Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach is on of the Must-See Sights in Iceland
Details of our trip: How to Get to Vik from Reykjavik
We took a red eye flight from Orlando to Iceland we arrived at Keflavík International Airport around 5am. We rented a car and headed straight for Reynisfjara Beach in Vik Iceland. Traveling to Iceland in December we were not really sure what to expect as far as the road conditions go, but we were actually excited to see Iceland in Winter!
Note – The roads ended up being fine for the whole trip as we stayed in South Iceland the entire trip.
Drive time from Reykjavik to Vik
It was about a 3 hour drive from Reykjavik, but the drive was absolutely stunning. We couldn’t believe how much there was to see on the South side of Iceland in just one day!
Just on our first day from Reykjavik to Vik, we saw Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls (and many more from the road… and many more in the days to come).
The views were truly unlike anything I had ever seen before. I don’t know what I expected Iceland to be like, but it was so much better.
Reynishverfi Village – Beautiful Village in Vik Iceland
We arrived in the small village of Vík around sunrise. Vik is Iceland’s southernmost village and faces the open Atlantic Ocean, framed by a long black volcanic sand beach.
Less than 300 people live in Vik, but it is the biggest settlement for some 70km (43 mi). As we drove into the village we were greeted by a glowing a church sitting on a hill. It was like something out of a fairy tale.
Reynishverfi is the beautiful village and area next to the black sand beach and it is one of the most beautiful villages in the world. It is small, but we loved it.
Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
Next we moved on to the Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach which had been at the top of our list. The American journal Islands Magazine counted the black sand beach of Vik, Iceland as one of the ten most beautiful non-tropical beaches on Earth. It’s easy to see why!
It truly is one of the most unique beaches in the world for so many reasons. Some of which we will get to below! From the Lava rock black sand, to the basalt columns, to the beach cave, Hálsanefshellir. So many things to explore at Reynisfjara Beach.
Reynisfjara Basalt Columns
Hálsanefshellir cave at the bottom of Gardar on Reynisfjara beach
Related article: 10 Places You Can’t Miss In Iceland (In the Winter)
You will not find many trees in Iceland, but you will see lava rock and moss everywhere!
Many houses are built into the hillside and completely isolated. They looked like they belonged in a fable, not in real life.
I felt like I was sticking my hand in shaved iced. The sand was freezing and rinsing it off in the water did not help.
In one short day, I experienced so many sights and places for the first time. Calvin (my husband) and I kept saying how we couldn’t believe we were actually there. Lava fields covered in moss, waterfalls off the mountains, rivers flowing through lava rock, Icelandic homes sitting at the mountains edge, black sand beaches!
You will not find many trees in Iceland, but you will see lava rock and moss everywhere!
Many houses are built into the hillside and completely isolated. They looked like they belonged in a fable, not in real life.
For my first trip outside of the US, Iceland will be hard to beat.
