Visiting the Blue Lagoon
Visiting the Blue Lagoon, what to expect, the good, the bad and all.
*Disclaimer: All prices were correct when writing; please check the new prices.
I have been to the Blue Lagoon about 20 times, so I am biased. The Blue Lagoon is amazing. Especially after a long flight, it is so relaxing to soak in the warm water and let the body enjoy itself.
The Blue Lagoon has two entrance packages: Comfort Entrance and Premium Entrance.
Comfort entrance includes entrance to Blue Lagoon, towel, silica face mask, and one beverage of choice.
Premium entrance includes entrance to Blue Lagoon, towel, silica face mask, one beverage of choice, bathrobe, a second face mask, and sparkling wine at Lava Restaurant.
The main difference between the two is that for Premium entrance, you will get an extra bathrobe (rental), slippers, a second face mask (mineral or algae) and a complimentary sparkling wine if you are dining at the Lava restaurant. To pay €20 more for these, worth it or not, you can decide for yourself.
I always go for the Comfort entrance as the bathrobe and slippers are hardly used. Just from the changing room to the lagoon is like 100m. You can always pay extra for the second face mask at the mask booth if you want to use it.
From the car park of Blue Lagoon, you find the storage facility by the car park. This storage facility is for big luggage that cannot fit in lockers. There is a small storage fee. From here, you will follow a path through volcanic lava rocks to the reception building of Blue Lagoon.
You will find three queues for the entrance: comfort entrance, Premium entrance, and Groups. According to the ticket you purchased, you will join the queue accordingly.
At your turn, present your ticket (both electronic and paper tickets are accepted) in exchange for a wristband.
This wristband serves several functions.
- It is the pass for your entrance and exit to Blue Lagoon
- It is the key to your locker unit
- It contains the complimentary items (beverage and mask/s) with your entrance ticket.
- It keeps a tab of all your purchases in Blue Lagoon.
In a way, you use your wristband for almost everything within Blue Lagoon. I will explain each of them in detail.
After collecting your wristband, you will scan it on the turnstile to enter Blue Lagoon.
From here, you will follow the signs to the changing room where the lockers are. You can use any open locker. Change into your swimsuit. Put your things into the lock, close it, scan your wristband at the nearest scanner and hold it there until it beeps.
The locker number that you have chosen will appear on the screen. This means that your locker is locked and synced with your wristband. To unlock, scan your wristband to the nearest scanner to your locker.
You can close and open as many times as you like. There are instructions on the locker door as well.
It is recommended that you leave all your jewellery and watches in the locker, as the water might cause some damage to them.
After having fun with the locker, you must shower before entering the lagoon. It is compulsory to shower and wash with soap. It is also recommended that you leave some conditioner in your hair for protection, as the water in Blue Lagoon does not precisely agree with hair.
Alternatively, just be sure to keep your hair out of the water. Just so you know, the one time I kept my hair in the water at Blue Lagoon without conditioner, it turned into seaweed, and I needed to wash it with a lot of conditioners for three days before it became manageable again.
After you are done with the shower, you can now head to the lagoon. There are hooks to hang your towels/bathrobes, but since everyone looks the same, there is no way to tell one from the other.
Unless you can identify which towel/bathrobe belongs to you, you can always ask for a new one from the cafe. It is typical for someone else to take your towel/bathrobe slipper by mistake. There have been times when I did not even find my towel/bathrobe/slipper at all.
There are two ways to go into the lagoon. One is by the main entry that is outdoors. You go through the main doors and down the slopes into the lagoon. This way is beautiful and suitable for pictures, but it can also be freezing, especially during the winter or windy.
The second way into the lagoon is by the left side. You enter the water inside the building, and a doorway leads outside to the central lagoon. This is the less exciting way of entering the lagoon, but it is certainly more comfortable.
Once in the lagoon, with the main building at your back, the in-water bar is at the top right (one o’clock position). The in-water mask is on the left (nine o’clock position).
The in-water massage is at the top left (eleven o’clock position), and the waterfall, sauna, and steam room are at the bottom left (seven o’clock position).
You can explore every lagoon corner except the in-water massage area unless you have a booking. The water temperature varies in different regions of the lagoon. Some areas are much warmer than others.
You can, of course, choose which temperature you prefer. The central area of the lagoon is the deepest, almost 1.5m. If you cannot swim and are not tall enough, you can always ask the service staff for a pool noodle. Arm floats are also available for children.
The water in Blue Lagoon is salty as the geothermal water is mixed with a small amount of seawater underground before surfacing. This adds extra minerals to the water, making it even better for the skin.
Furthermore, the water is not blue. It is cloudy water containing silica and algae, and due to the refraction of sunlight, the water looks blue to the eye.
Let’s get to the facilities. The in-water bar serves all kinds of beverages. They have juice, slurries, smoothies, wine, beer, and more. You can choose anything for the complimentary beverage that comes with the entrance.
You need to scan your wristband to collect it at the bar. If you want more, you will have to pay for it, and the tab is kept in your wristband.
You can collect the silica face mask and apply it to your face, neck, and shoulders at the in-water mask bar. Leave it to dry for 15-20 minutes, take as many pictures as you need, and then rinse off in the lagoon water.
If you want to try a second face mask, there is an algae mask, mineral mask, and lava scrub. Algae mask is suitable for wrinkles, anti-ageing and whitening.
The mineral mask is suitable for moisturizing. A lava scrub mask is good for cleansing and strengthening the skin. If you have gotten the premium entrance, the second mask is complimentary.
Otherwise, the lava scrub and mineral masks will cost 900 ISK each, and the algae mask will cost 1200 ISK. You must also scan your wristband to collect the complimentary mask(s) and keep tabs on your purchased extra masks.
Prices are informative and may differ.
The in-water massage is an add-on service that you can purchase when booking. Suspended in the soothing warmth of a secluded expanse of the Blue Lagoon, your deep and relaxing massage conducted with Blue Lagoon mineral massage oil is a wonder unto itself.
A 30-minute massage costs 17400 ISK, while a 60-minute massage costs 30400 ISK. There might be promotions from time to time. You can check here for more information.
If you prefer a free massage, you can try the waterfall. Standing under the waterfall and allowing the water to fall onto your shoulders and back is surprisingly therapeutic.
Besides the waterfall, you will find the sauna cave and the steam room on the other side. Showering before re-entering the lagoon after using the sauna and steam room is necessary.
You should spend about 45-60 minutes in the lagoon and rest for 10-15 minutes in a cool area before returning to the lagoon. There is an out-of-water lounge area in the main building, above the cafe, with lounge chairs that you can use to rest.
You can also purchase hot beverages and light meals from the cafe, and all the payments are kept as tabs in your wristband.
After you have enjoyed all the facilities and are relaxed, you can head to the changing room. There is almost everything that you will need in the changing room. From body lotion to hairdryers, even cotton buds and plastic bags.
After removing all your belongings, you should leave the locker open. There are trolleys, wet towels, and bathrobes. At the exit, you must pay for all your additional purchases before you can scan your wristband at the exit turnstile. The turnstile will also collect your wristband.
There is a cafe beside the exit on the left, and Lava Restaurant is at the end of the building if you want to check out one of the best restaurants in Iceland.
Otherwise, you can head to the Blue Lagoon shop to purchase Blue Lagoon products. The exit is through the shop.
This will bring to a close your unique and memorable experience at the Blue Lagoon.
You can purchase your ticket to Blue Lagoon here. Options with a transfer are also available.
