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8 Unusual Iceland Points of Interest

ViaHero

May 17, 2018

If you’re taking a road trip around Iceland’s Ring Road, where should you stop? If you’ve got limited time, you need to make a plan so that you don’t miss the best places. These are the eight Iceland points of interest that you cannot miss on your road trip.

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1. Silfra Fissure

This tear between the Eurasian and European tectonic plates is growing little by little and literally ripping Iceland apart (though it will take centuries to do so). Today, you can hike alongside or snorkel or SCUBA in it. This Iceland point of interest is located inside Thingvellir National Park where you can also go horseback riding, fishing, and more.

2. Gullfoss Waterfall

If you’re lucky enough to visit Gullfoss on a sunny day, you’ll see gushing golden water falling 32 meters into a canyon with a beautiful calm rainbow above it. It’s mother nature at her finest. If it’s raining or snowing, you might not see that rainbow, but it’s still one of the most gorgeous waterfalls in Iceland.

Rainbow at Gullfoss. Photo Credit: Blue Delliquanti

3. United States Navy DC-3 Wreckage

In November 1973, a US Navy plane made an emergency landing in an isolated part of Iceland. Everyone onboard survived. The plane was abandoned and left to decay right where it crash landed. You’ll have to hike a bit to find it, but it’s an incredible spot to see and take photographs of modern technology and nature clashing.

4. Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon

Get up close and personal with a glacier in this glacial lagoon. Massive icebergs float across the water and tour boats cruise among them daily. In the winter, you can also tour the ice caves on guided hikes. Because the ice is always moving and unpredictable to the untrained eye, you need to do these activities on a tour with a guide who knows how to avoid dangerous situations.

5. Hallormsstaður Forest

Iceland’s largest forest is an inviting place to camp for a few nights. Because there’s very little forest in Iceland, this area is treasured and well-protected. It’s an arboretum where you can learn about 80 tree species that thrive in Iceland and is critical to reforestation efforts in Iceland. The numerous hiking trails wind through the forest to give you a totally different view of Iceland compared to the flat, desolate landscapes you’ll encounter along much of the Ring Road.

6.Myvatn

This massive geothermal area offers a wide variety of activities that suit both the adventurous and those who prefer to quietly observe. You could soak in the natural baths, drive around Lake Myvatn, hike the Dimmuborgir lava formations, ride Icelandic horses, and/or cycle the Höfði Peninsula.

7. Blue Lagoon

Iceland’s most-visited lagoon is popular for a reason: it’s beautiful and easy to reach. Soak in the baths as a stop on your road trip or hit them up on your way to or from the airport. Just make sure that you make reservations in advance.

8. Eyjafjallajökull

The cap of this beautiful glacier covers a volcano of the same name. It’s the volcano that erupted numerous times over a span of ten weeks in 2010. Take a tour of the area and learn all about the effects of the recent eruption and when the volcano might erupt again.

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