A memorable twilight
The Blue Lagoon is among the wonders of the world according to National Geographic. It is included in the list of 25 locations around the globe by the magazine. Therefore, when I was travelling to Iceland the first thing that came to my mind was to visit Blue Lagoon. Why not? The Blue lagoon is one of the main tourist attractions that one should never miss. The Blue Lagoon is almost everywhere in Icelandic tourist advertisements. It is one of the most commercialized tourist destinations in Iceland, located in the middle of nowhere. The first glance of pool is itself stunning and the blue water with clear blue sky seems like, heaven on earth.
The Blue Lagoon is not a natural phenomenon. When it opened in 1976, they decided to let the water trickle into the lava fields, thinking it would be absorbed by it. However it did not happen; instead the minerals in water made a blanket of mud and the lagoon was formed. In 1992 the Blue Lagoon Company was established. They built facilities where people could undress and shower before entering the lagoon, and it has since then become one of the most visited locations in Iceland. The spa is located in a lava field in Grindavík on the south-western Iceland, and is supplied by water used in the nearby Svartsengi geothermal power station. Every 18 hours the whole pool’s water is replaced. It is situated approximately 20 km from the Keflavík International Airport and 39 km from the capital city of Reykjavík. The best way to reach the Blue Lagoon is by car. One can reach there by driving roughly 30-minutes from the airport or 60-minutes from Reykjavík. However, there are tourist buses and taxis available to reach Blue lagoon from almost anywhere in Iceland. It is open all days of week from 8:00 to 22:00. (Check the website for schedule)
While Iceland is a country brimming with natural hot springs, the Blue Lagoon isn't one of them. The warm waters are rich in minerals like silica & sulphur and bathing in the Blue Lagoon is known to help some people suffering from skin diseases such as psoriasis. The water temperature in the bathing and swimming area of the lagoon averages 37–39 °C (99–102 °F). The Blue Lagoon however stays just as warm as usual, around 37-39°C / 98-102°F, no matter the season or the weather, so it is not too cold to bath in the Blue Lagoon. The contrast between hot and cold is a fantastic experience and one of the reasons bathing is so popular among tourist all year around. There are shallow areas where you can stay in the water, the further out you go the deeper it gets. The deepest area in Blue Lagoon is 1.40m and the shallowest is 90 cm.
My whole experience with this trip was surreal and top of the world however the next day my biggest concern was my stiff hair. Although the silica in water is therapeutic for skin but you need to be careful of your hair. My suggestion is to apply a lot of hair conditioner before entering the pool. There are island bar-counters in the pool so you can enjoy your favourite drink in hot spa. You could also enjoy delicious lunch at Blue Café or LAVA restaurant as well as enjoy nice view of the lagoon. A single entry to the lagoon is 4800 ISK and there are special treatments package also available which you can upgrade in your adventure.
The Blue Lagoon is designed for a relaxing bath so when you plan an adventurous trip to Iceland please take few hours and stop by the beautiful and magnificent Blue Lagoon.
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