Breiðavík Beach (Westfjords)
About Breiðavík Beach (Westfjords)
Breiðavík is a wide bay with a long beach of pale golden sand on the Látrabjarg peninsula in the southern Westfjords, about 15 minutes' drive from the Látrabjarg bird cliffs. The name means Broad Bay, and the beach runs between two steep, flat-topped mountains.
What sets Breiðavík apart from the black-sand beaches of the south is the color and the scale. The wind has carried sand far up the slopes at both ends of the bay, so the mountainsides there look dusted in gold. Behind the beach sit a farm, a small church and a summer campsite, and not much else.
To get to Breiðavík, follow Route 612 west from the Patreksfjörður area, over the mountain pass from Örlygshöfn and down into the bay. The drive from Patreksfjörður takes about an hour, much of it on gravel, and a regular car is fine in summer. Park near the church or the farm and walk down to the sand.
Most people stop at Breiðavík on the way to or from Látrabjarg, and an hour on the beach is enough for a good walk. June to August is the best time to visit, when the road is in its best shape and the puffins are nesting on the cliffs nearby. The water is cold and the bay is open to the ocean, so this is a beach for walking, not swimming.
Day tours that visit Breiðavík Beach (Westfjords)
Browse all day tours →
Good to know
Where is Breiðavík beach?
Breiðavík is on the Látrabjarg peninsula in the southern Westfjords, on Route 612 about 15 minutes' drive from the Látrabjarg cliffs. It is roughly an hour west of Patreksfjörður.
How do you get to Breiðavík?
Drive Route 612 west from the Patreksfjörður area and cross the mountain pass from Örlygshöfn, which drops down into the bay. Much of the road is gravel, so take it slowly.
Is Breiðavík a golden sand beach?
Yes. Breiðavík has pale golden sand instead of the black sand found on most Icelandic beaches, and wind has blown it up the slopes at both ends of the bay.
Can you camp at Breiðavík?
Yes, there is a campsite at the farm behind the beach, open in summer. Facilities are seasonal, so check ahead if you plan to stay outside the summer months.
How far is Breiðavík from Látrabjarg?
Breiðavík is about 13 kilometers from the Látrabjarg cliffs, around 15 minutes by car on Route 612. Many visitors stop at the beach on the same day.
Can you swim at Breiðavík?
Swimming is not recommended. The water is cold all year and the bay is open to the Atlantic, so treat it as a beach for walking.
Trip planning — free, no commitment
Put Breiðavík Beach (Westfjords) on your route
Tell us your dates, pace and can’t-miss list — a local planner builds the route, stays and tours around it, and stays a text away while you travel.