South Coast

From dramatic waterfalls to dainty beaches, otherworldly formations to quiescent glaciers, the South Coast of Iceland is packed with some of the most valuable marvels on the far side of the world. Here, the contradicting geography is more evident than anywhere else in the region. While the jagged land comes to a halt at the waterfront, a bitter icecap cuts through the moss-covered sheer hills and plains. It gives way to heart-stopping scenery.

Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls dazzle with their immensity, fixed between colossal cliffs. They offer quite a spectacle in daylight with rainbows and fluorescent colors. Take a walk around, and seek the cave where the Viking settlers of the time hid their treasures. In the Skógar folk museum, you will have a chance to experience life as it was in the old days. Pick up the adventure in Reynisfjara, a fantasy beach of coal-black sands bolstered by the quaint stacks of Reynisdrangar seaward. To the inland, tumbling basalt rocks contour the beach and compose a scene so rare that you won’t be able to keep your camera off. Reynisfjara has a mystic vibe unlike anywhere else in Iceland, best felt when the air fills with mist and the crowds are scarce.

When you think it can’t get any better, the wild coast amazes with the silvery Eyjafjallajökull glacier covering a volcanic massif. The site is literally where fire and ice coalesce into a single landform in enticing harmony. Come in the right time and watch the fluorescent colors of the northern lights hover above the mountain. The South Coast offers a pinch of everything that earns Iceland its much-deserved appeal.