Jökulsárlón Lagoon
Next to the Glacier Hike, the visit to the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon is one of the most beautiful experiences in Iceland. Although just coming here is heaven for photographers, the real experience is taking the boat tour of the lagoon. Keep in mind that the lagoon freezes in the winter and the tours are only available May through October.
We took the Glacier Lagoon Tour, and instead of Amphibian Tour option (a less intimate experience on a big boat with many other people), we chose the more intimate Zodiac Boat Tour. This is an amazing tour, but you have to make reservations ahead of time, as it gets sold out fast. The tour costs around $60 per person. The tour lasts app. 1 hour as you drive around the lagoon, stopping occasionally for awesome photo ops.
You first have to put on these warm suits that are not only keeping you (very) warm, but are also floating devices. These fit everyone, regardless of height and weight. Driving fast around the lagoon made us feel like we were starring in a James Bond movie (in fact a scene from James Bond movie "Die Another Day" was filmed here). The water is freezing. Our Captain told us that we could survive 10 minutes in this freezing water with these suits on. Without them 4 minutes.
If you plan to drive around the island, and Glacier Lagoon is your last activity of the day, you will probably sleep at Hofn. This little towns in Iceland that has been isolated for a very long time before Route 1 was built in the 70-ties. We slept at the Apotek Guest House (Hofn), the only place where we had to take 2 rooms as they did not have a family room (it is really tiny, but cute). We had to call the landlady to come and give us the key, so make sure you have a phone that works in Iceland. Everything was closed at 7pm when we arrived, restaurants and supermarkets alike, so thank God for ramen noodles and Knorr soup we had with us. Breakfast was included and it was very good.
