13 Dec Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach in Iceland

The Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach were some of my favorite attractions in Iceland. The Glacier Lagoon’s technical name is Jökulsárlón. There are various glacier lagoons in Iceland, but Jökulsárlón is the most popular and thus appropriately nicknamed the Glacier Lagoon. I will use Jökulsárlón and Glacier Lagoon interchangeably throughout this article.

A glacier lagoon is exactly what you would think – a lagoon formed by the melting of a glacier. Icebergs then float in the lagoon as they break apart from the glacier. Diamond Beach is not exactly what you would think – there are unfortunately no diamonds to be found. Instead, there are icebergs floating in the ocean and washed up onto the sand. They offer a beautiful sight, especially when the sun hits them just right.

Need some help with packing? Look no further than my list of international travel essentials + my Iceland road trip packing list.

Contents:

1) Location of Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach, Iceland

2) Opening Hours and Entrance Fee

3) The Best Time to Visit

4) Estimated Visit Time

5) Quick Facts

6) Background

7) Tour Options on the Lagoon

8) Nearby Attractions 

1) Location of Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach, Iceland

• Region: Eastern Iceland
• Parking: Jökulsárlón Parking and/or Photography Exhibit

The Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach are located in eastern Iceland, just off the Ring Road. For reference, they are two and a half hours northeast of the southern coastal town of Vík. Additionally, they are fairly close to Vatnajökull National Park, which holds the beautiful Svartifoss waterfall. 

Parking

There is a parking lot right beside each of the attractions. There is no specific location on google maps to mark the parking lot for Diamond Beach, but it is about 100 feet before the Photography Exhibit. However, visitors can simply park in one lot and walk across the road to visit the other attraction, for they are in such close proximity to each other.

Nearby Lodging

We stayed the night at Laekjarhus Farm Holidays after visiting the Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach. It was a great place to stay on a budget, and I would definitely recommend it to others. On the other hand, you can turn your trip to Iceland into a romantic getaway by booking a stay at one or more of the most romantic hotels in Iceland.

Icebergs floating along the water at the Glacier Lagoon

2) Opening Hours and Entrance Fee

• Opening hours: 24/7
• Entrance fee: none

What better news could I provide?! The Glacier Lagoon as well as Diamond Beach are open to visitors all day, every day. You can thus visit at 2:00pm or 2:00am. However, it might even be daylight outside at both of those times if you visit in the summer season. 

Additionally, there is no fee to visit either attraction nor is there a fee to park. 

However, maybe you do not want to plan out the logistics of visiting yourself. No worries, for there are a fair amount of tours that include a stop at the Glacier Lagoon + Diamond Beach.

Sun shining down on the icebergs washed ashore at Diamond Beach

3) The Best Time to Visit Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach, Iceland

• Best season to visit: any!
• Best time to visit: early morning or late evening to avoid crowds

There is truly no bad season to visit the Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach in Iceland. In relation to the time of day, visit just after the sun rises or before the sun sets to avoid the majority of crowds. 

Diamond Beach, Iceland

Whether visiting in summer or winter, you can see icebergs resting upon the sand at the beach. However, the icebergs will be a bit larger and more prevalent in the winter months. Additionally, there is a chance you will see the northern lights if you visit in the winter. Need another reason to visit then? There will be less crowds. 

On the other hand, the weather can be quite unpredictable in the winter months. It is possible you will schedule a trip to Diamond Beach, but a snowstorm might have other plans. Additionally, the winter days are quite shorter and thus you have less daylight hours to view the beach. 

Looking to visit other beaches during your time in Iceland? Then I recommend you plan to visit Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach on the southeastern coast as well as Ytri Tunga Beach on the west coast.

Glacier Lagoon, Iceland

Again, there is no bad time to visit the lagoon. Great news, right?! If you visit in the winter months, you will be rewarded with fewer crowds and (possibly) the northern lights. Nevertheless, a visit in spring will allow you to see larger icebergs on the lagoon due to the fact the glacier will be melting more. Furthermore, a visit in summer comes with larger crowds but also the opportunity to book a boat or kayaking tour. 

Holding a piece of ice found along the shore of Diamond Beach

4) Estimated Visit Time

• Estimated visit time: 1 hour + 

In terms of the estimated amount of time to visit the Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach, it truly depends. I would recommend a minimum of one hour. An hour should afford enough time to walk around part of the Glacier Lagoon as well as to walk across the road to Diamond Beach. It also allows some time to take photographs. 

