Iceland is known for its out of this world landscape, wildly unpredictable weather, and its world class geothermal lagoons. While there are many lagoons all across the country, both free and paid, none are as well known as National Geographic’s wonder of the world – the Blue Lagoon. Recently, the Sky Lagoon, has entered the scene offering a unique Icelandic ritual experience in a more intimate setting. Trying to decide on Iceland’s Blue Lagoon vs. Sky Lagoon but unsure which one is right for you??

You’ve come to the right place. This blog contains all the information you will need to make the best decision for the lagoon experience of your dreams. If you’re also interested in finding out what other lagoons exist in Iceland – check out my blog post here.

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The Blue Lagoon

The Blue Lagoon holds 9 million liters of geothermal seawater that comes from the meeting of freshwater and ocean water 2000 meters underground, surrounded by significant heat and pressure in volcanic aquifers.

It is not a natural spring. Instead, the volcanic aquifers that source the waters of the lagoon are a part of the geothermal power plant next door and the trickled water runoff into the lava fields forms the lagoon. The Lagoon and Power Plant combined are truly one of the best eco-friendly and sustainable energy sources of our time. You can check out more information about its history here.

The ‘blue’ color comes from the high amount of silica and other minerals in the water. The silica in the water reflects light as it hits the water surface and creates the milky blue color that we see!

Where is the Blue Lagoon located?

Blue Lagoon is just 20 minutes from Keflavík Airport and 50 minutes from Reykjavík. It is an easy first stop or final stop to your Iceland adventure! You can self drive in your rental car, pay for a taxi, or use the Destination Blue Lagoon bus which runs round-trip from Keflavík and Reykjavík. You can also buy a round-trip bus transfer with your admission ticket from travel sites like Get Your Guide and Viator.

How much does the Blue Lagoon Cost?

Blue Lagoon experiences are packages based on amount of amenities and services you desire to have during your visit. Packages are staged at comfort, premium, and luxury. Each package increases in amenities and price as you add more to your experience. With the luxury experience including access to the onsite Spa (at a hefty price!).

Which package do we recommend?

We paid for the comfort level package (entrance, standard silica mud mask, and 1 drink) and I did not feel like I missed out on any part of the experiences.

Do you really need a robe?

TBH, no. You will only use the towel walking from the shower the short distance to the entrance to the lagoon – where you will hang the robe on a hook a long with MANY other white robes. The likelihood of you finding your exact bathrobe after being in the lagoon is slim – and all levels include a towel (or as many towels as you need) when getting out of the lagoon.

Showering at the Blue Lagoon

There are separate changing rooms for men and women equipped with showers and electronic lockers. You will receive an electronic bracelet that serves as a key that locks and unlocks your private locker during your time at the lagoon. Pick any open locker, place your clothes inside, and follow the posted instructions on how to lock it.

Everyone must shower—without a swimsuit—before entering the Blue Lagoon. There are both open showers and closed shower stalls. Blue Lagoon skin care shower gel and hair conditioner is available in the shower. It is highly recommended that you wash your hair before and after you go into the lagoon – and leave the conditioner IN your hair without washing it out before going into the lagoon as the silica minerals in the lagoon will dry your hair out and make it very stiff. Place longer hair up in a bun on top of your head and try not to submerge it into the lagoon.

Is there Food and Drink at the Blue Lagoon?

Your bracelet will also be used in the lagoon to purchase drinks or facial masks during your visit. It is not linked directly to your credit card, so anything you purchase needs to be paid for at check out. Please do not lose your bracelet as you will be charged a fee.

Drinks in the lagoon can be purchased at the swim up Lagoon Bar. Both non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks are available. Each experience comes with at least one free drink. There are a lot of fun slushy drinks, wine, champagne, and beer options. There is a limit of 3 alcoholic drinks per person.

Food is provided in the cafe in addition to three on-site restaurants including the Spa Restaurant, the Lava Restaurant, and the Moss Restaurant. Reservations to the restaurants are highly recommended regardless of the time you are visiting.

