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Singapore to Iceland's South Coast: Reykjavík to Jökulsárlón

Singapore → Reykjavík → Golden Circle → Vík → Jökulsárlón

Reykjavík
"Reykjavík,_view_from_Hallgrímskirkja_(2).jpg" by Olga Ernst, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence
Reykjavík, view from Hallgrímskirkja (2) (Reykjavik)
Photo: Olga Ernst, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Iceland ring & glaciers Best season (general guide): Jun–Aug

Iceland's south coast is a string of waterfalls, black beaches and glaciers that you can follow along a single main road. This route drives from Reykjavík via the Golden Circle as far as the glacier lagoon of Jökulsárlón. From Singapore you'll connect in Europe on the way to Keflavík. The drive itself is simple, with stops close together.

How to pace it: After the connecting flights from Singapore, plan days one and two in Reykjavík: first city walk, then pools and museums. Next, plan day three in the Golden Circle: Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss. Next, plan days four and five in Vík: first Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss, then Reynisfjara (stay back from the water). Next, plan days six and seven in Jökulsárlón: first drive east past glacier tongues, then lagoon boat trip and Diamond Beach.

Reykjavík is small and easy to walk, with good cafés, museums and pools. The Golden Circle day takes in Þingvellir, where the rift between two tectonic plates opens up, the Strokkur geyser, which erupts every 5–10 minutes, and the twin falls of Gullfoss. Heading east, Seljalandsfoss lets you walk behind the curtain of water, and Skógafoss is just down the road. Around Vík, the basalt columns and sea stacks of Reynisfjara make dramatic photos. Further east, glacier tongues come down from Vatnajökull, and at Jökulsárlón boat trips weave among floating icebergs.

Summer, from about June to August, brings the longest days, with almost round-the-clock light around midsummer. All roads are usually open and the weather is at its mildest. It's also the busiest period, so book accommodation and car hire well ahead.

Reynisfjara is known for 'sneaker waves' that can surge far up the beach without warning. Stay well back from the water and follow the warning signs. Only drive on marked roads, as off-road driving is illegal in Iceland.

The drive from Reykjavík to Jökulsárlón is long but can be done in shorter stages. Stop at the Sólheimajökull glacier for a guided glacier walk, and at Skaftafell for hikes to the Svartifoss waterfall. Fuel stations and small villages are spaced along the coast.

Suggested outline

  1. Singapore

    Start

  2. Reykjavík

    By air · 2 nights suggested

    Iceland's compact capital. Hallgrímskirkja church and the Harpa concert hall are landmarks; flights land at Keflavík.

  3. Golden Circle

    Overland · 1 night suggested

    A loop of Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir geothermal area and Gullfoss waterfall, driven from Reykjavík.

    Gullfoss
    "Gullfoss_from_the_Air_(cropped).jpg" by Nickspix, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence
  4. Vík

    Overland · 2 nights suggested

    A village on the south coast near the black-sand beach of Reynisfjara and the waterfalls Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss.

    Reynisfjara
    "Reynisfjara_Beach_Looking_West_Towards_Dyrhólaey.jpg" by Strwiki2017, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence
  5. Jökulsárlón

    Overland · 2 nights suggested

    A glacier lagoon where icebergs break from Breiðamerkurjökull and drift out to sea. Diamond Beach lies across the road.

    Jökulsárlón
    "Jökulsárlón_lagoon_in_southeastern_Iceland.jpg" by Molechaser, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence

Day by day

  1. Day 1 · Reykjavík — Arrive; city walk· Singapore → Reykjavík (by air) — long-haul; may arrive the next calendar day
  2. Day 2 · Reykjavík — Pools and museums
  3. Day 3 · Golden Circle — Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss· Reykjavík → Golden Circle (overland)
  4. Day 4 · Vík — Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss· Golden Circle → Vík (overland)
  5. Day 5 · Vík — Reynisfjara (stay back from the water)
  6. Day 6 · Jökulsárlón — Drive east past glacier tongues· Vík → Jökulsárlón (overland)
  7. Day 7 · Jökulsárlón — Lagoon boat trip and Diamond Beach
  8. Day 8 · Jökulsárlón — Travel home from Jökulsárlón· Jökulsárlón → Reykjavík (overland), then Reykjavík → Singapore (by air)

A suggested pace only; expedition days are set by the operator.

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