10 TIPS FOR ICELAND TRAVEL

From view counts to this blog I know that there are a lot of people interested in traveling to Iceland (It is so beautiful and the temperature is actually milder than New York City during the summer/fall.. who knew?), but yet there are very few websites that provide practical information about this tiny rock in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.  Combining my own Iceland experiences with what is most often asked on travel forums... Here are my "10 tips for visiting Iceland":

1. Credit card is king – Credit cards are accepted everywhere (even for small purchases)

• Make sure the card is chip activated and uses a 4 digit pin number because there are a lot of self-help gas stations outside of Reykjavik
• If you still prefer to carry some Iceland kronas with you, convert your money at the airport (right after exiting the customs gate, to your left).  I converted $100 USD and I barely touched them on my trip.

2. Car rental – what should I rent and who should I rent with?

• The Ring Road is a very well maintained road – if you are going to be on the ring road, any car would be suitable (of course the weather will have to be considered as well)
• Secondary roads are often unpaved and are often doable with a regular sedan (you will be going at a snail pace due to gravel/pot holes.  To experience Iceland to the fullest (mountain roads/F-roads), I would recommend a 4x4.
• Remember, fording rivers are NEVER covered under your rental insurance... so do it at your own risk.  It is super fun and rewarding though.
• Car rental can be expensive in Iceland, and there are some cheap options out there for older + under-maintained vehicles for hire.  You will have to weigh out what is more valuable to you (a peace of mind VS money).  One thing is for certain... you get what you pay for.

3. Telecommunication is fantastic in Iceland - I was on 3G surfing the web at night in the middle of nowhere.

• Bring an unlocked phone – SIM cards from Siminn and Vodafone is widely available for a reasonable price

4. Waterproof everything – from camera gears to waterproofed pants.

• Weather can change on a dime in Iceland.  Don't be discouraged if the weather turn sour, because the sun will probably come out 5 minutes later.

5. You CAN drive around the ring road in 3-4 days.

• But why would you want to?  Isn’t the point of going to Iceland... is to enjoy the view and the tranquility Iceland has to offer?  Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.  In my opinion 7 days would be the minimum amount of time to complete a ring road journey.
• There are ample photo opportunities close to the ring road (like these)

6. Iceland is not for budget travel, but here are some things you could consider doing…

• Eating at gas stations (fish and chips or burgers) for ~$15 USD.  Or buy 2 yogurts (Skyr) which are tasty beyond belief as a meal substitute (<$5 USD).  I would suggest going to a restaurant every couple of days to experience local Iceland cuisine (delicious seafood and lamb).
• Don’t buy water in Iceland: bottled water = tap water = delicious Iceland water

7. “On the official website it is indicated that road X or site X is closed.  We are smart people and experienced hikers, do you think we will be OK if we brave it?”

• Sometimes the weather in Iceland may not cooperate with you the way you would want it to be.  But do you really want to risk your life doing it?  In Iceland the one thing I learned to do is to respect the weather… closed = do not go.

8. Grab a GPS or a detailed map if driving away from the ring road.

• There are no way you can ask for directions when all you’ve seen are sheeps for the last 2 hours
• Some road names are so ridiculously long and unpronounceable.. you’ll be confused even if the road sign is in front of you.

9. Stock up on booze at the duty free store before exiting the customs gate - Alcohol is prohibitively expensive in Iceland (a beer could cost ~$10-15 USD)

10. Everyone speaks perfect English in Iceland - just like other Scandinavian countries.

About the Author

...Armed with a camera, I am able to document my hobbies and passions in life as I strive to complete my bucket list.

...Armed with a digital pen (aka keyboard), I am hoping to inject narratives into these pictures to describe experiences.

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