Honest Travel Tips: Iceland in 2021
By: Joel Rivera
Tags: Iceland, Travel, Travel Tips, Iceland Travel, Photography

Your mileage may vary (YMMV). A colloquial term often used on internet message boards that essentially says — your experience may not be the same as mine. Keep that in mind as you read this, and remember that this is a practical take from a travel enthusiast — a two-cents, honest commentary as to why I have been so keen on spending time in Iceland, what you can expect, and what you might need to think about before booking a ticket.

A country of about 350,000 citizens, Iceland has become a popular tourist destination following some high-profile exposure from the likes of Justin Bieber, Zac Efron, and others. The increased interest in the island-nation is well-deserved, as the experience is unlike what you’ll find in many traditional “tourist” hotspots.

What you’re about to read won’t make it into a publication for the Icelandic Department of Tourism, but I do hope it helps you make an informed decision about whether or not to make the trip.

The journey is the destination.

Land of the Midnight Sun — Icelandic summers afford you almost 24 hours of daylight. Shot at 11:45pm in June.

One can experience Iceland in a number of ways. There are cruises that circumnavigate the island, excursions on tour buses that leisurely escort you to popular locations, and private guides to take you along all of the great Instagram “musts”. Some choose to rent camper vans, and I’ve even heard some of doing month-long bike rides through the island. These are all fine and good, but I decided the best experience was one where I was not traveling to Iceland, but instead traveling within Iceland — the journey became the destination.

A ‘forgiving’ getaway.

One of Iceland’s biggest draws (aside from lots of photo-ops) is the sensory perception of being removed from all that we consider “normal”. Being simultaneously off-the-grid and immersed into a new culture. Iceland delivers big on this — unparalleled beauty and a break from normalcy.

Foodies, do not despair. Reykjavik (and many other towns in Iceland) have food options that seem primed for international traffic. One of the best burgers I’ve ever had was a hole-in-the-wall joint in Vik!

However, for all of the remoteness that lures wanderers to Iceland, you will be pleasantly surprised to know that you can still be very much “plugged-in”. The capital, Reykjavik has vibrant and flourishing night life options, culinary ventures, fine art and live music offerings — especially during the summer. It is for this reason that I’d refer to Iceland as a ‘forgiving’ getaway in that, you have the option to venture deep into the wild without sacrificing reasonable access to first-world amenities and commodities. You can roam into the Icelandic wilderness, and still be a few hours drive from fine dining or a dive bar to wrap up the day.

Restaurants, bars, cafes and more — streets of Reykjavik

Our experience was the above, but dilated to a week-span. We traveled the Icelandic Ring Road (more on this below), and ended the trip with a few nights in Reykjavik for a sort of re-acclimation exercise, before ending the trip.

9 Days, 2000 miles.

Once you venture outside of the capital Reykjavik and surrounding metropolitan area, you’re quickly transported to a land that seems preserved in time, and there is some truth to that (more on this later). Aptly named “The Icelandic Ring Road”, Route 1 is an 830-mile stretch of roadway that circles the entire island and on which many of the country’s most popular destinations are found. Online you will find dozens of websites with proposed itineraries and “must-see” stops along the way. Our approach was to follow the Ring Road from beginning to end, and squeezing in as much as we could physically and mentally endure along the way — this meant covering just over 2,000 miles over the course of the 9 days, which included back-tracking and multiple drives to and from locations off the Ring Road.

My point here is — if you despise road trips, consider another Icelandic “experience” or vacation destination altogether. While there are many amazing sights along the Ring Road, hours in a car are hours in a car.

Oh, and this is an opportune time to mention that the speed limit on most of the highways is 90km/hr (55mph in American). Don’t bother speeding in the absence of cops — there are radar activated cameras all over the countryside.