Ok, Iceland isn’t the sort of place you visit for Caribbean style beaches with palm trees and warm waters, however there are some beautiful beaches here, and even if it’s not warm enough to slip on your Speedo’s, there’s still some absolutely terrific scenery.
If you have an Iceland campervan hire or motorhome rental and want to check out Iceland’s best beaches here they are grouped into regions.
Reynisfjara Beach, near Vik is a black sand and pebble beach and especially interesting for people who enjoy exploring caves.
These beaches are definitely the most popular with locals and visitors alike, this is also an area where you will find more choice of sites to stay in your motorhome rental or campervan hire.
This is one of those beaches that you will be able to enjoy a dip in the sea as the water is heated by thermal hot water coming into the bay. The beach at Nautholsvik is sandy beach and extremely popular. This is a great place for families, and has some good facilities including two freshwater pools.
Just east of Reykjavik is the peninsula of Álftanes, which is another one of Iceland’s very few white sandy beaches. This is another popular beach due to its proximity to the capital, and its colour.
Budir Beach is on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, and is a great place to visit for some stunning photo opportunities, as the light coloured sand contrasts with the black basalt lava.
Kirkjubol Beach is ideal for families, lots of space for beach games and not at all crowded.
The other options for people who like to relax on a beach are the areas around the hot springs and lagoons, and although not really classed as beaches, they are probably more popular for lounging around than the beaches.
There is a huge coastline around Iceland which means there are a lot more beaches and coves than the ones mentioned above. The north and east of the country are more remote areas, so here there are some ideal opportunities to search out small coves and deserted beaches. The west too, has much more rugged terrain, but if it’s light coloured sand you searching for, then head for the south west.
Whatever type of beach you enjoy, there will be somewhere to dip your toe in the water. The spas are always a lovely alternative to immerse yourself in, their thermally heated waters are for you if you find the North Atlantic rather bracing!