Reynisfjara Beach

About Reynisfjara Beach

Reynisfjara is the black sand beach just west of Vík í Mýrdal on Iceland's south coast, and part of the Katla UNESCO Global Geopark. It lies on private land between the Dyrhólaey promontory to the west and the mountain Reynisfjall, whose headland ends in the Reynisdrangar sea stacks rising out of the surf. On clear days you can also see Eyjafjallajökull from the beach.

The features most people come for are at the eastern end below Reynisfjall: the stepped basalt columns and the Hálsanefshellir cave. Access to them has changed. In February 2026, weeks of strong easterly winds and heavy surf stripped away sand and a landslide came down from Reynisfjall's southern slope. Much of the sand had returned by March, but the columns now often sit much closer to the waves, and the cave is frequently cut off by the sea. Both are closed whenever the red warning is in force, so do not expect to reach them.

The beach itself is dangerous. Sneaker waves, which run much further up the sand than the waves before them, have caused at least five deaths between 2007 and 2024 and another in August 2025. A wave forecast linked to warning lights by the car park and path shows the hazard level; yellow means take care, and red means stay off the lower beach entirely. Never turn your back on the sea, keep well above the wet sand and do not go into the water.

The beach is open all year. Parking is charged, around 1,000 ISK at the main car park, and the fee covers use of the toilets. South Coast day tours from Reykjavík stop here, often together with Vík, Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss.