Relaxing Blue Lagoon @ Reykjavik, Iceland

Iceland . 2013 . Nov 24

Icelanders absolutely love their hot bath, and are always ready to hop into it they see one.  It’s little wonder then that the Blue Lagoon is a hot favourite, literally speaking.  Not just among the locals, mind you.  This world famous resort is also popular with tourists.  The Icelanders have cleverly marketed the Blue Lagoon as a convenient 20 mins drive away from Keflavik International Airport.  With frequent schedule trips to and from the airport, the Blue Lagoon is a convenient spot for travellers making a pit stop over at Iceland.

The Blue Lagoon was the first and the last attraction we visited in Iceland, effectively starting and wrapping up our vacation in Iceland.  Yes, we went there twice, once during daylight hours and once in the evening where we got to see (and I was the first to point out) the Northern Lights at the Blue Lagoon.

The Blue Lagoon was our introduction to the way of life of the Icelanders.  It also gave us the first taste of the standard of living in Iceland.  Priced at €35 each for a standard entrance ticket, the Blue Lagoon can hardly qualify as a cheap getaway.  The Blue Lagoon is actually a man-made lagoon, a by-product of the nearby power plant.  In the years that followed, people started bathing in this lagoon and found that it had great effects on their skin.  It wasn’t long before this world class resort was born.

Steaming blue milky waters combined with the mist of a cold winter day gave the Blue Lagoon an ethereal and heavenly feel.  If I must paint a picture of heaven, then this must be it! Soaking in the luke-warm waters is pure bliss, and a romantic getaway for couples.  Completely rejuvenated, my skin felt firm, bouncy and smooth like a new born baby.

Despite visiting this resort twice over a short span of two weeks, the Blue Lagoon gave us a different feeling each time we visited it.  Now we can understand why it is featured in every visitor’s top to-go list.

The temperature at the Blue Lagoon is kept at about 40 degrees Celsius, but on a cold and rainy winter day, this feels hardly sufficient to keep the cold out.  There is however a benefit of visiting during winter - crowds are significantly smaller and the tickets are cheaper.

If you have the time, pay a visit to the non-public pool, a short walk from the entrance of the visitor centre.  Viewed during sunset, this picturesque landscape seemed is just unbelievably and touchingly beautiful.

Tips for visiting the Blue Lagoon

1. Unless you are coming straight from the airport, borrow a towel and a bathrobe (if available) from the hotel you are staying at.  Bring a pair of slippers from home as well.  These accessories are charged at the Blue Lagoon and are paid on top of the standard entrance ticket prices.  You’ll save yourself rental fees of €5 on a towel, €10 on a bathrobe and €8 on slippers!

2. Buy your tickets online.  If you have the intention to purchase a higher end ticket (Comfort and Premium package), you get to shave €2 off the usual price.  Most importantly, the queue for collection of ticket at the Blue Lagoon is substantially shorter.

3. Due to the Blue Lagoon's massive size, the temperatures of its water tend to be inconsistent.  The coolest waters are found at the middle of the pool, and the warmest around the generators - wooden structures found at various places around the lagoon.  Yet, even the waters around these generators cannot compare with the waters between the outdoor Lagoon Bar and Blue Café.  The waters here are so hot, it is scalding.  So if you do not like the temperature, do move around the pool to find a suitable spot for yourself.

4. Look around for the free silica mud mask.  These are located at the wooden platforms near the generators.  I am a skin-care fanatic and even I must agree that this mask is absolutely fantastic.  If it works for you, consider purchasing them at the gift shop at the Blue Lagoon (although we later found that the same item was cheaper online during the Black Friday sale and they ship free internationally).

5. The waters of the Blue Lagoon have a high mineral content and are absolutely beneficial for our skin.  Conversely, the same mineral content is detrimental for our hair.  Therefore, ladies with long hair may want to consider bringing a shower cap.  After the soak, make sure to use the free shampoo in the shower room.   This shampoo is special in removing the minerals in your hair thereby restoring its natural balance.

6. You do not need to brave the cold weather in your swim wear by leaving the warmth of the indoors to walk to the outdoor pool.  There is a heated lap pool indoors which opens up and leads to the outdoor pool.

7. People really do walk around naked in the changing rooms, so for visitors who are shy, there is actually a small room for privacy in each section of the changing room.

8. Last but not least, you might want to bring along some food or sandwich to eat after soaking in the pool. There is a cafe and a restaurant in the Blue Lagoon complex but as like all things Iceland, prices are quite expensive.

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