Coming to Iceland, I realized how ridiculous the clothes I brought were

Before heading to Iceland🇮🇸, I packed a suitcase full of fashionable outfits, hoping to take beautiful photos against Iceland's stunning landscapes. But I regretted it the moment I arrived😭. There was no need to bring so much—not only was it heavy, but I also never ended up changing outfits that often. Today, I’ve put together a must-have checklist🧾 and some tips for traveling in Iceland. I hope this helps my fellow travelers planning a trip to Iceland! 🔥 **Outfit Guide** 🧥 **Outerwear**: Waterproof and windproof jackets or ski suits work best. 👔 **Mid-layer**: Opt for a down vest, lightweight down jacket, or thin padded coat. 👕 **Base layer**: Functional thermal underwear or quick-dry shirts. 👖 **Pants**: Choose pants with elastic cuffs—warm, waterproof outer pants are ideal. 🎩 **Accessories**: Don’t forget a hat🧢, scarf🧣, gloves🧤, windproof face mask😷, and waterproof gloves. 🥾 **Shoes**: Wear non-slip shoes, long boots, or snow boots👢. 🔥 **Avoid These Mistakes** ✔ Hotels in Iceland don’t provide disposable toiletries—bring your own toothpaste, toothbrush, bath towel, and face towel. ✔ Iceland is extremely dry—pack moisturizer🧴, sunscreen, and lip balm. ✔ Some hotel showers🚿 are tiny—bring disposable shower caps to avoid washing your hair daily. ✔ Buy your swimsuit🩱 before visiting the Blue Lagoon—it’s expensive on-site. ✔ Bring sunglasses🕶—the snow glare can hurt your eyes. ✔ Carry a thermos. European-style hotel breakfasts are mostly cold—hot water helps if you have a sensitive stomach. ✔ For the Blue Lagoon♨️, get a waterproof phone pouch📱. Avoid letting your hair touch the water💦—it’ll turn straw-like! **Important Note🔨**: Many struggle with whether to join a tour or travel independently. I debated this too, but my friends who traveled solo in Iceland warned me about the unpredictable weather, rough roads, and long distances between attractions. Without familiarity, self-driving is very dangerous⚠️! So I chose a tour without hesitation. Our guide was a local who’d lived there for over a decade. He recommended authentic restaurants for lunch and dinner—no bad surprises! The itinerary was well-planned, and the travel designer adjusted it based on our pace. We stayed at the Blue Lagoon’s Silica Hotel🏨—apparently super hard to book! On the first day, we happily soaked in the Blue Lagoon. At night, our guide took us aurora hunting, lit a bonfire🔥, and handed out hot cocoa. As we chatted, a faint white glow appeared in the distance, growing brighter—we all grabbed our phones to capture it. It was so breathtaking😭, a moment I’ll remember forever! We also went whale watching—though the waves made me seasick, spotting a 🐳 made it all worth it. Happy ending! This trip was truly unforgettable. Yes, it was cold, but seeing the Northern Lights made it all worthwhile! That’s all I can think of for now—if you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments!