Latest / Explore Iceland Travel Podcast / E.8: Exploring the South Coast: Part 2 from Vík to Höfn
Transcript
- Monika: Welcome to Explore Iceland Travel Podcast. If you're thinking of visiting Iceland or planning your next adventure there, you're in the right place. I'm Monica the creator of Plan Pack Explore, a travel blog where I help readers plan unforgettable trips to Europe. and I'm here to inspire you to travel to Iceland. And to plan your trip in a fun, stress free way. I'll share all the must know details about places to see, both the iconic landmarks and some hidden gems, proven itineraries tested by me and my family. and practical trip planning tips based on my own experiences and mistakes we made while exploring this incredible country. I'll cover everything I wish I had known before our first trip and things I've learned from all the trips that follow. And I'm not done yet. Think of it as travel advice from tourist to tourist. Honest, helpful, firsthand insights designed to make planning your Iceland adventure much easier and much more enjoyable. Tune in and let's explore Iceland together. In last episode, we explore the south coast of Iceland from Reykjavik to Vik, stopping at some of the South Coast's most famous waterfalls, beaches, and other incredible sites. Today we're continuing east from Vik towards Hafen, and in this section of the South Coast, you'll find lava fields, dramatic canyons, Vatnayakut National Park, glaciers and glacier lagoons. Diamond Beach and so much more. So let's get started. The drive from Vik to Hafen is about two hundred and seventy kilometers, so just over three hours without any stops. But of course you're not going to drive straight through. so allow yourself enough time to stop and explore. Stop one is just past Vik and it's called Yoda Cave. it is one of the fun, unique stops on that stretch of the south coast. It's quick but definitely worth it. It is located on the Hyolish Havdi Promontory and gets this nickname because the opening to the cave looks remarkably like the silhouette of Master Yoda from Star Wars. It was also used as a filming location for Star Wars Rogue One. so if you're a Star Wars fan, definitely it's a stop for you. But even if you're not a Star Wars fan, it is worth visiting. It's very unique and the views from the area around the cave are absolutely spectacular. On the way up, you'll also pass a parking lot for a hike to the top of the promontory. I haven't done it yet, but I've heard and I've read that it's beautiful, so that's another thing that you can do if you have about a couple of hours. That's how long that hike takes. It's still on my to-do list. Next year we'll drive towards Eldrown Lava Field. It is the largest lava field in the world and it was created during a massive lucky crater explosion in the seventeen hundreds. It stretches across a huge area. It is now covered in thick green moss and creates a really like an otherworldly, truly otherworldly landscape. You'll see it as you drive on the ring road. like I said, it stretches for miles, but there is a dedicated parking lot where you can park and walk some of the paths and explore the area. so if you haven't walked through any lava field before, it's definitely worth stopping there. And next is going to be Fiatra Gluefor Canyon. it is just a very short distance from the lava field we just mentioned. It was made famous primarily because it appeared in the music video for a song I'll show you by Justin Bieber. But even if you don't know that song, it is definitely a canyon that you want to visit. It has very unique kind of its own signature moss color serpentine cleaves. there's a river at the base, there's a whole bunch of viewpoints where you can stop and admire. There's two ways that you can see this canyon. You can park in the main parking lot. And as you drive on the access road you'll come to a fork so to get to the main parking lot you just take a left at the fork and then you'll have a short hike about 40 minutes from the parking lot all the way to the very end viewpoint to the end of the canyon and there's many other stops and places you can take a peek inside the canyon on the way. if you don't want to do the hike, it's not a difficult hike, but if you don't want to do the hike, you can take a right at the fork. And don't worry, it'll say that it's taking you on an F-road. This road turns to an F-road after the parking lot for the other viewpoint that I'm going to tell you about. you'll see a little parking area. It's not a huge parking lot, it's just a dirt parking area on your left side, and then you'll see a path going down. the hill towards a viewing platform. And from there you can also go to the last viewpoint of the trail, but then you have to make your way up. So there's two ways of seeing this canyon, and it's definitely a stop worth making. the next few stops are Quick stops as you continue. There's several smaller attractions that you can add. The first one is Kirkugolf. It's also called church floor. It's just a natural formation made from basalt columns that resemble the floor of a