Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach, Vik | Iceland Travel Guide
Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach is a beach like no other. Forget the common soft, white sands of Boracay or Bali. In Iceland, what you get is wild and fierce. Storm grey organ-shaped basalt columns, jet black volcanic sand, sea stacks, and basalt caves are just some of the features to be found at Reynisfjara.
Little wonder then that the Reynisfjara Beach was voted as one of the World’s Most Instagrammed Beach. And the most beautiful by National Geographic and Condé Nast Traveller.
So if you’re travelling along Golden Circle Iceland, make sure Reynisfjara gets on your travel itinerary! Read this travel guide and the FAQs below to learn everything you need to know before visiting and let me know if there is anything else you want to know in the comments below. Or just leave a comment.
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Experiencing Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
Did you know that “Reynisfjara” (also known as Vik beach) means “Reynir’s beach” in Icelandic?
The name was derived from Reynir, a wealthy Norwegian Viking who settled in the area back in the 18th century.
Reynisfjara Black Beach Restaurant & Toilets
GPS: N 63.4051° W 19.0561°
Waze: Reynisfjara Black Beach Parking, 215 Reynishverfisvegur, Vik, Iceland
If you are driving to Reynifsjara, turn on both your GPS and Waze. Since there is always a danger of losing your GPS signal, Waze is a handy backup.
It was really easy for us to find Reynisfjara if you follow the above GPS/Waze addresses. We were brought right to the Reynisfjara Beach car park, which was a mere 1 minutes’ walk to the beach. There are plenty of car park spaces available, which is great when the tour buses drop by!
If you are driving, please park at the designated, rocky areas only. Avoid the grass patches. Oh, and did I mention that the parking is FREE?
Right beside the car park, you will find the Black Beach Restaurant and toilets on its left. The toilets require payment, and credit card is accepted.
There was a queue at the toilets when we visited. As one person left the toilet cubicle, they would leave the door ajar for the next person. Free toilet usage! Tourist tip 1 for you.
“Sneaker Waves”
If you want to enter the Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach, head towards the right of the toilets / Black Beach Restaurant. You will go through a gate and encounter a very important warning about Iceland’s infamous “sneaker waves”.
These sneaker waves are the cause of many unfortunate Iceland tourist deaths.
“Sneaker waves” in essence refer to ocean waves that at first glance, appear calm and unthreatening. In actuality, these rip currents have been travelling between the South Coast of Iceland and Antarctica, unhindered, growing in size and power.
By the time they reach the shores of Reynisfjara, the waves will have morphed into a massive, violent beast. A number of unsuspecting tourists have been caught and pulled out into the Atlantic Ocean.
Iceland’s Black Sand Beach
A minute’s walk will bring you to the iconic black sand beach, which stretches for miles. A clear path will mark the way for you.
Towards your right, you will see the Dyrholaey Arch on a fine day in the far distance.
The first thing you will see is a large sign board warning you about the dangers of the black sand beach. The cause of a number of tourist deaths.
Head towards your left, where the crowd tends to congregate. Large storm grey basalt columns frame the side of the lush green mountains, where puffins gather to nest. We even saw some sheep grazing on top of the mountain!
While on the black sand beach, we also saw a few white breasted birds flying above us. We suspect that these were puffin birds due to their stumpy wings. They looked like tiny flying penguins. And boy, did they fly hard against the strong winds!
Basalt Columns (Garðar)
These massive organ-like basalt columns are one of the most stunning features of Reynisfjara. They line the side of the Reynisfjara beach and go up to 20 meters in height, in parallel straight columns.
It is believed that the cliff of basalt columns (known as Hálsanef) inspired Guðjón Samúelsson in the design of the Hallgrímskirkja church in Reykjavík. (Read THIS POST for a list of things to do in the capital city of Reykjavik, Iceland).
The Hálsanef eventually curves around the corner to form a basalt rock cave (i.e. the Hálsanefshellir). To the east (your right), you will find the Reynisdrangar sea stacks.
These hexagonal basalt blocks are perfect for climbing and posing on!
Hálsanefshellir (Basalt Rock Cave)
Hálsanefshellir doesn’t lead anywhere but it is perfect for posing within.
During the storm, puffins and sheep have been known to take shelter here!
Note: October to April are known to be months where it is generally unsafe to visit.
Reynisdrangar Sea Stacks (the Sea Trolls of Iceland)
Reynisdrangar refers to the incredible black sea stacks that protrude out of the Atlantic Ocean by the Reynisfjara Beach. They are also nesting zones for puffins, fulmars and guillemots.
The basalt sea stacks also have the pleasure of being subject to three different Icelandic legends.
