Iceland hot springs

Reykjafjarðarlaug

Reykjafjarðarlaug is a geothermal pool right beside Route 63 at the head of Reykjafjörður, a small side fjord of Arnarfjörður in the Westfjords. You see it from the road: a full-size pool of warm water with the fjord in front and steep mountainsides behind. Just above the main pool, a smaller natural hot spring pool sits almost hidden in the hillside. Geothermal water keeps the site warm all year, and there's a simple changing room next to the swimming pool. The Reykjafjarðarlaug hot pool is about 20 km, or 20 minutes, east of Bíldudalur and about 40 km from Dynjandi waterfall, so it fits easily into a drive between the two. From Reykjavík it's a long day of roughly 350 km. Bring your own towel, pack out all your trash and leave the pools as you found them. Plan on 30 minutes to an hour, longer if you have the natural pool to yourself. In winter, check the official road-conditions map before you drive, since conditions on the mountain roads around Arnarfjörður can change quickly.

Skógarböðin

Forest Lagoon (Skógarböðin) is a geothermal spa in Vaðlaskógur forest on the east shore of Eyjafjörður, about 5 minutes' drive from Akureyri in North Iceland. It opened in May 2022, and its hot water comes from a spring that engineers hit while boring the Vaðlaheiðargöng road tunnel nearby. The setting is the draw: birch trees on one side and Akureyri across the fjord on the other. On clear winter nights the northern lights sometimes show over the water, while in June the evenings stay light until closing. There are two pools, both 125 cm deep. The main pool runs at about 37 to 39°C and the smaller, quieter one at 39 to 41°C, with two swim-up bars between them. Next to the Finnish dry sauna (about 80°C) is a cold pool of around 12°C, and Skógur Bistro serves light meals with a fireplace and a view over the fjord. The Forest Lagoon sits just off Route 1 by the western mouth of the tunnel. A free shuttle runs from the harbor in summer and from the town center year-round, with priority for lagoon ticket holders, and the ride takes under 10 minutes. That short hop makes it one of the easiest things to fit into an Akureyri cruise stop. In 2026, the basic Warm ticket is 7,490 ISK, and packages with a towel and drinks start at 10,150 ISK. Children aged 6 to 15 pay 3,790 ISK, children 5 and under go free, and towel rental is 1,400 ISK. Only Icelandic krónur are accepted on site. Forest Lagoon opens every day from 10:00 to midnight, with the last booking at 22:30 and everyone out of the water by 23:30. Book online, since walk-ins only get in if there is space, and plan on about 2 hours. Under-16s need an adult guardian, and children under 12 are not allowed in after 20:00.

Vök Baths

Vök Baths is a geothermal spa on Lake Urriðavatn in East Iceland, just northwest of Egilsstaðir, and its two floating pools out on the lake are the only ones in the country. They are named vakir, after the holes that hot springs melt in the lake ice, and on a cold evening steam drifts off them while the lake around them stays cold. The water comes from natural hot springs with no chlorine or other chemicals added. Besides the floating pools there is a main pool on shore, a steam bath, a cold mist tunnel and a cold plunge, and you can also dip straight into the lake. The pools run at 37–42°C and are no deeper than 1.2 meters, while an in-water bar, a tea bar with local herbal tea and Vök Bistro cover drinks and food. Vök is 500 meters from Route 1, about a five-minute drive from central Egilsstaðir. It is roughly three and a half hours by car from Akureyri, and Hengifoss and Stuðlagil canyon are each within about an hour's drive, so it fits neatly into a Ring Road day in the east. There are eight EV charging stations, and a wheelchair that can be used to enter the pools is available. Adult entry (16+) is 7,690 ISK, or 8,690 ISK with a towel. Ages 6 to 15 pay 3,590 ISK, under-6s enter free, and students, seniors 67+ and disabled visitors pay 5,290 ISK, while a towel or swimsuit rents for 1,390 ISK. Under-16s must be with a parent, and since tickets are limited per entry time, book ahead: from June 1 to August 31 walk-ins are not accepted. From June 15 to September 15, Vök Baths opens daily 10:00–23:00, and the rest of the year 12:00–22:00, with last entry 45 minutes before closing. Allow two hours or so. In winter, a clear night adds the chance of northern lights over the lake.