12 Things to Know Before Visiting the Blue Lagoon in Iceland

When you go to Iceland, there’s one spot that nearly every tourist visits…the Blue Lagoon. Yes, there are better, hotter, less expensive hot springs to swim, but the Blue Lagoon just has the atmosphere. Plus the convenience of locker rooms, a restaurant, a swim-up bar, and silica mud masks don’t hurt either. In any case, if you’re going to Iceland, I’d recommend checking it out. Without further ado, here are the important things to know before visiting the Blue Lagoon!

1 | Pre-booking is required

Honestly, don’t even bother showing up without a booking. The Blue Lagoon is incredibly popular, so please book in advance! There are standard packages (what I got) ranging up to fancier ones which included a robe, drink, towel etc.

2 | Combine with your arrival or departure

The Blue Lagoon is located close to Keflavik airport, so it makes sense to hop in on your way to or from the airport. I personally landed around 8AM, so booked my Flybus directly to the Blue Lagoon. After sitting on an overnight flight, it was absolutely the perfect way to unwind and welcome myself to Iceland. If your flight time coming in doesn’t work, try combining with your departure. The Blue Lagoon has locker rooms and showers, so you’ll be clean and relaxed for your flight home!

3 | Luggage storage is available

If you’re coming to or from the airport, this becomes incredibly helpful. The luggage storage is in the parking area; you get a ticket for your bag, and return the ticket to get your bag back.

4 | Bring your swimsuit (duh!)

This should seem like an obvious one, but if you’re coming off a red-eye flight, nothing is obvious anymore. Maybe it’s just me, but I definitely struggle when I miss a night of sleep. In any case, it’s super helpful to have a small Blue Lagoon bag tucked inside your luggage for easy access. Make sure to include the essentials like your swimsuit, towel, flip flops, brush, a change of clothes, and any shower items you might want!

5 | Don’t lose your magical wristband

Upon arrival at the Blue Lagoon, you receive a wristband that is your key to everything at the Blue Lagoon. It unlocks your locker, buys drinks, and basically acts as an in-water credit card. So don’t worry about carrying around your wallet. Do keep a good hold on your wristband though…they’ll charge you if you lose it!

6 | You have to get naked first

Before you hop into the Blue Lagoon, you need to take a naked shower before putting on your swimsuit. There are plenty of clean showers with frosted glass in the locker room. Plus, the showers have shower gel and conditioner so you’ll be nice and clean! You can use them on the way out too to clean up, and yes, there are hair driers.

7 | Condition your hair

Ladies, I’m not playing with this one. The silica in the water will absolutely wreak havoc with your hair; it will be stiff and downright unpleasant. The best way to avoid this is to slather your hair with conditioner (complimentary in the locker room) and leave it in your hair while in the lagoon. You could also wear a shower cap, but that makes your pictures significantly less cute, so I went with the conditioned bun look and just rinsed my hair afterward. Seemed like the conditioner worked just fine!

8 | Wear sunglasses and sunscreen

First off, the water is incredibly reflective, so I definitely opted for some sunnies to shade my eyes. Also, the Blue Lagoon recommends that you don’t go in with contacts, but I’m basically blind without mine, so I was hoping the sunglasses would protect them…worked for me! Also, I know the idea of wearing sunscreen while it’s freezing out sounds ridiculous to some, but just trust me here, I saw many sunburned people. Don’t let that be you.

9 | Bring a waterproof camera

Trust me, you’re going to want to take pictures in and around the Blue Lagoon. I brought my waterproof camera in with me (the  Olympus TG-4), and it worked perfectly. If you don’t have a waterproof camera, I’d recommend investing in a waterproof phone case or even a cheap dry bag.

10| Visit the Silica Mud Mask Bar

These mud masks are included in every ticket, even the standard entrance. I definitely wasn’t expecting this and felt like I was at a spa. The mask makes your skin super smooth, so naturally I smothered myself in it…twice!

11| Give yourself plenty of time

This is especially important if you’re going before your flight. The last thing you want is to rush through the experience. Depending on what you want to do, save time for massages (book ahead!), eating, showering before and after, and even checking in and out. The lines can get long during peak times.

12| Come no matter the weather

Even if it is frigid outside, the water in the lagoon is nice and toasty! It usually runs 98-104 degrees, which feels just about perfect. The day I went was in the low 50s and it even started raining, but it was still an awesome time. There are definitely areas warmer than others (usually toward the edges), so I 100% migrated there.

Logistics

Cheap flights to Reykjavik: I’d recommend checking out Momondo. They scan tons of different travel discount sites and let you filter by cheapest, best, and shortest. You can typically find good flights on IcelandAir and WOW Air.

Where to Stay in Reykjavik: For higher end hotels, look into Hotel Ódinsvé—the hotel has an awesome location downtown. For a mid-range option, I’d recommend Hotel Frón; this hotel is also centrally located and even has kitchen facilities in the apartments.  If you’re looking to avoid hotels and go the hostel route, I recommend checking out Hostelworld – there are plenty of options in Reykjavik! My personal hostel recommendation is Loft Hostel.  You have an amazing location in the heart of the city, and I absolutely loved the ambiance of the common area/bar and outside terrace. If you’re traveling with friends, another good option here is to do an Airbnb. (Use my link for savings on your first stay!)

More Resources on Iceland: For more awesome guides on Iceland by yours truly, check out my guide to Iceland’s Golden Circle, what to see on Iceland’s South Coast, top photo spots in Reykjavik, and the ultimate foodie’s guide to Reykjavik.

And there you have it, the top things to know before visiting the Blue Lagoon. Have you visited the Blue Lagoon? What are your tips for visiting?

P.S. This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and make a purchase, I might make a little extra spending money, at no extra cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own.