Nevertheless, we spent approximately three hours at these locations. For an hour we walked around the Glacier Lagoon, took photographs, and watched icebergs begin to float down to the ocean. We then spent around two hours at Diamond Beach. First, we took photographs and even got creative in doing so with some smaller chunks of ice. Second, we strolled along the beach. We only passed one other couple during our walk, for the beach was practically empty once we walked away from the main area. While we saw less and less icebergs as we walked further down the beach, we did see a couple of seals swimming along here and there.

One of the many pieces of ice on the sand at Diamond Beach

5) Quick Facts – Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach, Iceland

1. The Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach are located on the eastern coast of Iceland, just off of Route 1. 

2. You can park at either attraction and then walk across the street to visit the other. There are no parking fees. 

3. The Glacier Lagoon is also referred to as Jökulsárlón. 

4. Diamond Beach received its name due to the fact the icebergs shine like diamonds when the sun hits them just right on the black sands. 

5. There are multiple tours offered on the lagoon, including an amphibian boat tour, a zodiac boat tour, and a kayaking tour. 

Looking out into the Glacier Lagoon

6) Background

The Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach in Iceland attract hundreds of thousands of visitors every single year. Keep reading below to find out more information as well as a couple of fun facts about each of them. 

Additionally, they came in at number five on my list of the Top 10 Things to Do in Iceland.

Jökulsárlón, Iceland

• Formed around 1935 
• Lagoon depth: 660 to 815 feet (~200 to 250 meters) 
• Featured in Batman Begins

The Glacier Lagoon formed from Vatnajökull, which is the largest glacier in Iceland. More specifically, the lagoon comes from Breiðamerkurjökull, an outlet glacier. Jökulsárlón did not always exist, but rather it formed as the glacier began to melt at an increased rate. Its creation date was around 1935. Since then, it has been dramatically increasing in size, for it is now around seven square miles in surface area. There are different records of its depth, but it is approximately 660 to 815 feet (~200 to 250 meters) deep. Additionally, as of 2017 Jökulsárlón is within the borders of Vatnajökull National Park. 

What is incredibly unique about the lagoon is that it will look slightly different each time you visit. New icebergs will break off from the glacier while older icebergs will slowly melt and float into the ocean. Whether your visits are years or simply days apart, you will never see the lagoon in the same manner twice. 

As a fun fact, Jökulsárlón is featured in many popular films. For example, it is in Tomb Raider, Batman Begins, and James Bond: Die Another Day. Game of Thrones fans might also recognize the scenery, for the Glacier Lagoon is featured in the show. 

Taking in the views at the Glacier Lagoon

Diamond Beach, Iceland

• Breidamerkursandur in Icelandic
• Wildlife spotting: seals and orcas

The Diamond Beach in Iceland appropriately received its name due to the fact icebergs from the Glacier Lagoon drift down and land on its shores. The contrast with the black sand makes the ice shine like diamonds when the light hits it just right. While the beach is most often referred to as the Diamond Beach in English, it is known as Breidamerkursandur in Icelandic.

In terms of wildlife, it is possible to see seals swimming not far from the shore. As we walked along the beach, we saw more and more seals as we got further away from the icebergs and crowds. With a bit of luck, visitors might even spot an orca out in the water. Unfortunately, we did not – but there is always next time. 

For safety reasons, do not climb on top of icebergs, especially if they are in the water. Icebergs can flip over at any moment, which could result in an injury or even being trapped underneath. Additionally, icebergs can be caught in a current and swept out to sea. While you might want to capture the perfect and most unique photo, do not risk your safety to do so. 

You might get cold just thinking about glaciers and icebergs. If so, consider buying a ticket for the Myvatn Nature Baths as well as the Blue Lagoon for some warmth.

Getting creative with photography at Diamond Beach

7) Tour Options on the Lagoon

• Boat tours: amphibian and zodiac
• Kayaking tours

The good news is that there are a couple of different tours offered on the Glacier Lagoon, aka Jökulsárlón. Everyone is thus likely to find something suited to their personal interest! For other excursions, consider my list of the Top 5 Excursions in Iceland (hint: it does include glacier kayaking as number one). 

Watching icebergs float from the Glacier Lagoon into the ocean

Boat Tours: Amphibian and Zodiac

First, there are Amphibian boat tours. These tours occur on the largest boats in the lagoon. A similar comparison would be a small boat used for a dinner cruise or a small ferry to transport people. Enjoy the sites of the lagoon as the captain sails around to the biggest icebergs of the day. 

