The Guide to the South Coast of Iceland
Embark on a captivating journey through Iceland's South Coast with our comprehensive guide, unveiling the natural wonders and cultural treasures that define this mesmerizing region. As you traverse the stunning landscapes and iconic landmarks, consider the freedom and flexibility offered by a camper van rental.
From the thundering waterfalls of Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss to the black sand beaches of Reynisfjara, a camper van rental enhances your experience, allowing you to immerse yourself in the beauty of the South Coast at your own pace. Let our guide be your companion to uncovering the magic of Iceland's South Coast, with a camper van rental providing the means to turn your journey into an unforgettable adventure.
Iceland’s south coast is an incredibly popular destination for people travelling in a campervan, and with good reason; this is where you can find most Iceland’s most famous sights. Pretty waterfalls, lush green fields (in the summer at least), epic glaciers, and black sand beaches make up the breathtaking scenery along this stretch of coastline that is hemmed in on one side by the North Atlantic and the precipice of the Icelandic highlands on the other. This guide will explore the best things to see and do along Iceland’s south coast for campervans.
How Much Time Will You Need?
As stated in the introduction, the south coast is generally where you’ll find all the sights that have made Iceland famous. Iconic waterfalls and black sand beaches, rocky cliffs, and, of course, the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon all the way over in the southeast are on nearly everybody’s Icelandic bucket lists.
The good news is that it’s all relatively straightforward along here – there’s barely any room for detours from the ring road, which is where you’ll find a lot of these sights. We recommend taking 2-3 days along the south coast if it’s part of your ring road journey. If you’re here for a shorter amount of time, a popular thing to do is to aim for Höfn before turning back to Reykjavik. This is again doable in 2-3 days (perfect weekend itinerary), but make sure to leave some sights for the way back, as there’s only one road.
Services
As it's one of the busiest parts of Iceland, there’s no need to worry about finding gas stations, places to eat, and grocery stores along the south coast. The towns between Reykjavik and Vik all have their own little supermarkets, be it the big Bonus and Krónan in Selfoss or smaller stores in Hella or Hvolsvöllur. The service station in Vik must be one of the busiest in the country (outside of Reykjavik), and from here, you’ve got stops in the unpronounceable Kirkjubæjarklaustur, outside Skaftafell Nature Reserve and finally in Höfn.
What to See and Do
With so much to see and do along the South Coast, we’ll only cover the main sights and what to do there. Other lesser-known and not as-visited sights can be found on the map below.
Reykjadalur Valley
Home to a geothermally heated hot spring river, and now one of the most popular things to do in the country. Out the back of the town of Hveragerði is where you’ll find the trailhead, and you must hike for about an hour a little bit up into the mountains to find the spot where the river runs hot. It’s very busy during the summer, so either wake up early or stay up late and use the daylight – there’s a good campsite in Hveragerði.
Seljalandsfoss
Seljalandsfoss is the first waterfall many will see in Iceland, charging off the precipice of the highlands and sparking that sense of excitement and adventure that many coming to Iceland seek. It’s the waterfall that you can walk behind (not when it’s icy) and is deceptively powerful for such a small waterfall (yes, it’s small – wait until you see some of the others in the country). Parking is around 700 kroner.
Eyjafjallajökull
The tongue-twisting ash-spewing volcano that caught the world’s attention in 2010 is right here. Although not much of an attraction (you can only really catch glimpses of the glacier on top when it’s a clear day) there is a great exhibition called Eyjafjallajökull Erupts right on the ring road that will teach you more about this epic eruption.
Seljavallalaug
Seljavallalaug is Iceland’s oldest man-made swimming pool. Geothermally heated (only very slightly), this pool is more about the location rather than the quality of swimming you can find here. Take road 242 off the main route and follow the road to its end, where there is a small area for parking. A 30-minute walk into the valley that cuts into the foothills of Eyjafjallajökull, and you’ll find this pool hiding around a corner.