Privacy and Safety

Lifeguards are on duty at all times and survey the lagoon from walkway decks that raised above the lagoon. Lifeguards typically have yellow thick jackets on and are easy to locate for questions/concerns while in the lagoon.

I won’t lie the Blue Lagoon is typically FULL of people. There is a limit to how many people can come, which is why you need to reserve your tickets early otherwise they will sell out! Even though there are a lot of people there when we visited, there was certainly still enough space in the large lagoon to find a spot decently away from other people. Hint: The back side of the lagoon that is deeper is typically less crowded.

Is the Blue Lagoon Appropriate for Kids/Families?

The Blue Lagoon is very family friendly. We saw a TON of families and kids from smaller children to teenagers in the lagoon during our visit. Children aged 8 and younger must wear floaties, and no one under 2 is allowed in the water due to the silica. Children must be supervised by a parent or guardian, and 1 adult can accompany a maximum of 2 children.

Blue Lagoon Set-Up and Size

Around the outer edges of the lagoon, the depth is less than 0.8m/2.6ft. The further you go into the middle of the water and into the back portions of the lagoon, the deeper it gets with the deepest section being 1.4m/4.7ft.

The Blue Lagoon is fairly large and has multiple sections around the lagoon including an In-water Mask Bar, Sauna, Steam Cave, Steam Room, In-Water Bar, and Lagoon Waterfall. The Blue Lagoon Complex has a Viewing Deck on its second floor.

Can you Stay at the Blue Lagoon?

The Blue Lagoon has both the Silica Hotel and the Retreat Hotel on-site. Both are fairly expensive, with the retreat being more luxurious. Staying at the Silica Hotel gives guests access to its own private, less touristy lagoon in addition to tickets to the Blue Lagoon. Guests of the Retreat have full access to the Retreat Spa and the private Retreat Lagoon. If full privacy is what you desire – these are your best options!!

Other Facts:

The Blue Lagoon was designed to be accessible for individuals needing a wheelchair. There are designated spots for handicap parking and both facility wheelchairs and specially designed wheelchairs for lagoon access are available upon request. There are also specified accessible showers and a small private changing room if needed.

Luggage storage for larger bags is available for a fee. Smaller backpacks will fit in provided personal lockers (14×18 inches).

Temperatures in the lagoon range from 37°-40°C (98-104°F). We learned that there are certain spots within the lagoon that are warmer or colder based on where the water is being pumped into the lagoon. These are interspersed throughout the lagoon in different spots but are always by the large gray metal boxes!

The Sky Lagoon

Where is the Sky Lagoon Located?

The Sky Lagoon is located in Kársnes Harbour, Kópavogur, just outside of downtown Reykjavik. When comparing Blue Lagoon vs. Sky Lagoon for ease of access – the blue lagoon is definitely closer to the airport and has more options for getting there without renting a car. It IS possible to get to the Sky Lagoon without a car – however all paid transports with tickets require transfer from Reykjavik (not the airport).

From the airport, you can reach the lagoon by rental car or taxi via a short 40 minute drive. Taking the public bus is another (albeit LONG) option and requires a few interchanges along the way (bus no. 55 to Hlemmur, then bus no.1 to Hamraborg, then bus no. 35 to Hafnarbraut – the nearest stop to Sky Lagoon).

How Much does the Sky Lagoon Cost?

Available packages at Sky Lagoon:

• Pure Lite – lagoon only with public changing facilities
• Pure – lagoon, 7-step ritual, and public changing facilities
• Sky- lagoon, 7-step ritual, and private changing facilities

Okay, but what is this 7-step Ritual all about….and is it worth it?

The Sky Lagoon’s 7-Step Ritual is based off of centuries-long Icelandic traditions of using warm water and steam, cold water, dry heat, and fresh air for relaxation and well being. The ritual alternates experiences of hot with cold in variations of water, steam, and air which has been medically proven to have multiple health benefits including improving circulation, immune system, lymphatic flow, relief of muscle soreness, and reduction of inflammation.