church. They're literally just flat on the ground level and they do look like tile church floor. but it's in the beautiful surroundings. It's a really quick stop. It's a quick walk to see that. So if you need to stretch your legs after a long drive, That's a good spot to do that. And then you have the Vercomer Cliffs. that's another impressive formation of the hexagonal basalt columns. they created a horseshoe shaped canyon in which per Icelandic folklore mythical dwarves live. So be respectful during your visit. it's a quick stop, it's an easy walk to go down to the canyon. It's small, but it's really pretty. And right across from it you'll find a waterfall called Fos Asidu. It's a tall narrow waterfall that you can easily see from the road. I saw it on a really windy September day when the stream was nearly blown sideways with a beautiful rainbow. And during all that two Icelandic horses were just peacefully grazing at the base, ignoring all the drama, the wind, and all the people trying to get photos. So that just added to the experience. But it's a really really picturesque waterfall so visit if you have the time. It's a quick stop. And then next is Lomangnupur. you won't miss it. It's a huge majestic looking mountain with a flat top. You'll see it easily as you're driving. You can stop. there's a pull off and take a picture of it. You'll see it also in my guide. and it's definitely worth taking a moment to admire because it's also a very unique spot. they are not necessarily places where you would spend a whole lot of time, but they are great to stop and just break up the drive. Next you will have Skedara Bridge Monument. that is also a quick stop, but also worth making. just to see how powerful Icelandic nature can be. the monument is a remnant of a bridge destroyed in nineteen ninety-six volcanic eruption. It is now covered in graffiti, it's a fun stop. but just make sure to read all the info signs to learn how a powerful bridge was turned into this twisted metal monument. and just to appreciate the power of Icelandic nature and what a volcanic eruption can do. And then you'll enter Vatnayakud National Park. it's often called Skaftafel National Park, which isn't exactly true. Skafthel is a nature reserve, it's part of the park. it's also a lot easier to pronounce, so I can see why that's happening. It offers a whole range of hiking trails and activities. the best place to explore is to park at the Skaftel Visitor Center and just go from there. At the visitor center you have rangers, you have a small gift shop, there's food trucks and a little cafe, And from there you can do two of the most popular hikes in that area. One of them is the hike to Sparatifoss waterfall. It's also called a black waterfall. it's a beautiful waterfall surrounded by dark basalt columns. the hike takes about forty five minutes from the visitor center. You'll go towards the campsite and then just up from there. of course you have beautiful views on the way. and once you get to Sparti Falls, it takes about forty-five-fifty minutes to get there. You can just check out the waterfall and turn back the same way. Or if you're up for a longer hike, you can cross the bridge that's there And continue on the longer loop that will bring you right back to the visitor center as well. But you'll just go past more viewpoints, some turf houses and sheep pastures. It's just a different trail. also from the visitor center in the opposite direction, you can take a short walk towards Skaftofill's Yakudil Glacier. It's about a 30-minute walk. and you get close to a glacier lagoon and the glacier. Again, don't go on the glacier. It is not safe without the guide. There's plenty of warning signs there informing you that you should not do that. So just admire it respectfully from a proper distance. we did that walk. It's really easy. we did it in a really windy day. So it was a little more difficult for us with the wind blowing. but it was beautiful. And when you get there, you'll see the glacier lagoon, you see some of the icebergs on it, and you see just the vastness of that glacier. if you do want to go on a glacier, they are glacier hikes and ice climbing tours and other tours that will safely take you on a glacier. so make sure you book that. I've listed them in the article. Again, definitely not anything that you want to do without a guide. We did the ice climbing on Skaftafel and it was really a fun experience. I highly recommend. No special climbing experience is needed. We certainly didn't have any. But we had a great time. So that's another way to explore there. Now Once you've explored that area, you can continue driving towards Hafn. And what you're going to pass next is Hofskirkia. it is a beautiful turf church. It's the last turf church built in Iceland and it's one of the only six that remain. so definitely a beautiful sight to see. It's a really short drive from the main road. It's a quick little detour. It's surrounded by a small cemetery. It's very peaceful there. So another good place to rest, especially if you've done a glacier hike. That's a place to rest for you. Next