Skógafoss
Skógafoss is perhaps Iceland’s most popular waterfall. This perfect sheet of water that crashes down over the cliffs is an incredible sight. Get here early before the tour buses start to arrive, or even better, make use of the campsite here and wake up early to enjoy it with only a handful of other people.
Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
Another one of Iceland’s most popular sights. Made famous through TV series like Game of Thrones and movies like Star Wars: The Force Awakens, this gorgeous strip of black sand beach is always busy. At one end of the beach is a cliff face made up of hexagonal basalt columns formed from ancient lava flows. Stay far from the water, as this is also one of the most dangerous beaches in the world. Unexpectedly, large waves can sweep in, and powerful undercurrents have swept people out to sea before.
Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon
Justin Bieber used this to shoot a music video for "I’ll Show You," where he jumped around where he wasn’t supposed to. Since then, it has grown in popularity, and the snaking canyon’s cliffs are covered in the bright green Icelandic moss. It has been closed a bunch of times temporarily lately to try and restore the damage done to the environment around here, so if it's open, tread carefully and responsibly, sticking to the designated paths.
Skaftafell Nature Reserve
Boasting many amazing hiking trails within its borders, Skaftafell Nature Reserve is nestled below the behemoth Vatnajökull Glacier and between two outlier glaciers. A short but sweet trail leads to the popular waterfall Svartifoss, but if you have the time, it’s worth exploring some of the longer trails that give you great views of the glacier above and different perspectives. There’s a great campsite next to the visitor's center as well.
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon & Diamond Beach
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon & Diamond Beach are attractions that many will see on Instagram long before setting foot in Iceland. Both are an awesome show of nature. The lagoon is a large expanse of water full of floating chunks of glacier that have slowly broken off and crashed into the water. Currents pull the glaciers out into the sea via a small channel, where they then get pushed by the ocean tides back up onto the nearby black sand beach. These chunks of glacier in all stages of melting sit on the sandy shore, like nature’s very own sculpture museum.
Towns in Iceland's South Coast
Hveragerði is often the first town outside of Reykjavik that people will visit. This cute little town is built above a highly geothermal active area, meaning that at most times, there will be steam billowing out of the ground at various points and in the mountains surrounding the town. It’s a great little stop to explore, as there are a few great museums, places to eat, and some cool galleries as well, on top of the large greenhouses on the edge of town growing vegetables.
Next up is Selfoss, the largest town along the south coast. It’s your average country town, with places to eat, stock up on groceries, or visit a café or two. The highlight for many here will be the Bobby Fischer Museum, dedicated to the life and achievements of the world-renowned chess player who won the Chess World Championship in Reykjavik in 1972.
Many will drive straight through Hella and Hvolsvöllur, at the very most, stopping for a hot dog at one of the service stations. However, both towns are along the bus route that goes up into Landmannalaugar, so the campsites offer a good spot to leave your campervan for a day or two if you do decide to get the bus to explore this magical part of the highlands.
Vik is perhaps one of Iceland’s most popular towns. This little spot is Iceland’s southernmost point (not counting the Westman Islands) and a very busy intersection and stopping point for travelers coming either way along the ring road. Three impressive sea stacks jut up out of the ocean just off the coast, which legend says are trolls that turned to stone after getting caught out by the rising sun. There are great views over the whole city and the coastline from above the church, where you’ll also find the town cemetery.
Kirkjubæjarklaustur is as underrated a town as they come in Iceland. Apart from its long and unpronounceable name, there are a few great waterfalls on the outskirts of the town and one of the country’s most beautiful campsites. Also of interest is the Kirkjugólf (Church floor) out the back of town, the tops of basalt columns emerging just above the ground and looking like a man-made floor.
Final Thoughts on Driving Iceland’s South Coast
Iceland’s South Coast is one of the best road trips you can take in a campervan. With famous waterfalls, black sand beaches, glaciers, and the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, there’s plenty to see.
The drive is easy, with campsites, gas stations, and stores along the way. Whether you spend two days or more, take your time and enjoy the journey—this route is one you won’t forget.