face masks from! Everyone has a mask included in their package, however, if you got the Premium package, you’ll have 3 masks to choose from instead of 1.
When I was there, the staff made an announcement that story time would start soon and told everyone to get into the corner near the mask hut. Iceland loves a story about its Trolls and Elves and this story was no different. It was great to hear a story about the building of the Blue Lagoon and how the mythical creatures of Iceland (which many Icelanders believe in!) had to give permission!
There’s also a swim-up bar in the pool. This can get quite busy because everyone gets 1 drink included so plan enough time to queue here if it’s busy. All the drinks served there are included as the 1 drink option whether it’s alcoholic or not. I had a blue slushie which was super nice!
If the lagoon is busy and you want some quiet, relaxation time. At the back, is a silent pool area, definitely good if you’re visiting Iceland solo and the Blue Lagoon solo and don’t want to be surrounded by groups chatting in the main pool.
Can you rent swimwear at the Blue Lagoon?
Yes! Forgotten your swimwear or didn’t plan to visit the Blue Lagoon?? You can rent swimwear from the Blue Lagoon and it’s actually not too expensive at 800 ISK (£5 / €5 / $6 USD at the time of writing)
Can you take water bottles into the Blue Lagoon?
Yes, you can take a water bottle into the pool and it is a good idea if you think you might get hot and want to stay hydrated. There are ledges you can put your bottle on however the lagoon is very big and you’ll probably be swimming about.
I took my bottle to start with but then realised I was ok without it. The best thing about the Blue Lagoon is that it’s easy to go from the pool back into the changing rooms (and not cold thanks to the indoor tunnel!) so if you take a bottle and change your mind, you can go back to your locker easily.
Can I take my phone into the Blue Lagoon?
You may be confident in putting your phone in water, especially an iPhone that you know is waterproof to a certain depth, however, the water in the Blue Lagoon is not like a normal swimming pool or natural pool in Iceland.
The water is 70% ocean water and 30% fresh water with a high rate of Silica and I believe it’s this Silica that although good for our skin, causes issues with phones, hair and swimwear (more on those below!).
So yes, you can take your phone inside the Blue Lagoon, this is allowed, however, I really wouldn’t put it inside the water, you’ll need to keep it above the water level.
The best option is to bring a waterproof pouch to easily take photos and then it can go inside the water.
However as mentioned above, it’s really easy to pop from the pool to the changing rooms. I took my phone out for 10 minutes, took some photos and videos and then put it back in my locker so I didn’t have to worry about it and this was a good option.
Can you drink inside the Blue Lagoon?
There is a swim-up pool inside the Blue Lagoon which is really cool so you can drink inside the Blue Lagoon and this is where you get the drink included in your package. However, something I found interesting and a good tip for visiting the Blue Lagoon in Iceland is that they have a maximum alcoholic drink purchase.
Once in the pool, you purchase all drinks (except the 1-2 that are included) using your wrist band and then you pay for them at the end however I believe it’s a maximum of 3 alcoholic drinks you can get whilst in there which your wrist band tracks.
Are Towels included at the Blue Lagoon?
Yes! Whether you choose the comfort package or premium package, towels are included at the Blue Lagoon in Iceland.
Is modest swimwear allowed inside Iceland’s Blue Lagoon?
Yes! I emailed them to check before visiting although I knew many Muslims who had been and worn modest swimwear. They advised me it is fine to wear modest swimwear at the Blue Lagoon however just to note that the water is warm and wearing something fully covering may cause the body temperature to heat up a bit more.
In fact, on their website, they say you can wear a T-shirt and shorts inside the pool over swimwear so in the summer, if you are concerned about your skin being on show for sun reasons, you can wear a T-shirt to cover.
Will my swimwear be ruined after being in the Blue Lagoon?
Not ruined but mine and everyone I went with got quite crusty and felt weird even after rinsing it in the shower. It needs a proper wash to get back to normal.
If you plan to swim elsewhere in Iceland after the Blue Lagoon like the Sky Lagoon or one of the local geothermal pools in Iceland, if you have the room, I’d bring a second set of swimwear to wear although it’s not a big deal if you don’t.
Can I have my hair down in the Blue Lagoon?