is your chance to go on a really unique. Puffin tour. It's called Engol Shovdi Puffin Tour. if you're visiting during puffin season from like mid-April to mid-August, it's definitely something to do. Again, I recommend early morning tours or evening tours because that's your best chance to see the puffins on the cliffs. We've done the tour and we loved it. it begins with a tractor pool wagon ride across the marsh and a vast black sand beach. and then you get dropped off at the base of the Ingul Shovdi Promontory, then you hike up a black sand dune to the top of the cliffs and then you explore with the guide and you can see the puffins. It is fun, it's beautiful, it's another area of Iceland where you can only go with a guide. it's on private property. The meeting point is in Orefi. It's about 25 minutes from the Scaffill Visitor Center. So you can pre-book that tour in advance. And definitely something that's worth considering adding to your itinerary. And next stop is one of my favorite detours on this stretch. It's called Mulaglu4 Canyon. It's an incredible Incredibly beautiful canyon. It's breathtaking. It's very steep. just the canyon, not the hike to it. It's a very steep canyon with a waterfall. And as you hike, you get incredible views of the nearby glacier lagoon. Not the most famous you cool Solaron Glacier Lagoon, right next to it, it's the more quiet one That I'll go over in just a minute. It's called Fier Salon Glacier Lagoon. but if you have a chance and if you have time and the weather cooperates, do the hike to Mulagi for Canyon. It is beautiful. It's about just under an hour, maybe 45 minutes. depends on how you hike and how many photos you'll take on the way. That first main viewpoint. and from there you'll see the canyon, you'll see the waterfall. we f safely, but we looked down towards the canyon when I was there, and you could see some sheep at the very bottom of the canyon. And I was just thinking, how did you guys get there? And how are you going to come out? But they find their ways. they're very adventurous. So that was just another thing that just added to the experience, but it's beautiful. the views are stunning. So if you can definitely do that, you can continue hiking up probably another 20 minutes from what I've read to a different viewpoint from above the canyon. We didn't do that. we had a really busy day planned, so we stopped at the main viewpoint and went back down, but definitely worth it. And just a few minutes past that, you'll see the lagoon I mentioned. It's called Fiar Salon Glacier Lagoon. of the two lagoons in that area, it is the lesser known, the quieter one, but definitely worth stopping at. it is also a lagoon where you can see the icebergs floating in the water. You'll see a glacier. And if you want to get close to the icebergs, you can book a zodiac boat tour. It's like a pontoon boat tour. We did that boat tour during our second visit and really, really enjoyed it. We had a beautiful day and it was a really fun ride among the icebergs. We did that in the morning and then we had a ice climbing tour in that same area in the afternoon. So we really had a glacier dedicated day, but that's really a fun way to see the glacier. there's also a cafe there if you need a bite to eat. It's called Frost. it's a really nice place to stop. And then you have Diamond Beach and the famous Yakulstalor Glacier Lagoon. They are literally across the road from each other. So Diamond Beach is going to be on your right side as you drive, and it's the Black Sand Beach where the chunks of ice from Yakulstalong Glacier Lagoon wash up on the shore. And those pieces really look like diamonds. So that's where the beach got its name. They get scattered along the dark sand and they really sparkle in the sun. When we visited, we had a beautiful sunny day and it was low tide, which is the best time to visit. And those icebergs of all shapes and sizes were just laying on the beach. You can walk around and just take a look. If you go on high tide, the icebergs may be in the water, so it may not be such a great experience. So try to look up the tides for the beach. We actually didn't. this was the time for us to be at the beach and we just got lucky. but if you have any control of your itinerary, definitely try to go at low tide. Yokrusalong Glacier Lagoon, like I said, it's just across the road. and also just an aside mention, there is a long one lane bridge that you have to cross to get to your cruisalong glacier lagoon. And make sure you pay attention whether the car is coming from the opposite direction or not. so nobody has to back up and there is no traffic. So make sure you're familiar with driving over the single lane bridges in Iceland. That is the longest one. I have to drive on. so definitely something to keep in mind when you're going there. But the lagoon itself is wonderful. There's a huge parking lot. there's two lots for the lagoon and there's another lot for Diamond Beach. That parking payment is good for all three lots. and then if you park at the Skaftefil Visitor Center, you get fifty percent off if that's on