Icelandic Legend 1:
The basalt cliffs are made up of a pair of husband and wife trolls. As fairy-tale enthusiasts would know (remember The Hobbit?), trolls turn to stone when they are hit by sunlight.
These two unfortunate trolls were pulling a three-masted ship out of the Atlantic Ocean when they spotted Hálsanefshellir.
They decided to head towards the cave but sadly, weren’t fast enough. The sun rose, turning them instantly to stone!
Nowadays, you can spot the “ship” and the two trolls that make up the three-part Reynisdranger basalt columns.
Icelandic Legend 2:
A beloved wife was once captured and killed by two trolls. The aggrieved husband followed the two trolls down to Reynisfjara where he froze them, ensuring that they would never kill anyone again.
Icelandic Legend 3:
The trolls in Iceland and Faeroe Islands were trying to pull the two countries together. Unfortunately, they turned into stone before succeeding.
Surprisingly (or not), you will find the same rock formations on a beach in Faeroe Islands!
Boring Old Reality
The Reynisdrangar Sea Stacks consist of 3 sea stacks. These basalt sea stacks were formed through a process called columnar jointing (when molten lava has cooled down). They were connected to the Reynisfjall mountain range in the last ice age but harsh weather conditioning and erosion has led to their current disjointed state.
Each of these basalt sea stacks has a name.
The first is known as Langsamur. Langsamur’s pyramid and 3 peaks formation bear the resemblance of a ship from a distance. Remember the troll legend?
Landdrangur is the second-largest stack that stands closest to the beach.
Skessudrangur (or Háidrangur, depending on who you talk to) is the smallest. The irony of the names being that “Skessudrangur” or “Háidrangur” means tall and enormous in Icelandic, despite Skessudrangur being the smallest of the 3 basalt sea stacks!
Reynisfjara Cliffs
Arnardrangur (“Eagle Rock”)
The Reynisfjara black sand beach extends for miles all the way to the Reykjanes Peninsula. At the end of the Reynisfjara black sand beach, you will encounter a tall lava rock known as the “Eagle Rock” or Arnardrangur. It is so named because of the eagles that used to nest there until 1850.
Unfortunately in August 2019, the Icelandic authorities announced that the easternmost side of Reynisfjara has been closed indefinitely due to safety reasons, which you can read about here.
Checklist of Things to See at the Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
To make things easier for you, I have listed out the main things to look out for at the Reynisfjara black sand beach:
- Organ-like iron grey basalt columns;
- Cave under the basalt rocks (Hálsanefshellir);
- The Sea Trolls of Iceland (Reynisdrangar Sea Stacks);
- Local birds such as puffins, fulmars and guillemots; and
- Dyrholaey Arch in the distance.
It’s rather like a treasure hunt, isn’t it?
Icelandic Film Location Features
Reynisfjara Beach is no stranger to the silver screen and given its otherworldly beauty, that is no surprise.
Some of these iconic features include:
- HBO’s all-time favourite Game of Thrones Season 7: Eastwatch (where the Night’s Watch was stationed) and North of the Wall
- Star Wars: Rogue One
- Noah (2014) – the last 20 minutes’ of Russell Crowe’s movie was filmed on the black sand beach!
- Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013)
The Northern Lights
In case you were wondering, yes. You can potentially catch sight of the Northern Lights at Reynisfjara during winter.
Dyrholaey Arch (Cape of the Doors)
If you are running short of time, you can visit the Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach and see the 120 m Dyrhólaey Arch at the same time! It will be to your right, with the Reynisdrangar Sea Stack columns to your left.
This was quite a relief for me because we did try very hard to visit the Dyrhólaey promontory the day before. Unfortunately, the Icelandic weather just wasn’t on our side. The entire place was shrouded in a thick layer of fog, coupled with violent winds and lashing rain, and that effort went down the drain.
However, Reynisfjara made up for it and you can see the Dyrhólaey Arch clearly! If you can, try and make it up to the Dyrhólaey Arch. That is where the puffin colonies can be found and you will find many of those curious orange beak puffins loitering around during the summer.
Be warned however that it is a bit of a pain going up to the Dyrhólaey promontory. It is a very steep, gravel road and I won’t advise trying unless you can go by a 4×4.
Hiking near the Reynisfjara Beach
If you love hiking, then look for the church that overlooks the city. There are lots of hiking trails with markers catering to hikers of different abilities. Some of these trails can even take you around the Mýrdalsjökull glacier or the peak of Mount Hatta.
Directions
GPS: N 63.4051° W 19.0561°
Address: Reynisfjara Black Beach Parking, Route 215 Reynishverfisvegur, Vik, Iceland
The Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach is located some 2.5 hours away from Reykjavik (180 kilometers / 112 miles). Great for a day trip out of Reykjavik since you will have time to hit many of the other Golden Circle attractions.
