Iceland is by far my favorite place I have went. It was my sister and I, and there were moments that challenged us. Throughout the trip, unexpected things kept happening to us which chucked away at our positivity, but we got through it! We ended the trip on a really good note and with everything that happened, we were very lucky in the end. I definitely recommend Iceland and going with someone close and dear to you makes it so much better.
We went in the winter time, during "off-season", so it supposedly wasn't as crowded as it gets during the summer. However, I really don't believe their is an off-season for Iceland since it's beautiful all year round and you'll always see other tourists. If you can stand the cold go to Iceland when it becomes a beautiful wonderland.
The trip with all it's ups and downs have taught me a lot about the country and these are some tips i'd recommend if you are planning on going as well!
Obviously these do not need to be followed to a T, but a little guideline for my favorite country.
1). Rent a car and road trip.
Public transportation doesn't exist in Iceland. Also, Reykjavik is incredible, but so is the rest of Iceland. You need a car to see those excellent places. Also, Iceland has their famous Ring of Fire. It's a highway that goes around the entire island so you can see all of Iceland.
2). Budget for the trip.
Iceland is expensive. Plan a budget and be prepared. Be realistic, and you don't need to have crazy amounts of money saved. However, if you plan on staying in accommodation, eating out, and driving around everywhere, money needs to be budgeted. All of those things were a bit pricey and bit into our budget the most. Chi and I also cooked and bought a bunch of stuff, but still expensive (I remember a small box of strawberries being 7-8$).
3). Plan (a little).
I'm always up for trips with a loose itinerary. There are pros and cons to this which I can go into detail in another post, but! Iceland needs a bit of planning especially if you want to stay at hotels, hostels or Airbnb. Iceland's tourism has been increasing, but the majority of the population lives in Reykjavik. The decrease in population means when you start heading away from the city; gas stations get further away from each other as well as places to stay. During the summer places get booked up fast, so start booking your stay now! One of my favorite places to book is booking.com.
4). Camp.
I can't tell people enough that Iceland is crazy beautiful. If you are adamant about staying indoors, then this tip isn't for you. If you love the outdoors and don't mind camping, do it in Iceland. There's no better place. Even car camping would be spectacular. The air is so crisp during the winter time, but cold. Be prepared for that. The remarkable thing is there are so many places to camp, and it makes your trip more flexible when the weather gets a little crazy. Which will bring us to...
5). Iceland weather is unpredictable.
You should always expect the worse for weather, because more likely than not, you will be experiencing it. At least one time during your trip. The thing about Icelandic weather is that is it constantly changing. Five minutes will be the clearest, sunniest skies you have ever seen and then the next second you're in a white blizzard not being able to see more than a few feet in front of you. It happens. If you are planning things that are reliable on the weather, just be aware of that. When Chi and I went snorkeling, it had to be canceled a few times due to inclement weather.
6). Talk to the locals.
I always thought people were nicer where the sun shines warmly along a beach, but Iceland disproves that. The people I have met in this country, especially in the countryside, were the nicest that improved the quality of this trip ten-fold. They would genuinely go out of the way to help us. It reminded me of being back in Spain and proved to me even more that travel is all about the people.
7). Check out the nightlife.
Reykjavik has a dope bar scene that is bustling at night. People, there are not shy of dancing, and the drinks are well made. They are a bit expensive, but alcohol in Iceland just is due to tax reasons. I read that during the winter the tax for alcohol goes up. You can have fun not getting completely plastered (unless that's your goal), and get #6 out of the way as well. The nightlife is a great scene to mingle, and chances are people are from all over the world.
8). Go to Blue Lagoon.
Now I know there are so many blogs out there shitting on Blue Lagoon calling it a "tourist trap," and it is, but for a reason. The pristine aquamarine water, lagoon side bar, and friendly tourists make it a fun spot. It isn't the cheapest option when there are free thermal baths all over Iceland, but I made some really good friends there that are from France even to some Californians.
9). Go to the country.
Since our trip was during the winter, some parts of Iceland were not going to be accessible to us via our type of rental car (we got a cute little gas friendly Suzuki, but we were able to go to the west fjords. Definitely worth the visit, and it's great getting a sense of real Icelandic life being surrounded by the houses, docks, and restaurants filled with locals.
10). Visit the National Parks.
No country yet has done National Parks better than Iceland. To be completely honest when driving through the island, the whole place felt like a National Park. People here still believe in fairies, elves, and magic and when you're driving through the National Parks, you can instantly see why. Rocks covered with moss show you natural hiding spots for magical creatures and when the winter fog would roll in, I felt like I was thrown back in time. Everything is quiet in the National Parks, no hustle, and bustle. You can truly relax because it's just you and Mother Nature.
TIPS FOR RENTING A CAR:
-Seriously, be careful opening the door. Stephanie got our door ripped off because of the high speed winds. OPEN WITH CAUTION.
-DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT SPEED. Fines will be mailed back to you and there are cameras on the highway. Follow speed limits, be safe, & give yourself extra time to drive so you aren't rushing (=speeding).
-Get a gas card. Maybe things have changed and the gas stations read foreign credit cards better, but we found only gas cards worked. Stock up on them because when there are no attendants in the country, you can just use your gas card and help yourself.
