Iceland - Close Encounters with Glaciers

After finishing the Black Sand Beach itinerary, we didn’t stay in Vík and drove straight to a hotel near Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. The hotel 🏨 is ranked second and has a location with a direct view of the Northern Lights (unfortunately, it was cloudy and rainy both nights, so it was wasted 😂😂). The second day was fully packed: hiking to explore the glacier ice cave → Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon → Diamond Beach → watching the Northern Lights at the hotel in the evening (plans can’t keep up with weather changes 😂). The morning was sunny and bright, but the weather suddenly changed at 3 PM and it rained at 5 PM 🌧☔. Hiking to explore the glacier: We signed up for a 3-hour blue ice cave tour, but due to weather conditions, the blue ice cave (blue ice cave) was not open, so it was changed to a 4-hour beginner glacier hike and ice cave exploration. Although it was a pity, the glacier ice cave was still stunning. If you can sign up for the 6-hour hike + blue ice cave tour, the ice cave will be even more beautiful, but it requires higher physical fitness as you need to climb over a mountain to see a deeper ice cave. When we registered one month before departure, it was already fully booked. Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon: Located within Vatnajökull National Park, it is a natural lagoon formed by meltwater from the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier, a branch of the Vatnajökull ice cap. It is also Iceland’s deepest and largest glacier lake. We didn’t take a boat tour, just explored and took photos around the area. Diamond Beach: The beach is opposite the glacier lagoon, where black volcanic sand contrasts with transparent ice chunks washed ashore by the waves. Under the sunlight, the ice sparkles like scattered diamonds. It’s perfect for photos, and we had a great time taking pictures! Travel Tips: 1. Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach are very close. You can park in one parking lot and visit both areas, so don’t waste on parking fees! 2. To see the real blue ice cave, it’s best to visit after November. Due to global warming, Iceland is no longer as cold, and glaciers are shrinking year by year. The temperature is not cold enough, so for safety reasons, the blue ice cave is temporarily closed. 3. September and October are the rainy seasons in Iceland. To have a better chance of enjoying your trip and seeing the Northern Lights, it’s better to avoid the rainy season! We traveled after the National Day holiday in October, and although there were supposed to be Northern Lights, it suddenly rained 🌧 causing heavy cloud cover, and we missed them perfectly…