As a safety precaution, turn on both your GPS and Waze. For a complete set of travel apps that you will need when exploring Golden Circle Iceland, read this post.
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Bonus FAQs
How do you pronounce “Reynisfjara”?
Reynisfjara sounds like ray-nis-feeare-ra. For an audio version, visit Forvo.
Why is the sand black in Iceland?
There are around 130 volcanoes in Iceland, with the most recent occurring in Eyjafjallajokull glacier in 2010. During such an eruption, the molten lava came into contact with the freezing Atlantic Ocean. This violent mix of molten lava and sea water resulted in the formation of debris and sand leading to Iceland’s black sand beaches.
The black sand of Reynisfjara came from the eruption of the nearby Katla volcano. The sand is always pitch black because it is located in one of the wettest and foggiest areas of Iceland.
How long should you spend at Reynisfjara Beach?
I would budget around 30 minutes to 1 hour here. The time varies depending on how many pictures you want to take, whether you want to walk towards Arnardrangur and even if you want to stop by the Black Beach Restaurant.
What is the best time to visit Reynisfjara Beach?
Reynisfjara Beach is open throughout the year, so you can come at any time. However, the experience will be very different when depending on the season and time of day.
We went during summer, and there were lots of people present during the blustery winds.
Winter at Reynisfjara Beach is a whole other experience. There is just something special about seeing a layer of pristine white snow coating the jet black pebbles of the Reynisfjara Beach, glacial rock pools glistening with a coat of ice on the side.
What should you wear when exploring Reynisfjara Beach?
Anything that is waterproof together with sturdy waterproof boots. I wore four layers of thermal wear in the summer and it still felt too cold for me.
(Disclaimer: I’m a tropical girl so your level of sensitivity to the cold might differ from mine.)
To be safe, bring layers that you can pile on or take off. Above all else, make sure your clothes are waterproof.
If you don’t have waterproof outerwear, at least invest in a raincoat! The last thing you want is to be exploring Iceland in cold, wet clothes.
Shopping Tip:
Visit Icewear for some amazingly affordable and warm clothes. I realise that all the online reviews keep raving about 66°North and the clothes did look amazing, but they were SOOO expensive.
Icewear seemed more like the H&M of Icelandic clothes and I don’t regret the pullover that I bought!
What can you do at the Reynisfjara Beach?
You can’t (read: don’t want to) sunbathe, swim or even dip your toes into the sea, that’s for sure.
Instead, the Reynisfjara Beach is a photographer’s dream. Look out for all the highlights mentioned in this article, particularly the basalt columns, basalt cave and Reynisdrangar.
And while exploring the Reynisfjara Beach, please do protect the environment and avoid littering!
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TL;DR Reynisfjara Beach is a photographer’s dream. Basalt columns, caves, Reynisdranger, puffins and sheep grazing on a steep cliff in one of the most beautiful beaches in the world! |
Should I join a tour to visit the Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach?
You don’t actually need to join a tour. A visit to Reynisfjara is very straightforward and it isn’t hard to find the place.
However, tours are fantastic if you want to leave all the navigational mess to someone else. Driving in Iceland can get very stressful, especially when you are not used to the Icelandic road conditions, weather and also the fact that they drive on the “wrong” side of the road!
In addition, most of the tours include Reynisfjara Beach as one of the essential things to do when in the Southern Coast of Iceland. So why not join a tour and hit many birds with one stone?
Some of the tour options I would recommend are:
Is there any food to eat near Reynisfjara Beach?
The closest food option would be the Black Beach Restaurant, which is located right next to the Reynisfjara car park. Built in 2014, the Black Beach Restaurant serves soup (Icelandic meat soup & turnip soup), salads, burgers, pasta, fish and lamb.
They also offer free WiFi! Cheers to fulfilling my little millennial heart! <3
Address: Black Beach Restaurant, Islandia, Reynishverfisvegur, 871 Vík, Iceland
If you don’t mind a short drive, you can also head into little fishing village of Vík í Mýrdal for a meal.
Would you recommend staying at a place other than Reykjavik when visiting Golden Circle Iceland?
ABSOLUTELY.
We stayed at different locations every night for the 1 week that we were in Iceland. When we arrived at Kirkjubaejarklaustur however, we stayed at the amazing Magma Hotel. It was the BEST decision ever!
Magma Hotel bookings can be made at this link.
Using Magma Hotel as a base, we hit all the major attractions near Vík í Mýrdal. This included the Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach, which was a mere 10 km distance from Vík í Mýrdal.