• Amphibian boat tours on the Glacier Lagoon: Ice Lagoon; Guide to Iceland; Get Your Guide
• Prices for Amphibian boat tours: start around 5,900 ISK ($45) per person

Second, tour companies offer Zodiac boat tours. The unique thing about Zodiac boats is that they are smaller and faster than Amphibian boats described above. The captain can thus sail a little closer to the icebergs, offering a more intimate experience. However, it will also be a colder experience. The faster the boat goes, the more wind all on board shall feel. 

• Zodiac boat tours on Glacier Lagoon: Ice Lagoon; Iceland Unlimited; Get Your Guide
• Prices for Zodiac boat tours: start around 9,900 ISK ($76) per person

Iceberg in the Glacier Lagoon

Kayak Tours

Third, some companies offer kayak tours. I might be a little biased, but I think the kayak tour is the best option! My boyfriend and I enjoy kayaking, and I even own a two-seat Intex Challenger inflatable kayak to kayak on lakes and rivers near home. We thus decided to book the kayaking excursion instead of one of the boat excursions. While it was a little more expensive, we thought the price was worth it for a more up close and personal experience. 

The guide led us around Jökulsárlón, stopping at all of the largest icebergs of the day. They told us facts about Iceland, glaciers, and icebergs. Feel free to ask any and all questions, for the guides are incredibly knowledgeable. There was even time for us to take spectacular photos in front of an iceberg.

• Kayak tour we booked on the Glacier Lagoon: Arctic Adventures
• Other kayak tours on the Glacier Lagoon: Guide to Iceland; Iceland Adventure Tours
• Prices for kayak tours: start around 19,500 ISK ($150) for tandem kayak or 12,500 ISK ($95) for single kayak

Want to learn more about the tour before you book? Then check out my article detailing our whole tour experience: Glacier Kayaking in Jökulsárlón, Iceland.

Kayaking around the Glacier Lagoon on a tour

8) Nearby Attractions to the Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach, Iceland

The Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach are located in eastern Iceland, along the Ring Road. Due to their convenient location, there are many other attractions not far away. 

Svínafellsjökull Glacier Lagoon 

• Parking: Svínafellsjökull Glacier
• Estimated visit time: 1 to 1.5 hours
• Attraction: glacier with small glacier lagoon
• Distance from Jökulsárlón: 1 hour southwest

The walk from the parking lot to the glacier is about 20+ minutes. Upon arrival, walk around the water’s edge to explore. For an added taste of adventure, look up tours for glacier hiking and/or ice climbing in the area. 

Walking around the edge of Svínafellsjökull Glacier Lagoon

Svartifoss Waterfall

• Parking: Skaftafell & Svartifoss Parking
• Estimated visit time: 1 to 3 hours
• Attraction: waterfall with basalt rock columns
• Distance from Jökulsárlón: 1 hour southwest

Plan for approximately two to three hours to hike Svartifoss round trip. The hike is around 1.2 miles (~1.9 kilometers) each way. Due to the fact the hike is uphill and fairly steep at times, plan for 30 minutes to one hour to hike there. At the end of the hike is the reward of a beautiful waterfall surrounded by basalt rock columns.  

For more information: Visiting Svartifoss in Iceland.

Svartifoss waterfall surrounded by basalt rock columns

Stokksnes Peninsula 

• Parking: Viking Café
• Estimated time: 2 to 3 hours
• Attraction: viking village; grassy sand dunes on black sand beach; Vestrahorn mountain
• Distance from Jökulsárlón: 1 hour 15 minutes northeast

The café offers a quick bite to eat as well as the opportunity to purchase entrance tickets. If the café is closed, there is a small kiosk outside for tickets. Upon entrance to Stokksnes, check out the viking village. It is an old movie set that remains almost completely intact. Then head to the main attraction of the peninsula: the grassy sand dunes along the black sand beach before Vestrahorn mountain. On a clear day Vestrahorn mountain reflects in the water of the ocean. It is truly a photographer’s paradise.

For more information: Everything to Know: Stokksnes / Vestrahorn in Iceland.

Looking at the foggy view on Stokksnes Peninsula

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Check out a few of my favorite things in Iceland: Top 3 Things to Do in Iceland. 

Get an early start on planning your Iceland itinerary: 9 Day Road Trip Itinerary for Iceland.