Vík is the kind of place most people drive through on the way to somewhere else, stop for a photo, and then regret not staying a night. The village itself is small, but within a short drive there are black sand beaches, a sea arch, a cave that looks like a movie character, and a glacier you can walk on with a guide.
What is there to do in Vík?
The best things to do in Vík are walking Reynisfjara beach to see the Reynisdrangar sea stacks, driving up to the Dyrhólaey headland, swimming in the village pool, and taking short trips east to Hjörleifshöfði or west to Sólheimajökull glacier. One full day covers the highlights near the village, and a second day lets you add a guided glacier hike or the walk to the Sólheimasandur plane wreck.
Vík í Mýrdal is a village of about 740 people in the Mýrdalshreppur district on Iceland's south coast. Our Vík town page has the basics, and this guide covers what to do once you are there, from the village outward.
Things to do in Vík village
The village is compact, so most visitors treat it as a base and spend their time on the coast around it. Even so, there is one stop in the village worth planning your evening around.
Vík swimming pool
After a cold day on the beaches, the outdoor pool in Vík is the best hour you can spend in the village. The main pool is about 28–29°C, the children's pool is 37–38°C and the hot tub runs at 40–42°C, and there is also a cold tub and a sauna.
The Vík pool sits below the green slopes behind the village.
The most recent published rate (2025) lists adult entry at 1,500 ISK and 550 ISK for children aged 6–16, so confirm the current price at the desk. The national pool directory lists opening hours of 08:30–20:00 on weekdays and 12:00–18:00 at weekends. Check with the sports center before you go, especially on public holidays.
Reynisfjara beach and the Reynisdrangar sea stacks
Reynisfjara is the black sand beach just west of Vík, between Dyrhólaey and the Reynisfjall mountain, and it faces the Reynisdrangar sea stacks offshore. From the village it is roughly 10 km by road, because you have to drive around the mountain to reach it.
The Reynisdrangar sea stacks stand just off Reynisfjara beach.
This beach is beautiful and also genuinely dangerous. Sneaker waves have caused several deaths here, so stay well above the wet sand, never turn your back on the sea and follow the warning lights by the car park. Swimming is out of the question because of the waves and strong currents.
Since erosion in February 2026, the basalt columns and Hálsanefshellir cave are often cut off by the surf, and both close whenever the red warning is in force. The beach is open all year, but winter storms bring heavier surf. Parking is charged, at around 1,000 ISK for the main car park in the most recent published rate. Read the SafeTravel beach warnings before you go.
Our Reynisfjara beach guide has more on parking and the warning system.
Dyrhólaey headland
Dyrhólaey is a 120 m headland about 5 km west of Vík, reached from Route 1 along Road 218. Its two landmarks are a dark sea arch and a lighthouse from 1927.
The sea arch at Dyrhólaey, about 5 km west of Vík.
There are two car parks, and the walk between the lower one and the lighthouse is about 1.3 km each way. An ordinary car can usually manage the steep gravel road to the upper car park in summer with care, but the upper road is often closed in winter because of ice and wind. There is no entrance fee, though parking is paid through the Parka app.
Timing matters here. Puffins nest in the cliffs from late April to mid-August, and parts of the headland close every spring, usually from about mid-May to late June, to protect nesting birds. During that period the site is open from 9:00 to 19:00 and the upper lighthouse area closes overnight. Our Dyrhólaey headland page has more on the walks.
Loftsalahellir cave
On the way to Dyrhólaey, stop at Loftsalahellir, a small cave on the side of Geitafjall. About 2.5 km from Route 1 on Road 218 there is a small car park on the left, and the cave is under five minutes' walk uphill.
Loftsalahellir frames the lowland toward Reynisfjara.
Farmers of the Mýrdalur district once used it as an assembly place for local meetings. There is no entrance fee listed and no facilities, and the short path can be slippery in winter.
Hjörleifshöfði and the Yoda Cave
East of the village, the Ring Road crosses Mýrdalssandur, and about 15 km from Vík it passes Hjörleifshöfði, a promontory rising out of the sand plain. Inside it is Gígjagjá, better known as the Yoda Cave, because from inside, the outline of the cave mouth looks like the head of Yoda from Star Wars.
From inside Gígjagjá, the cave mouth makes the famous silhouette.
Hjörleifshöfði was a filming location for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The cave takes 15 to 30 minutes, while the loop hike to the top of the promontory takes two to three hours. The short gravel track is normally fine for ordinary cars in good weather, but it can be rough after heavy rain or snow. The land is run by Viking Park, and parking is paid through the EasyPark app or a QR code on site. Read more on the Yoda Cave page.
Day trips west of Vík
The best day trips from Vík run west along Route 1, back toward the waterfalls and glaciers you may have passed on the way in. Each is a short drive, so you can do one in a morning and still be back in Vík for the pool.
Sólheimajökull glacier
Sólheimajökull is a glacier about 21 km from Vík, roughly 4 km down Road 221 from Route 1. From the car park, a flat, easy path reaches the glacier viewpoint in about 10 to 15 minutes each way. Parking is paid through Parka, from ISK 750 per day for a private car in the most recent published rate.
Sólheimajökull is about 21 km west of Vík.
Do not walk onto the ice without a certified guide, because crevasses and unstable ice make it dangerous. If you are staying in Vík, a meet-on-location glacier hike is the easiest option: it lasts 2.5 to 3 hours, starts at Sólheimajökull at 10:45, includes the safety equipment and has a minimum age of 10.
Sólheimasandur plane wreck
The wreck of a US Navy plane lies on the black sand at Sólheimasandur. It came down in November 1973 after both engines failed from icing, and all five crew members survived. The car park is on Route 1, about 27 km west of Vík and 6 km east of Skógar.
The Sólheimasandur plane wreck lies about 4 km from the car park.
You cannot drive to the wreck. The walk is about 4 km each way over flat, exposed sand and takes 40 to 60 minutes in each direction. A shuttle runs daily from the car park, roughly 10:00 to 17:00 depending on daylight, with adult fares from around EUR 25 in the most recent published rate. There is no entry fee, but parking is paid at the car park.
Skógafoss
Skógafoss is roughly 28 km west of Vík, and it is an easy add-on to the plane wreck since both sit near Skógar. The waterfall drops about 60 m, and a staircase of about 527 steps leads to a viewing platform at the top. Since January 2026 the paid car park is about 500 m from the falls, so allow about an hour for the base and the climb.
Best time to visit Vík
Vík is worth visiting all year, but what you can do changes with the season. Summer is the time for puffins at Dyrhólaey (late April to mid-August), although parts of the headland close from about mid-May to late June. In winter the beaches are still open, but the surf at Reynisfjara is heavier and the upper road at Dyrhólaey is often closed.
Wind is the constant on this coast. Check south coast road conditions every morning, especially if you plan to cross Mýrdalssandur to Hjörleifshöfði.
Strong wind also makes the beaches harder work, so look at the Met Office wind forecast before any long walk on the sand.
How long to spend in Vík
One night in Vík is enough for Reynisfjara, Dyrhólaey and the pool. Two nights let you add Hjörleifshöfði, a guided glacier hike and the plane wreck without rushing.
If you want help fitting Vík into a longer route along the south coast, share your available nights and we will build the days around them.