What are the main waterfalls near the Reynisfjara black sand beach?
The Skógafoss Waterfall and Seljalandsfoss Waterfall (61 km away) are a must-see and feature in most Golden Circle / South Coast Iceland tour itineraries.
Unless you have a very good reason, don’t skip out on these two waterfalls!
Any recommendations on what else we can cover here?
YES!
Here are my top recommendations (I love lists):
|
DESTINATION |
ABOUT |
DISTANCE FROM REYNISFJARA BEACH |
| Vík í Mýrdal | The closest little town to the Reynisfjara Beach. Look out for the tiny white church on the hill! |
10.8 km (12 minutes) |
| Dyrholaey Arch | Look for the Dyrholaey Lighthouse, puffin birds, and a top-down view of Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach. |
19.6 km (24 minutes) |
| Sólheimajokull Glacier |
Go on the ultimate glacier hiking experience. This was also the film site of a famous Hollywood movie. Can you guess which one? |
31.5 km (29 minutes) |
| Skógafoss Waterfall |
Hint: You can walk right up to the base of the waterfall. No barriers. Hint 2: Legends say that there is treasure behind this waterfall! |
34.5 km (30 minutes) |
| Seljavallalaug | Take photos of one of Iceland’s oldest, algae-covered pool (constructed in 1923). It is a 20 minutes hike from the car park. Come for the photos; you can’t swim in this pool! |
42 km (37 minutes) |
| Seljalandsfoss Waterfall |
One of the two greatest waterfalls in South Coast Iceland. With the Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, you can walk all the way around it! Just be prepared to get drenched unless you have a raincoat. |
61.1 km (49 minutes) |
| Katla Ice Cave | Step into a real-life ice cave located in the Mýrdalsjökull glacier. |
30.9 km (50 minutes) |
| Hvolsvöllur | A picturesque little town known for its lush fields, snow capped mountains, active volcanoes and central location in the South Coast of Iceland. Perfect to use as a base for some Icelandic exploration. |
81.6 km (1 hour 3 minutes) |
| Kirkjubæjarklaustur | Location of Magma Hotel, where we stayed while exploring the surrounding area of Vik. |
84.8 km (1 hour 9 minutes) |
| Hella | A lovely little town where you can go salmon fishing, horseback riding, dog-sledging, hiking up to the Hekla volcano or all the way to Þórsmörk and Landmannalaugar. |
93.8 km (1 hour 12 minutes) |
| Hveragerði |
A little town nicknamed the “Hot Spring Town”. Top activity to do here? Visit the hot spring! |
143 km (1 hour 53 minutes) |
| Skaftafell / Vatnajökull National Park |
Skaftafell is an incredible national park In particular, hike to the Svartifoss Waterfall, which is known for its dark, horizontal lava columns! |
150 km (1 hour 56 minutes) |
| Iceland’s Diamond Beach (Breiðamerkursandur) | Photograph 1,000-year-old “diamonds” (i.e. glaciers) before they melt in the Atlantic Ocean. |
203 km (2 hour 36 minutes) |
| Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon | Photograph mammoth icebergs & go on the amphibian/zodiac boat ride around the glacier lagoon. With the zodiac boat ride, you get right up close with a huge iceberg wall (the same wall that starred in the Game of Thrones!) |
204 km (2 hour 39 minutes) P/S: Reynisfjara Beach is located between Reykjavik and Jökulsárlón. |
| Landmannalaugar | Visit one of Iceland’s most stunning, rainbow-hued highlands. Jet black lava fields, blue lakes, hot springs and breathtaking hikes are just some of the things to see and do here. |
133 km (2 hour 46 minutes) |
Now do you see why a mere day trip out to the South Coast Iceland won’t suffice? 😀
Save yourself the heartbreak and bunker down in the South Coast for at least a night or two!
For detailed travel tips / inspiration when travelling along Golden Coast Iceland, check out my other Iceland posts:
- 120+ Travel Tips to Iceland
- Things to do in Reykjavik, Iceland
- Glacier Hiking at the Sólheimajökull Glacier | Adventure Travel
- Iceland’s Diamond Beach (Breiðamerkursandur)
- Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
- Gullfoss Waterfall
- Kerid Crater
- Skógafoss Waterfall
- The Best 8 Black Sand Beaches in Iceland
- Top 13 Travel Apps You Need When Visiting Iceland
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4 Comments
Nomads RTW
This beach is truly impressive. We just come from Lanzarote where beaches are similar with black sand and landscapes are also amazing, but this one looks even more.
Iuliya
Ooh would love to visit Lanzarote one day!
Kez
I need to get to Iceland to see those columns!
Iuliya
They’re fantastic!