Sunday, December 16, 2012

Iceland - South Coast

This year, we went to Iceland in late October / early November. It's actually a great time to visit. The crowds are smaller, and the weather, while cold, is appropriate for the dramatic landscape. There are some beautiful things to be seen along Iceland's South coast. 

We arrived in Reykjavík early, and made the drive to the Eastern side of the island in the same day. Our first destination was Jökulsárlón. It's a glacial lagoon that is unlike anything else in the world. It's a lake full of large ice chunks from Vatnajökull. The nearby black sands beaches are beautiful and are covered in small blocks of ice. 
















The next location was directly outside of VikDyrhólaey is a black sand beach and features enormous rock outcroppings.






The south coast has many waterfalls, including Skógafoss and SeljalandsfossSkógafoss is enormous and dramatic. Seljalandsfoss has a small path that runs behind it that lets you view it from both front and back.







Besides these main tourist destinations, the South Coast itself is beautiful. Flat and sparse in some areas, as well as mountainous and rugged in others, the Ring Road is a sightseeing tour worth taking.







Soon, I'll include features on the Golden Circle and the North country.