Things to do in South Iceland

The 8 stops that define the South Coast

These are listed west to east, in the order you’d hit them driving from Reykjavík:

1. Seljalandsfoss — the waterfall you walk behind. 130 km from Reykjavík. Bring a waterproof jacket; the spray drenches you. Closes for the walk-behind in icy conditions.
2. Skógafoss — 60 m wide, 25 m tall, no walk-behind but you can climb the staircase up the side for a top-down view. 30 km east of Seljalandsfoss.
3. Sólheimajökull glacier viewpoint — short walk to a glacier tongue retreating up the valley. Guided glacier walks start from the car park.
4. Dyrhólaey — the photogenic peninsula with a sea arch and a lighthouse. Closed mid-May to late June for puffin nesting on the lower cliffs.
5. Reynisfjara black-sand beach — basalt columns, the Reynisdrangar sea stacks offshore. Sneaker waves are deadly; observe the warning lights.
6. Skaftafell National Park — the gateway to Vatnajökull. Easy Svartifoss hike (1.5 hours) under basalt columns; harder hikes to glacier overlooks.
7. Jökulsárlón — the iceberg lagoon. Boat tours run May–October. The Diamond Beach across the road is where bergs wash up.
8. Stokksnes / Vestrahorn — peninsula east of Höfn. ISK 900 entry (private land). Best at low tide and golden hour.

What’s south and what’s east

The “South Coast” splits into two distinct sections at Vík:

• West of Vík — waterfalls and farms. Greener, more pastoral.
• East of Vík — glaciers and lava. Bigger, emptier, more dramatic.

If you only have time for one, pick east of Vík. The waterfalls are great but you’ll see waterfalls everywhere in Iceland; Vatnajökull is unique.

What surprises first-timers

• Distances are bigger than they look. Vík to Höfn is 270 km. Allow 4 hours with stops; 3 hours hard driving.
• There’s no fuel between Vík and the area around Skaftafell. Fill up before leaving Vík.
• Cell signal drops on the long sand-plain (Mýrdalssandur and Skeiðarársandur). Download offline maps.
• Mid-summer crowds at Seljalandsfoss are extreme. Arrive 7:00–9:00 or after 19:00. Off-peak the waterfall is calm.
• Reynisfjara is genuinely dangerous in big swell. The warning light system was installed after multiple deaths. Take it seriously.

When the South Coast doesn’t work

• Major winter storms can close Route 1 between Vík and Höfn for 24–48 hours. Always check road.is the morning of any drive east of Hvolsvöllur.
• Heavy rain on icy paths at Seljalandsfoss creates slippery conditions; the walk-behind closes when the path freezes.
• Sandstorms on Mýrdalssandur and Skeiðarársandur in strong easterly winds can shred a rental car’s paint. Insurance covers it but pull over and wait if a sand warning is active.

See also

• 3 days in South Iceland — the canonical plan
• 5 days in Iceland in winter — for the winter version
• Best stops between Reykjavík and Vík — for the western half
• Best stops between Vík and Höfn — for the eastern half