The Blue Lagoon advises you to tie your hair up because of the silica which can make it feel funny afterwards.
Plenty of ladies have their hair down and lots get it wet but be mindful that if you do, you’ll need to give it a good wash or two to get it back to normal.
Are there bags for wet swimwear at the Blue Lagoon?
Yes! Don’t worry about wet swimwear because the Blue Lagoon provides eco-friendly plastic bags to put your swimwear in afterwards. There isn’t a drying machine unfortunately so leave a space in your luggage for this bag of wet swimwear after your time visiting the Blue Lagoon.
Are there private changing rooms at the Blue Lagoon?
One of the things you may have heard about Iceland is that Icelanders are not afraid of getting changed in front of each other and showering naked around each other, unlike some more conservative Europeans!
Yes, there is a private changing room at the Blue Lagoon (at least in the female changing rooms). As you walk into the changing rooms there are about 15 different changing areas down a corridor, each has about 20 lockers and a bench in the middle and each of these areas has 1 private changing room.
So there are not a lot of private changing rooms and you will probably have to wait but thanks to lots of small changing areas it is quite private and there is 1 individual private room in each changing area.
Do you have to shower naked before entering the Blue Lagoon?
Technically yes, before going into pools in Iceland you need to remove your swimwear (or not have put it on yet) and shower without swimwear.
The Blue Lagoon showers are cubicles (unlike some of the more local geothermal pools where it’s just an open shower room) so there is privacy to shower.
However, you’ll notice that most tourists just go into the shower with their swimwear on and shower with the swimwear on just moving pieces to the side so all the body is wet.
I was wearing modest swimwear so I showered with this on so it was all wet and my skin was wet too and none of the staff questioned it when walking out.
Can you go to the Blue Lagoon when pregnant?
The Blue Lagoon does not advise against going inside the Blue Lagoon when pregnant. The temperature of the water is between 37° and 40°C (98°-104°F) and personally, it did not feel really hot, more like luke-warm.
I know many women avoid hot water when pregnant like hot tubs but the temperature is not as much as a hot tub and therefore from the reviews I read, pregnant women do feel comfortable in the Blue Lagoon.
What food is served at the Blue Lagoon?
Before or after your swim at the Blue Lagoon you can enjoy food and drinks in the Blue Cafe which is more relaxed, or the Lava Restaurant which is more formal.
Either way, be warned that food is expensive here so if you plan to grab some lunch or a snack after swimming from their cafe, you will have to pay quite a bit of money for a simple salad or sandwich.
How to get to the city from the Blue Lagoon?
It’s about a 50-minute journey from the Blue Lagoon to Reykjavik city. You can book a bus to take you and pick you up from the Blue Lagoon at a designated time to and from the city like this:
How to get to the airport from the Blue Lagoon?
It’s about a 20-minute journey from the Blue Lagoon to Keflavik Airport. Taxis are waiting outside of the Blue Lagoon most of the time, so if you are short on time before catching your flight a taxi is a good option. A cheaper option though is to book a bus in advance at a designated time. Buses like this can take you to the airport from the Blue Lagoon.
Blue Lagoon vs Sky Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon has been the top swimming location in Iceland for tourists for many years but recently, it got a competitor – the Sky Lagoon!
To be honest, both the Sky Lagoon and Blue Lagoon offer a different experience in a different setting so it is worth going to them both, however, the one thing they have in common is a high entry price so you might feel like you only can/want to pay for one.
The other thing they have in common is being close to the airport making them easy to fit into your Iceland itinerary. You can also book a transfer from the Airport to the Sky Lagoon like this including admission!
Despite how hyped-up the Blue Lagoon has been, I still really enjoyed it. I think if it is busier it might not be as enjoyable and if you come with an ‘Instagram view’ of it and super high expectations, you may be slightly disappointed, but if you don’t you’ll enjoy it!
I was personally more disappointed by the Sky Lagoon but when I went, the weather wasn’t good so there was no view to enjoy, the pool was smaller and we did the 7-step ritual which includes the sauna and spa but there was a queue to get in, full once in and didn’t feel particularly relaxing.
I have heard from other people that they loved the Sky Lagoon though!
I hope these tips for Iceland’s Blue Lagoon have been helpful!
- For more of my blog posts see:
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