the same day. So just a little note there. but the lagoon is incredible to see. You can just go there and walk around and watch the iceberg float. We were lucky enough when we went, we actually saw one flip and it made that famous groaning noise. You can see that on my video inside the article. So that was really great We were lucky to see some seals also. one was just in the water and then it was just basking in the sun on the iceberg. I've been at that lagoon three times now. the second time I had a zodiac boat tour booked, but it was cancelled due to the strong winds. And then just recently during my Camper Fun trip with my kids, we were able to book a last minute amphibian boat tour. And it was really awesome. So if you don't get on the zodiac boat tour on this lagoon, don't worry. Try to get on the amphibioid boat. It's a little shorter, but it's amazing. And you can walk around the boat and look at the icebergs. Definitely a great experience. But even if you just walk around, there's a little hill that you can go up and get the view from the top. And it's a small hill. It's not a big mountain. It's just like a little mound that you can go on and get a better view from the top. But you can also go right to the shore. Just jungle in the water. Don't try to catch the icebergs. That is not safe. But you can walk along the shore. And just take it all in. And the next stop is Vesterhorn and Stocksness Beach. we're really close to Hofen right now. and there's just that one more spectacular stop before we get to the town. Vesterhorn is also called a Bat Mountain. It's just a jagged, dramatic black volcanic mountain that rises above the Black Sun Beach. And the beach, the Stocksnos beach is known for its dunes covered by grass. So they create a really unique site. Definitely worth it. There's an entry fee. when you drive down, you stop at the Viking Cafe. And by the way, they have amazing coffee and waffles. Definitely recommend trying. And you pay the entry fee. And if you're driving, you scan your little ticket at the gate. The gate lifts up. And if you pay attention, you will see a sign on the gate that says pay also for walking. So even if you're not driving, if you're planning to just walk the path, you still have to pay. I recommend driving all the way down to the end of the drive. That will get you to a viewpoint, a little parking lot. You can go to the beach from there. And if you're lucky, you may see the famous reflection in the tidal lagoon, but it has to be low tide. We didn't see it the first time and then the second time I went, it was a little breezy, so the reflection was a little wrinkled, but as as close as I got to it. So that was exciting. And then about halfway on your way back, you can park in another little parking area and just walk to the Viking village. It was built as a movie set that ended up never being used. So now it's just a replica of a Viking village. There is a ship, there are houses and you can walk around and take some fun photos. I think it's really fun. it takes you back in time and you're surrounded by these tall, dramatic mountains, so definitely worth taking a little walk there. And then you're going to arrive in Hafen. It's a small fishing town and a convenient place to spend the night before you continue your ring road adventure one important temp from my personal experience don't arrive too late expecting to find lots of places to eat open in general restaurants in iceland tend to close earlier than you may expect we learned that the hard way we arrived after 9 pm hungry and tired and then we discovered that almost everything was closed. there was one place left that was open till ten and we were lucky to be able to place our orders. we didn't get our food until ten thirty, but we at least got it. So if you're planning to arrive late, make other food arrangements because you may not be able to eat after 10 And if you have a little extra time, there's one more quirky little bonus stop. It's just a little beyond half like 10-15 minutes. It's the big red chair. Before I visited ISIN for the second time, I've read about it. It just kept popping up and I could never really find it. It actually has its own Google map directions. So I've put that in my guide, but it is exactly what it sounds like. It's a giant red chair sitting on the pile of rocks, but with the backdrop of the mountains and the scenery, it's just a fun place to stop. It doesn't have any particular historical or geological significance. It's just a fun roadside photo stop. So that's a little bonus from me to you. And that's the end of our South Coast journey from Wik to Hafen. as you can see, there's a lot to see in that area. So choose the attractions, the hikes, and the activities that suit your interest and travel style, and allow yourself more time than you think you'll need to visit them so you don't have to rush from one place to another. I'll link the guide to all these activities. course and helpful resources, maps, videos in the show notes. As always, feel free to reach out with any questions and I will see you in the next episode.