(1) Hot geothermal lagoon → (2) Cold Plunge → (3) Infinity Sauna → (4) Cold Fog-Mist → (5) Body Scrub → (6) Hot Steam → (7) Cold Shower → Return to Lagoon

No ifs, ands, and or buts – it’s 1000% worth it.

Which package do we recommend?

At minimum I would recommend purchasing the Pure package to have access to the 7-step Ritual. The 7-step Ritual truly made our Sky Lagoon experience absolutely incredible and worth going back for again and again. We did not feel like we needed a private changing room for the sky package, but if that is important to you then we recommend purchasing that package as it is the only difference between Pure and Sky.

The Sky Lagoon is now offering a Sky Lagoon for Two package that includes 2 pure passes, a drink per person, and a food platter from the bar for ~$20 more than the standard Pure/Sky packages. You can also purchase drinks from the bar at the lagoon if you would rather wait to see if you want a drink depending on the time of day that you are enjoying your lagoon experience.

What company should I purchase my tickets through?

We purchased our tickets through GetYourGuide due to the ability to cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. They were also a few dollars cheaper… every dollar counts for budgeting travel expenses right?? You can purchase your tickets through Get Your Guide here. They also provide tickets without the ritual that include a transfer from Reyjavik.

Note: The earlier time slots are cheaper than the mid-day times slots for all experiences. It is also slightly cheaper if you visit during the winter versus the summer

Is there food and drink at the Sky Lagoon?

Use your provided bracelet at the swim up Lagoon Bar to purchase either non-alcoholic or alcoholic beverages including wine, beer, cider, and champagne on draught. You can also grab a yummy bite or coffee before or after your lagoon experience at the Sky Cafe just outside the locker rooms. The Smakk Bar is an upscale indoor bar with small plates capturing Iceland’s unique taste palate.

Lagoon Privacy and Safety

The Sky Lagoon has many alcoves that can be explored and rock ledge-like seats throughout the lagoon. Comparing the Blue Lagoon vs. Sky Lagoon, Sky Lagoon is much smaller though with more nooks for privacy. We saw 2 lifeguards at the Sky Lagoon, one at the entrance and one near the entrance to the Ritual Spa Ecodome and the cold dip pool.

Kids?

No one under the age of 12 is allowed in the Sky Lagoon. Youth aged 12–14 must be supervised by a guardian (18 years or older).

Can you Stay at the Sky Lagoon?

There are no accommodations affiliated with the Sky Lagoon; however, it is very close to Reykjavik, multiple AirBnB’s, and a short Uber/taxi from the airport. You can also purchase tickets on GetYourGuide with transfer included from the city center.

Side By Side:
Blue Lagoon vs. Sky Lagoon

A Note on General Iceland Geothermal Lagoon Etiquette:

• Remove any jewelry before entering the lagoon. This will ensure that you don’t lose your items and that they don’t get tarnished by geothermal seawater which has high levels of silica, algae, and minerals. 
• Salt, minerals, and other elements found in the lagoon waters can irritate your eyes. If you wear contacts, be careful not to get your eyes wet or remove them prior to entering any lagoons.
• It is considered rude to not shower before getting into any public/shared body of water in Iceland if a shower is available nearby. Most lagoons will provide private shower facilities to bathe in prior to getting in the lagoons. You are NOT to shower in your swim suit. Instead, shower naked and then put your swim suit on before getting into the lagoons.

If We Had to Choose:

Honestly, if we had to choose between Iceland’s Blue Lagoon vs. Sky Lagoon the decision is unanimous – Iceland’s Sky Lagoon stole our hearts and we still think about how much we want to go back and do it again. You can’t go wrong doing both – but if finances are tight and you are needing to choose between other activities in Iceland, we recommend you place your bets on the Sky Lagoon.

We hoped this helped you make your decision between Iceland’s Blue Lagoon and Sky Lagoon!

In wander + awe,

Meredith + Patrick