Visiting Breathtaking Black Sand Beaches in Iceland

Iceland is a mysterious place and offers unique experiences and otherworldly landscapes. Visiting a black sand beach in Iceland is mandatory for any visitor of the Viking Nation.

Iceland is adventure embodied, and the stuff you can come across on a sandy beach here is unmatched anywhere else in the world. In this article, we go through one black sand beach in Iceland after the other and take you through what makes them all so unique. Stay tuned!

Icelandic Beaches – The Volcanic Arctic Riviera

Iceland is known for many things, but spending a day relaxing on the Icelandic beaches is not one of them. This nation was born of violent volcanic turmoil and has the characteristic geological wonders that come with it. The black sand in Iceland is one of the trademark characteristics of the tumultuous nature of the nation, and there is no reason for you to miss it.

As you have probably figured out at some point in your life, a beach is filled with super small rocks and ground-down seashells. Most beaches, however, are not completely pitch-black. This color comes from the basalt rock that Iceland is made up of. With millions of years of volcanic eruptions, the basalt rock erodes down to these tiny speckles of rock that make up a stunning black sand beach in Iceland.

The Most Popular Black Sand Beaches in Iceland

Below, we have put together a small list of some of the more popular beaches on the island:

Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach

This is, without a doubt, the most popular black sand beach in Iceland and carries a dark reputation. Reynisfjara is at the top for a couple of reasons:

1. It’s a massive beach, both long and wide.

2. It is voted one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

3. It sits on the Icelandic Sout Coast, which is also the warmest area in Iceland.

Reynisfjara Beach is located right next to the town of Vík, not far from the rumbling giant Katla. It is well-known that Katla is long overdue for an eruption, and the people in Vík have gone so far as to prepare a stand-by evacuation plan in case the volcano erupts. You see, Katla rests under the massive glacier Mýrdalsjökull, which means that even a smaller eruption could cause a massive flood that could cause some serious damage to the surroundings.

This black sand beach in Iceland is also right next to the Ring Road, so it’s really easy to reach. You must just be careful along the Icelandic coast since the North Atlantic Ocean is known to throw sneaker waves up on the beach. These waves come out of nowhere and can drag even the strongest swimmer into the sea, which is one of the gruesome things that Reynisfjara is known for.

Sólheimasandur

The second most popular black sand beach in Iceland is Sólheimassandur, not far away from Reynisfjara. Even though this is also an incredibly large and beautiful beach, the main attraction here is a massive transport plane that crashed in 1973.

“Crash” is a strong word, though, since it was more of an emergency landing after the pilot made a very understandable mistake. On his way to resupply an American base in Iceland, he misread the fuel and thought that he was going to run out before reaching his destination. This led him to safely “crash” the plane in the soft sand instead of risking the lives of the other people onboard.

This beach also lies right on the Ring Road, but the plane wreck is located far into the beach. So far, in fact, that you can choose to take a bus there. If you’re up for a walk, it’s within walking distance, but remember that there is nothing between you and the strong and cold winds coming in from the North Atlantic.

Diamond Beach

So, there is a black sand beach in Iceland that is massive, another one that has a crashed plane, and a third that has diamonds? Even though we would love for that to be the case, the name “Diamond Beach” does not mean the area is littered with diamonds.

The Diamond Beach in Iceland is the beach around Jökulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. The diamonds in question are the many icebergs that have washed ashore and populated the black sand. If you’re looking for otherworldly pictures, this is the place to go. The contrast between the pitch-black sand and the massive clear icebergs is superb for picture-taking.

When you’re done admiring the icebergs on the beach, you can catch one of the tours on the boats in the lagoon to get up close and personal with the larger ones still in the water. These tours will be between 35 and 75 minutes long, and some of them allow you to literally get a taste of an iceberg. Some tour guides like chipping off parts of the icebergs and allow tourists to taste ice that is a couple of hundred years old. Don’t worry, though, the ice doesn’t have an expiry date.

Diamond Beach is far east on the Icelandic South Coast and right next to the Ring Road like the previous two, so it’s easy to reach.

Stokksnes

On the far east of the coast, there is a black sand beach in Iceland that is famous for its alien appearance. Stokksnes looks like it was taken out of a fantasy saga. This long black sand beach in Iceland has small green hills of moss scattered along it and a stunning backdrop of Vestrahorn Mountain.

This is definitely one of the best beaches in Iceland to visit if you want to get stunning pictures of an otherworldly landscape. It’s a little bit of a mission to get there since it is a short hike from the parking lot at the end of a gravel road off the Ring Road.

The Black Sand Beach at Mývatn Lake

If you’re getting tired of roaming around the South Coast of Iceland, a trip to the north to a place where you don’t have to be afraid of the waves might be a good choice. This black beach in Iceland is around the famous Lake Mývatn and is an excellent outing on a family holiday.

This is a black sand beach in Iceland where you can walk along in peace and quiet and even have a dip if you want to. It is one of the few 100% safe beaches in Iceland that, even though it is really cold, will allow you to have a dip without wondering if you’ll make it back to shore.

The nearby area is also teeming with things to do, and the birdlife here is unmatched in terms of diversity and numbers. The wetland around Mývatn is a haven for many bird species since it’s rich in food and vegetation due to the protective environment.

Djúpalónssandur

On the beautiful and mythical Snaefellsnes Peninsula on the West Coast of Iceland, there is a beach with a tragic history at the foot of the stunning Snaefellsnes Mountain. The beach requires a short hike through the stunning Snaefellsnes nature. On this Icelandic volcanic beach, you’ll find two things: the remnants of a British fishing ship that went under in 1948 and the old lifting stones.

The pieces left from the ship are kept on Djúpalónssandur as a monument to remember the fishermen and should not be moved. The stones, on the other hand, are old lifting stones used by the fishermen to test their strength. The four stones are called Useless (23kg, Weakling (54 kg), Half-strong (100 kg), and Full-strong (155 kg).

Seltjörn

When it comes to convenience (if you’re in the capital), this is Iceland’s best black sand beach. Even though it isn’t the prettiest, largest, or most impressive, it is a comfortable 5 minutes away from Reykjavik. This makes it the perfect short outing if you want to stay close to the capital and enjoy the many things to do in Reykjavik.

The sea here is almost as violent as most other black sand beaches, but you won’t have to deal with any sneaker waves either.

Keep Safe and Enjoy a Visit to a Black Sand Beach in Iceland

Iceland has been deemed one of the safest places in the world for many years now, and we would like to keep it that way. Despite the safe status, the Icelandic coast is a deceitful one, and the number one rule when visiting a black sand beach in Iceland is to never turn your back on the ocean. You can easily spot a sneaker wave coming in, but unless you have eyes at the back of your head, you need to keep an eye on the ocean.

Iceland is a land of adventure, and the best way to be at the helm of yours is to explore it on your own terms. To get the most out of your experience, rent a campervan in Reykjavik so you can explore the island to your heart’s content. All that’s left now is list the things you want to do and be on your way!